Power Steering?

[LarryBud]

I'm in search for a tractor around the 50 hp tractor for mowing.

How important is power steering to you all? A nice to have or a must have?

Also. I see there are after market PS Kits. Are they a reasonable option if I find a nice machine without PS?

Thanks,

LB

 

[rrlund]

Depends on the tractor. I've got several Olivers without power steering and hardly miss it. Other tractors, well, some steer like a
tank. If you're talking about one with a loader, it's about a must no matter what brand or model.

I remember when an Uncle got his first tractor with power steering. He cursed it saying that when he was mowing hay and would turn
sharp on the corners, he couldn't spin the wheel around as fast as he could with manual steering.

 

[Janicholson]

Mowing with a cycle mower and making square corners sure. Bush Hog not so much. If you are under 50 years old, not important. Older nice. Jim

 

[LarryBud]

(quoted from post at 10:01:58 11/07/22) Mowing with a cycle mower and making square corners sure. Bush Hog not so much. If you are under 50 years old, not important. Older nice. Jim

50 years of age is well back in the rear view mirror. I will be brush hogging mostly so precision is not important.

 

[Steve@Advance]

I would look around for something with PS, AND a 2 stage clutch!

Unless you just happen onto a real good deal, PS is really nice to have. A mower tends to take some weight
off the front wheels, so if all it will ever do is mow, then you could possibly get by without it.

But the 2 stage clutch is a safety issue, without that, you will need an over riding PTO clutch, which is
something else to buy and maintain.

Not real crazy about aftermarket PS on a working tractor. The best add on steering is taking a factory one
from a donor tractor, and that can be a lot of work and expense.

 

[the tractor vet]

There was a time i did not like power steering . In my youth not much had power steering . The old Farm trucks did not have it and from the age of 12 i managed driving them old 2 ton Chevy's and dodges in soft ground hauling taters out of the fields with a full old , when i took my driving test it was done in a 55 Chevy with a 6 cylinder , three on the tree and no power steering and nailed the parell parking the first try . Then came my First car not the one i wanted but the one m,y Mother insisted on me buying as she knew the ORg owner a little old lady school teacher she had in High school And that car was a 56 Ford Fairlane rag top with a 292 T bird Special with a Fordamatic and POWER Steering i learned to hate that car. Not only the power steering but the slush box BUT we had to make it go faster and quicker . Next up with the 61 Ford Sunliner and it had NO POWERFUL STEERING and it steered just fine , then came me starting to drive the mighty B61 Mack ah yep NO powerful Steering on that puppy and now two gear shift levers to play with . and on into the seventy's when i 74 i got the first semi with power steering and ya had no feeling for the road an with the NO feeling of the road you could get your donkey in a world of hurt real fast on bad roads as you could not feel them ft tires telling you hey wait ah min. here it is getting real slippery real fast . My 1954 Farmall S/MTA does not have it and up till three years ago i did not need it BUT NOW after the Dr. went and sliced and diced on me we no longer can throw a 150 # wheel weight up into a 4X4 Pick up like a frissbe and it has become a chore just dragging in a 40# box of Cat litter in the house. NOW i need POWERFUL STEERING .

 

[Ted in NE-OH]

The place you really need PS is when you have a front end loader.

 

[RCP]

As stated by others, it depends on the tractor, however, I like my Oliver 550 with
power steering, takes some of the effort out of steering. I would also add, I
prefer independent power takeoff, I could never get the hang of a 2-stage clutch.

 

[LarryBud]

Thank you all for the feedback.

Sounds like it depends on the tractor. I will look for power steering but not rule out nice units without.

I just need to be patient in my search.

 

[Fred Werring]

I've gotten sorry in my old(er) age...63
Every tractor I have has power steering except an 8n.
And depending on the tractor, you can add aftermarket ps.
I've added it to a 64 Ford 4000 gas and a 69 Ford 4000 diesel.
The diesel I grew up with. Had a 1 arm loader on it back then.
Was a bear to steer, but we thought it was great, beat the heck out of a pitchfork cleaning out the barn.
Could not mount the loader with the aftermarket steering I put on it, steering hyd cylinder is in the way. But wasn't figuring on putting the loader on there anyway.
If 50 years old is well behind you...let's face it, it's not going to get any easier. I'd be looking for a tractor with ps or one I could easily and economically add it to.

 

[Ellis Kinney]

I live in Northern Kentucky on a fairly hilly farm. I have three Farmall M tractors with narrow front and no power steering. I have a 1981 Ford F-100 with no
power steering. I am 77 years old and don't really notice or miss power steering, but I don't have shoulder issues or arthritis. Ellis

 

[Stephen Newell]

It probably depends on the tractor and the property you would be mowing. Some of them steer easily without power steering. Then if the terrain is rough power steering would help.

 

[Husker 50 8n]

Had a 1 arm loader on it back then.
Was a bear to steer, but we thought it was great, beat the heck out of a pitchfork cleaning out the barn.

How did you like the one arm loader? Trip bucket or hydraulic dump? Loader mounted on what tractor?

 

[Fred Werring]

It was a trip bucket loader. If I had one now, I'd probably figure out a way to put a hyd cylinder on it.
Wasn't great, wasn't bad...and as I said, sure beat using a pitchfork. And I was young enough (10 when he bought the tractor) I didn't know any better
It was mounted on a 69 Ford 4000 diesel. I know it was hard enough to steer with the bucket loaded with cow poo that Dad looked into adding
power steering. Then found out the loader wouldn't fit with the aftermarket kit. And retrofitting factory power steering that would have worked just cost too much.
Inherited the tractor when Mom and Dad passed. If you look close at the pic, you can see the steering kit I added. Had just bought new rims/tires, they looked great...really need to paint the rest of the tractor.

 

[LarryBud]

(quoted from post at 18:08:24 11/08/22) It was a trip bucket loader. If I had one now, I'd probably figure out a way to put a hyd cylinder on it.
Wasn't great, wasn't bad...and as I said, sure beat using a pitchfork. And I was young enough (10 when he bought the tractor) I didn't know any better
It was mounted on a 69 Ford 4000 diesel. I know it was hard enough to steer with the bucket loaded with cow poo that Dad looked into adding
power steering. Then found out the loader wouldn't fit with the aftermarket kit. And retrofitting factory power steering that would have worked just cost too much.
Inherited the tractor when Mom and Dad passed. If you look close at the pic, you can see the steering kit I added. Had just bought new rims/tires, they looked great...really need to paint the rest of the tractor.


<img src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto140240.jpg>

That s a fine looking machine. Congrats on the lifetime of care for the machine and the use it s provided your family.