Power Steering in 90 Minutes!

[bostonrats]

Hello to all!

So, an upgrade to my Kubota L185DT from "Armstrong" to power assisted in 90 mins? It's true, except for the time spent getting the hydraulic hose.

The kit is from Rick Davis at Tractor power steering conversion kit and parts store. . My final cost was about $500 with ship and getting some hose, your tractor might be more or less.


Here are the photos, the entire job was 1 1/2 hours....but I didn't clean the garage after.

The kit's great, the install was simple, the power steering worked as soon as I started the tractor and it's perfect, just like "real", you would never know it's an aftermarket kit...without looking. The only thing that's a bit odd is there is no provision to keep the piston actuator side up, I used a rubber tie down and it just might stay like that, it works perfect...I'm NOT a fancy guy!

The bottom line is for short $$ and a little fab you can make a huge improvement to your tractor. It used to be $1,200 bucks or so, I would never spend that much...but for under $500?? I can't wait to drive it all over the place! I used to turn in LONG arcs, and I'm not a light weight...it's a whole new world now...

Best to all!


PS This is the BEST upgrade to my tractor yet!!

 

[Ductape]

Sweetness ! Truth be told............. I might still own my first tractor if it had power steering. Nice work.

 

[wedge40]

Does it come with a pump or do you use feed from tractor?

Wedge

 

[SPYDERLK]

Shouldnt the cyl body be connected to a fixed point? Am I missing something? ............Oh, I see. I guess those hoses get a workout.
larry

 

[JoelD]

What a great set up. Really cool how it looks like they have the valving built onto the cyl.? And then when you turn the wheel your shortened linkage pushes the valve and then the entire cyl. moves with the valve and visa-versa in the other direction?

That is really something, does it work smoothly?

Thanks for posting.

My Kubota b6000e did not have power steering and with the bucket full it was tough to turn.

Joel

 

[woodlandfarms]

So how was the steering wheel and controller to install? Do you notice an binding or limit to the degree of turn you now have?

 

[JoelD]

Looks like to me that there is no steering wheel / rotory vavle installation / modification required. Looks like the steering linkage now hooks up the valve on top of the cyl. and that is how the cyl. is actuated?

That's my gues based on the pictures and the link to the supplier's site.

If that is the case, this is a super cool set up.

I did notice as the poster stated that the cyl. looks like it will want to fall to one side or the other due to the tie rod ends.

As I think about it, because the cyl is mounted between the axle and the tractor frame, there are a bunch of angles that could occur and therefore tie rod ends are required. On my tractor I think it is all mounted onto the axle itself, therefore less angles.

Not sure there is an easy solution other than bungy, which will probably work fine forever.

Joel

Joel

 

[bostonrats]

Sweetness ! Truth be told............. I might still own my first tractor if it had power steering. Nice work.

Thanks Ductape!

 

[bostonrats]

Does it come with a pump or do you use feed from tractor?

Wedge

Hi Wedge!

It does not come with a pump, you can use FEL hydraulics with a priority valve, KubotainNH bought a kit too and will be posting his photos...he's going to use a priority valve. I was lucky enough to have an unused send and return. You can see in in this photo..under the seat.

Thanks for the note!

 

[bostonrats]

Shouldnt the cyl body be connected to a fixed point? Am I missing something? ............Oh, I see. I guess those hoses get a workout.
larry

Hi Spyderlk,

It does come back to a fixed point, here is a photo of the bolt I welded to angle iron, the angle iron is welded to the FEL subframe. You can see this fixed point angle iron held in place with my welding clamp in the 2nd photo.

Thanks for the post!