MF 165 Power Steering Sloppy

[Ron(Ont)]

I have a new to me MF 165 with a MF 235 loader. The steering has about 90 degrees of play before the wheels turn. I have 2 videos one with the engine off. I have tried adjusting the main nut on the arm assembly. It took out the slop but then the power would not kick in in one direction or the other. Suggestions appreciated.

 

[Brown David]

I have a new to me MF 165 with a MF 235 loader. The steering has about 90 degrees of play before the wheels turn. I have 2 videos one with the engine off. I have tried adjusting the main nut on the arm assembly. It took out the slop but then the power would not kick in in one direction or the other. Suggestions appreciated.

Those are an absolute peach of a system, that's sarcasm in case you couldn't tell.

In order for that system to work right, every piece of linkage and bushing, etc, in the system must be tight with zero play anywhere and fine tuned adjustments on the hydraulic actuating rods/links.

I had a procedure downloaded from a manual when I was working on my MH 50, (avatar pic), but I can't find it now. Must have got deleted somehow.

Again, it has to be tight to work properly.

That said, if you find the proper procedure, you might get it to work halfway good depending on how loose everything is.

Good luck.

 

[Bob NY]

I have a new to me MF 165 with a MF 235 loader. The steering has about 90 degrees of play before the wheels turn. I have 2 videos one with the engine off. I have tried adjusting the main nut on the arm assembly. It took out the slop but then the power would not kick in in one direction or the other. Suggestions appreciated.

I had to have the bushings replaced in the bolster of the 165 that I had years ago. After you adjust the threaded stud with the jam nut in the lower right of your picture, you need to adjust the small rod that is only partially visible in the upper picture to get the power assist to work in both directions.

 

[Ron(Ont)]

I should add that the power steering works well. But, the 90 degrees of play in the steering wheel makes it unsafe on the roads at high speed.
Bob, do you think it is likely that if I screw the adjusting nut in about 1/8" to take out the slop, it can be compensated for by adjusting the small rod? I have not found any video online of someone doing a complete alignment.

 

[Bob NY]

I should add that the power steering works well. But, the 90 degrees of play in the steering wheel makes it unsafe on the roads at high speed.
Bob, do you think it is likely that if I screw the adjusting nut in about 1/8" to take out the slop, it can be compensated for by adjusting the small rod? I have not found any video online of someone doing a complete alignment.

Are you aware that some movement is needed where that big screw is in order to actuate the power assist? That arm has to move before the rest of the linkage to push/pull the valve in and out. The trick is finding the sweet spot. As Brown David said, any play in the joints makes adjusting it harder to find that sweet spot.

 

[Ron(Ont)]

I am aware that some movement is required. Just to be clear, I still wonder how I can get rid of all this free play. Note that the front wheels do not move.

 

[Bob NY]

I am aware that some movement is required. Just to be clear, I still wonder how I can get rid of all this free play. Note that the front wheels do not move.

Have you checked all of the joints in the steering linkage from the steering box to the front end?

 

[Ron(Ont)]

Everything is tight up to the arm assembly shown in the 1st videos above.

 

[Bob NY]

Everything is tight up to the arm assembly shown in the 1st videos above.

What about the vertical shaft that goes down through the front bolster? Does it have any sideways movement when steering? That is where the problem was with mine.

 

[Ron(Ont)]

No, that was tight as well.

 

[Ron(Ont)]

Do any of you guys have a photo of the arm assembly above in the 1st post? I could get rid of the steering play if I screwed the arm screw in about 3-4 turns into the lock nut. You can see that mine is currently flush with the lock nut.

 

[Bob NY]

Do any of you guys have a photo of the arm assembly above in the 1st post? I could get rid of the steering play if I screwed the arm screw in about 3-4 turns into the lock nut. You can see that mine is currently flush with the lock nut.

I see excess movement where the rod is attached to the valve in that video. Getting rid of that play will make a big difference.