Power Steering Cylinder Repair, Kama 554

[3RRL]

With all this talk of getting my steering to work better, I was going to remove the power steering cylinder and dis-assemble it to check for nicks or whatever to see if I could find anything obviously wrong with it and repair it if needed. I noticed that the bolts holding the mount to the front axle had come loose. In order to get to those bolts on the top, I needed to remove the pivot pin to get to the last one. You can barely get a wrench on it and you can't get a socket on it because the pin that holds the cylinder on and the Zerk get in the way.
Here is the cylinder, the mounting bracket on the axle housing and a close up.



These pictures show a good view of the pin that holds the cylinder in the bracket and the little bolt that holds the pin in place. I removed the little bolt and slid the pin up to get it out. Guess what? The pin's shoulder hits the casting above it. In order to get the pin out, I'll somehow have to cut off part of the shoulder and also part of the pin. When the pin is lifted up and against the casting, it is still engaged to the cylinder clevis, so I'm NOT sure how much of the pin and shoulder will need to be cut off. Needless to say, doing all that upside down and under the tractor will not be easy. What can I get in there to cut with?



Then if I ever did get the pin out, I was going to turn the bracket upside down so the pin would go in from the bottom, but you can see the bracket is not symmetrical! If I want to have the pin go in from the bottom, I'll have to drill and tap the bracket. Plus the pivot will not be in the same place. Needless to say, I probably won't do that anyway.



I decided to wait until I have more time. I have the filter on order, so I'll wait to do the whole thing when that gets here. If you're following my Log Home and Barn Thread, you'll see I have plenty of other stuff to do. Even trying to tighten those bolts was a pain.
How did those Chinese assemble this thing in the first place?

 

[biggerten]

Rob:

Is that thing articulated? What I mean is, if you jack up one front wheel, does the axle pivot? If it does, this may buy you some room.

Or maybe I'm not thinking straight, it's happened before.

Tom

 

[greg_g]

Unless there's something I'm missing here, why fool with that pin at all? Take the whole bracket off the axle housing. The pin (and cylinder) should come with it. Once you detach the cylinder on the wheel end, you can disassemble it for inspection. I don't see where you'd have to fool with that pin at all.

//greg//

 

[bjr]

Would regular open end wrench work? or maybe a crowsfoot wrench? gotta be a way. Or maybe a 12 point replacement bolt and that will take a smaller socket. You see those style bolts on starters on Diesel trucks sometimes. bjr

 

[tommu56]

Rob as the other Tom said drive the same side rear wheel up on a couple of 2x6's so tractor leans to side and maybe you will get it.

or lift front end with the loader and shim the opposite side front wheel and let tractor back down.

I started reading the thread at work and couldn't see any pictures and found work started blocking photo bucket what a pain.

tommu

 

[3RRL]

Rob:

Is that thing articulated? What I mean is, if you jack up one front wheel, does the axle pivot? If it does, this may buy you some room.

Or maybe I'm not thinking straight, it's happened before.

Tom

Thanks Tom, (both of you Toms)
That's a good idea I hadn't thought of. I might be able to get to that last bolt holding the bracket on. I did get to it with an open end wrench, but could only swing it a little bitty ways, and not enough to really torque it back down. Maybe jacking up the front will help?

 

[3RRL]

Unless there's something I'm missing here, why fool with that pin at all? Take the whole bracket off the axle housing. The pin (and cylinder) should come with it. Once you detach the cylinder on the wheel end, you can disassemble it for inspection. I don't see where you'd have to fool with that pin at all.

//greg//

Perhaps you missed reading the very first paragraph of my post?
That's where I said I couldn't get to that last bolt, meaning I couldn't get the bracket off.
I'll try what the two Toms suggested to see if I can get to it that way.

 

[3RRL]

Would regular open end wrench work? or maybe a crowsfoot wrench? gotta be a way. Or maybe a 12 point replacement bolt and that will take a smaller socket. You see those style bolts on starters on Diesel trucks sometimes. bjr

Yes, I was able to get an open end wrench on it ... barely, but could not swing it enough before having to turn the wrench around, you know, for a limited throw. So I got the bolt back fairly tight, but not torqued enough for my liking because even turning the wrench around, it would not go on again.
A crows foot would not fit on because the hex head is too close to the casting of the bracket for it to wrap around. This is a very common problem throughout the tractor on other bolts where either a crows foot or socket won't work because they won't seat on the hex. Likewise, I could not get a socket on not only for that reason, but also because the pin, shoulder and Zerk are in the way.

I think a real solution is to get it out somehow and replace it with a socket head cap screw and washer. I have impact type Allen wrenches that I can stick on the end of a 1/2" drive socket. The Allen wrench would miss all that crap.
I want to thank all you guys for your suggestions. When I get my filter in for a mod I'll be making, I'll post more, especially if jacking up the front and tilting the axle for more room works.

 

[TBDonnelly]

How did those Chinese assemble this thing in the first place?

You may want to contact some of the (very small in stature) chinese gymnists.
Now that the olympic's is over they may have some free time on their hands.

Don

 

[greg_g]

Perhaps you missed reading the very first paragraph of my post?.

No, I read it Rob - I just misinterpreted your issue. Since the majority text in that opening post was about removing the pin, I just missed the few lead-in words relative to an obstructed bracket bolt.

That said, my "just remove the bracket" recommendation originated from the fact that I got ahold of that particular bolt on my KM454 without much trouble at all. Opposite to your current issue, I found the bracket was loose a few years ago. I tightened it with a thin wall swivel socket on a short extension. Only problem with my cheap swivels though, is that they won't take much torque. I put on a new lock washer, but still eyeball it periodically to make sure it's not backing out again.

But anyway, either we have a 3 cyl versus a 4 cyl thing - or it's just a matter of having the right tool for the job.

//greg//