Power assist steering question

[Bfinney5238]

Guys I have a Massey Ferguson 30b industrial that I
absolutely hate the power assist steering on. Its
comparable to a 165. Im thinking on going to a 68 ford
4400 industrial. Was wondering how finicky the power
assist steering is on that tractor compared to Massey
Ferguson?

 

[Janicholson]

your Dislike is not disputed, we just don't know if you don't like the over assist/under assist, jerky action, fail to work at idle, poor feel when in road gear. Let us know. Jim

 

[Bfinney5238]

Pretty much all of that. As well as the Massey Ferguson access to the engine. As well as not being able to drop the oil pan without splitting the tractor. And there is a different steering column than the original on the Massey which doesnt bolt up correctly. Is a ford 4400 a better tractor or should I look for something a little newer.

 

[Richard G.]

I had a 30B and sold it because of the steering.
Anything would be better be better.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I have had two 4400s and did not like the steering on them at all. The power assist is in the front bolster - under the radiator and hard to get at. It was powerful but there is a bunch of linkages between the steering wheel and the steering cylinder and they all had a bit of wear which made the tractor steer like a drunken buffalo.
I rebuilt all the linkages with new oversized pins, etc which tightened it up a lot but still didn't like it. I like crisp steering!
I built another tractor out of parts and pieces - 4000 chassis, 4400 bolster and axle, 3500 steering which is very simple and an integral PS steering box from a 4600.
It is a WAY better system - crisp, tight and powerful.

 

[Janicholson]

Ford Industrial tractors are good as are Case Construction King models. Jim

 

[Ultradog MN]

Bfinney,
In addition to what I wrote earlier...
If you are going to have a loader on the tractor then having crisp steering is not so important. Loaders make any tractor kind of an ungainly beast anyway.
I also have a 3600 and there is little to compare the two. A 4400 is built on the 4000 chassis so will be heavier, longer, have more HP and much better brakes. They are built to wear a loader whereas a 3600 is a lighter, more nimble, less loader capable machine.
I don't need a loader. I wanted a tractor that was short and low like a 3600 but with the features and grunt of a 4000 yet with crisp steering - for mowing and work in my woods. Thus my foray into industrial models.
And tightening up the worn pins and linkages wasn't so bad. I used a carbide drill to drill the little link plates to a slightly larger metric size and used hardened metric pins - all off the shelf stuff.
For loader work I would take a 4400 over a 3000/3600 hands down.
Lastly, you stated that to drop the pan on your MF 30B you need to split the tractor.
Well, sad but true, that is pretty much the case with a 4400 too. Not between the engine and transmission but the front axle has to drop down and the front bolster has to slide forward about 3'' to do it.
I suspect some sort of a split is neccessary on most brands of industrial tractors but only know my Fords.

 

[Bfinney5238]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I think Im gonna look for something newer and more nimble to get around in the woods. Im working on a 3600 and it has actual power steering. I didnt realize ford used the same setup on their older stuff like Massey did. I have a case David brown that has a great power steering setup. Im gonna keep looking then.

 

[Texasmark]

I have a 3600 and the PS works great. Power assist means just that....you have steering ability and you have 600 PSI to assist in the steering effort. I had a MF 35 and just disconnected and removed the cylinder. Wasn't too hard to steer but PS would have been beetter. One thing I like about assist PS vs hydrostatic is that when you install a knob on the steering wheel it stays where you put it rather than rotates who knows where around the wheel position.