JD 2950 steering hard

[tjdub]

2950 MFWD open station. I was cutting hay when I started noticing it was steering a little hard. After about 10 minutes it took muscle to steer it. All other hydraulics work fine, no oil is leaking. Where do I start?

 

[Tx Jim]

There were 2 different types of power steering on that model. Does your tractor have this filter(parts key #4)?

 

[tjdub]

Thanks Jim. I"ll check to see if it has one. Would this filter be located next to the steering control valve?

This tractor has an aftermarket cab on it. Not looking forward to pulling it off, but I"m afraid I may have to to get access.

 

[Tx Jim]

I think the steering filter will be on the RH side under the cab.

 

[Tx Jim]

I think the steering filter will be on the RH side under the cab.

 

[David S.]

On my 2940 open station the steering filter is on the left side below batterybox alongside the transmission.

 

[tjdub]

Thanks again Jim. It was on the left hand side just off the transmission. I picked up a new filter this morning. I sure hope that fixes it. If not, I suppose it's the control valve?

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 16:02:48 09/09/13) On my 2940 open station the steering filter is on the left side below batterybox alongside the transmission.

Thanks for helping David. Looking in parts schematics is difficult to orient exact location.

 

[tjdub]

No change with the new filter. I guess I'll clean the intake screen and put a new hydraulic filter in next.

 

[Tx Jim]

What is your tractors serial number?

 

[Tx Jim]

What is your tractors serial number?

 

[tjdub]

I don't have it written down, but it's a 1983 which was the first year they were made.

 

[Tx Jim]

I was forgetting something simple to do and that's to check stand-by pressure. Just plug a 3000 # gauge in the remote breakaway coupler. It should be a least 2250 psi but I'd set it at 2350 psi. I presume the frt axle king pins are greasy??

 

[tjdub]

I'll have to find some reducers and try to get my pressure gauge hooked up that way.

If it tests too low does that mean the main hydraulic pump could be bad (and robbing pressure from the steering)?

 

[Tx Jim]

Just because stand-by psi might be low doesn't indicate true condition of pump. It might be just that the stroke control valve is worn or out of adjustment.

 

[David S.]

I beleive there is a pressure reduction that takes place from the hydraulic pump to the power steering pump, now i'm going off of a 2940, things could have changed to the 2950, i'll try and look in my repair manual this evening.

 

[David S.]

My manual states if steering get hard but otherwise works it has gone into emergancy steering(like a manual steering in a car)which it says it could come from a loss of hydraulic pressure to steering, or steering valve could be binding. Like i said this is on a 2940 manual.

 

[tjdub]

David,

Thanks for looking it up in the manual.

I think it is looking like a low pressure problem (not the steering control valve). I ran the tractor for a while and noticed that the brakes were having some softness too.

I'm going to clean the intake screen and change the hydraulic oil and filter next, but I have a feeling that it's not going to be that simple.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 16:24:15 09/11/13) I beleive there is a pressure reduction that takes place from the hydraulic pump to the power steering pump, now i'm going off of a 2940, things could have changed to the 2950, i'll try and look in my repair manual this evening.

David
Does your manual show where the valve that controls this power steering pressure reduction is located??

 

[David S.]

Get a pressure gage and check standby pressure at the break away coupler, should be 2250psi + or - a little.

 

[David S.]

Read a little further indepth and the pressure reducing valve has only used up up until a certain seerial number on 2940s

 

[tjdub]

Yesterday I changed the hydraulic fluid and filter and cleaned the screen (was not plugged at all). No change.

I pulled the cover off of the pump and inspected the stroke valve. It was a bit scored, but not stuck or nicked or anything. I put it back together and the steering was the same.

Today, I bought the fittings to hook my pressure guage up to the rear SCV. The pressure was really low (about 1500psi). I turned up the stroke valve until it read 2350psi with the lever engaged.

That changed things with the steering, but didn't fix it. Now it doesn't take much muscle to spin the steering wheel, but when it starts going it keeps right on steering by itself until it steers all the way in one direction and then the steering wheel keeps right on spinning around forever. I can force it to stop spinning without too much effort, though. If I spin the wheel back in forth quickly it works like it should but once I stop it, it takes a pretty good nudge to get it spinning and then it just keeps right on going.

