I have a 1977 Case 580CK backhoe and the steering has become a real problem. Started off steering hard when there was a load in the loader bucket, especially at idle. Now it will not steer at all. The steering wheel turns hard but the wheels do not. However, if you lift the wheels with the bucket everything turns like it should. Checked the fluid in the pump and it's full. I found some information stating it might be the steering cylinders letting fluid past a seal but there are no visible leaks to speak of. I also heard there is a spring inside the power steering pump housing that gets weak and can cause a problem. I'm new to owning a backhoe however have worked as a mechanic years ago so I do have the ability to fix most things just not sure where to start with this one. I really need to find a solution as the backhoe is out in my farm field on top of a hill and needs to travel about 1/4 mile to get it back to my outbuilding where I can work on things.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.