JD 300 Steering Valve

[Anonymous-0]

After many months, I am finally getting to the bottom of my intermittent hydraulic problems on my JD300 backhoe. It had several problems: loose roll pin in the clutch control shaft to the reverser valve (not allowing the valve to close), bad stroke control valve, but I have determined that the steering valve is leaking internally back to the transmission after the oil heats up. It needs to be rebuilt. My machine is one of the later ones with the steering run off the main hydraulic pressure, not a separate power steering pump.

I understand these steering column valves are tricky to rebuild, and I had my local JD dealer quote on fixing it. $4,500 !!

Questions:
1. How hard is it to rebuild one of these yourself?
2. How many hours should it take a experienced mechanic to do it?

Many thanks,
Richard

 

[ben brown]

deere offer a overhaul ki for 68.00 dollas. if i am looking at the right machine. for 4500 i guess he planes on taking a trip to florida is he also going to kiss you.there some o-rings down in the housing that needs to be replaced and can be trickie installing. most likely thats all that is wrong with it go to jd parts amd search 300 series tractors the o-rings are idem 7 under power stering valve housing and shaft

 

[JDemaris]

Usually, the problem is just the large o-rings where the two steering-valve cartridges plug in. I fixed mine in less than a hour. All done from the top without removing the assembly from the tractor. Worse part is gettting the steerin wheel off without ruining it. The 1020s and 300s originally had soft o-rings in there, but it got upgraded to more durable, harder o-rings.

You can buy the seal kit from Deere - but it's overpriced. $68 from Deere, and $35 if you buy it aftermarket.

The big expense is - if you need a new valve -cartridge (or two). When I worked for Deere, they were $75 each and customers complained. Now, they are $350 each and your machine has two of them.

In regard to your dealer quoting you $4500??? I'd suggest never going to that dealer again - that price is just plain rediculous. Worst-case repair/full rebuild would involve a kit, two cartridges, and maybe three hours with several "coffee breaks" included. That's $800 in parts and maybe $225 in labor? How the heck does that come to $4500 ??? I fixed many or road-calls, on-site, in less than an hour, and less than $50 in parts.