I'm guessing that this is all pointing at a bad steering control valve? Or is it possible that there's air in there from me changing the steering filter? I looked at the steering control valve, but didn't see anywhere to bleed it.

I suppose I should figure out how to plumb a gauge in where the steering filter goes just to make sure the pressure is right on that side? I'm not sure what the pressure should be, though.

 

[Tx Jim]

I'm fairly confident that the pressure at the steering valve should be the same as stand-by pressure. My experience on that type steering valve is limited as I left JD dealership about the time they were introduced. If any air is in the valve housing it should self bleed through operation. I'd suspect o-rings(parts key #28) or seat(parts key #27) as the PS valve's problem.

 

[tjdub]

(quoted from post at 04:38:46 09/14/13) I'm fairly confident that the pressure at the steering valve should be the same as stand-by pressure. My experience on that type steering valve is limited as I left JD dealership about the time they were introduced. If any air is in the valve housing it should self bleed through operation. I'd suspect o-rings(parts key #28) or seat(parts key #27) as the PS valve's problem.

Assuming this was just a problem with the steering valve I used the tractor today to bale hay and haul a few loads home. After a few hours I had other hydraulic issues (the hydraulic oil got really hot). It seems like I'm going around in circles here, but not I'm thinking that maybe the loader control valve is the problem.

Could this be possible?

The loader joystick doesn't "feel" like it used to since before this problem started, but seems to work normally until the oil got red hot. I'm thinking I should cap off the loader control valve just to eliminate at it as the problem, at least.

 

[Tx Jim]

Trying to diagnose closed center hyd malfunctions can make you BALD HEADED.

Loader valve could be the problem. Remove loader valve return hose from tractor and cap off at tractor. With JS in neutral aim return hose in hyd filler hole with engine running "no oil should come out of hose". Get a laser thermometer and check hyd functions for the hottest one.

 

[PSU4250]

Just a thought. When you checked the stand by pressure and it was low, that is probably because you have a leak somewhere in the system and it is bleeding the pressure down. You compensated for the leak by cranking the pressure up, now the leak is larger, and the oil is getting extremely hot. Once you find the leak(s), remember to check the stand by pressure again, it will probably be too high.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 10:37:33 09/15/13) Just a thought. When you checked the stand by pressure and it was low, that is probably because you have a leak somewhere in the system and it is bleeding the pressure down. You compensated for the leak by cranking the pressure up, now the leak is larger, and the oil is getting extremely hot. Once you find the leak(s), remember to check the stand by pressure again, it will probably be too high.

I never witnessed while I was a dealer service manager an internal leak that would affect stand-by pressure such as you described.

 

[tjdub]

(quoted from post at 04:38:46 09/14/13) I'd suspect o-rings(parts key #28) or seat(parts key #27) as the PS valve's problem.

I finally got around to pulling the control valve out and replaced these two o-rings. It fixed the problem with the wheel spinning around forever after the wheels turned all the way in one direction, but it still spins by itself and now it keeps steering even when the steering wheel isn't turning too!

I'm going to take the control valve into the local hydraulic shop next week and see what they can do for me. Deere's replacement valve is a kit which costs $2000! I don't think so.

 

[Tx Jim]

I wonder if a JD 2950 service manual would address this steering problem??

 

[Tx Jim]

I wonder if a JD 2950 service manual would address this steering problem??

 

[tjdub]

My local hydraulic place wouldn't even try to take one of these steering valves apart. They said they could cap it and ship it directly to Eaton in Eden Prairie, MN and they would refurbish it at the factory or they would just sell me a brand new one for what would probably be about the same price. It sounded good until I found out they had to build a new one too and it would take 8 weeks to get me a valve either way.

I searched on the internet and found a place that sells Chinese-made steering valves (Young Power Tech). For this Char Lynn 212-1004, the YPT number is 101-3-160-F.

It turns out the guy was lying and didn't have them in stock and lied to me over the phone about shipping it. I finally got it from him, but not for almost 4 weeks from when I ordered it.

Anyway, this fixed my steering problem. This YPT valve doesn't feel as smooth as the original Eaton one did, but it works fine.

I'm just posting this in case anyone has the same problem and comes across this thread. If you do, I suggest avoiding JR Hydraulic Sales. If I had it to do over again I would try to deal with Young Power Tech or Eaton directly.