MF 135 Manual Steering Problem

   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem #1  

Smoky

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Mar 20, 2009
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6
I was discing today and the right front tire went all the way to the right. It seems there is something wrong in my steering head. What can it be and can it be fixed? What would it cost? Can a used power steering head be put on the tractor? It is a 1972 Perkins 3 Cyl Gasser.
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem #2  
I was discing today and the right front tire went all the way to the right. It seems there is something wrong in my steering head. What can it be and can it be fixed? What would it cost? Can a used power steering head be put on the tractor? It is a 1972 Perkins 3 Cyl Gasser.


I guess by "steering head", you're referring to the steering column? You CAN swap to power steering if you find a donor tractor with all the parts. (column, cylinders, pump, ect) Otherwise, buying all the parts would be rather cost prohibitive.

I don't have a 135 parts manual handy, but a look at one would give you an idea of which parts may have failed. Not that many options, not that complicated of a repair.
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem #3  
Smoky,

It sounds to me more likely that your tractor needs a tie-rod end than a "steering head", especially if your front wheels are no longer tracking in parallel.

If you have manual steering, the steering wheel moves something (a pitman arm or a rack) back and forth. This moving part is connected to each of your wheels by tie-rods. At the ends of these tie-rods is a small ball-and-socket joint called a tie-rod end. If one of those joints fails (e.g., the ball is worn out and comes out of the socket), then your front wheels will no longer track in parallel.

If your steering is purely hydraulic, then a hydraulic cylinder may be attached to one front wheel, with a long tie rod connecting that wheel to the other. There will still be a tie-rod end involved which may have failed.
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem
  • Thread Starter
#4  
When i mean it was out of parrallel I mean it was plowing dirt. It is not a tie rod end and that would only cause vibrations at a fast speed.

I pulled the pittman arms and adjustment covers off to expose the 9 tooth gear with a broken tooth in the steering housing. Gear has been pulled and now looking for a replacement.

Any one have knowledge of which gear tooth meshes with which gear tooth on the 9 tooth and 6 tooth steering gears? 6 tooth is upper gear on left and steers the right side. 9 tooth gear is on right and steers left side.

No guessing or speculation please.
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem #5  
Well smokey, it would help if your questions and your situation were explained in more detail, without that, guessing and speculation is all we have to go on. A repair manual would be a good start for your very specific information. Manual steering is a pretty simple system. Hopefully you studied the gears real well and made notes or took photos before you disassembled them.
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem #6  
Smoky, would it be possible to post some pictures. Thanks in advance. :D

I just plugged MF135 into google and watched some videos. It clearly showed that the steering arms to the front wheels were quite separate and both came from a rear location by the steering box!:eek::D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q968bdYbY3c
 
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   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem #7  
When i mean it was out of parrallel I mean it was plowing dirt. It is not a tie rod end and that would only cause vibrations at a fast speed.

I pulled the pittman arms and adjustment covers off to expose the 9 tooth gear with a broken tooth in the steering housing. Gear has been pulled and now looking for a replacement.

Any one have knowledge of which gear tooth meshes with which gear tooth on the 9 tooth and 6 tooth steering gears? 6 tooth is upper gear on left and steers the right side. 9 tooth gear is on right and steers left side.

No guessing or speculation please.


I don't recall ever being in a 135 steering box. I've worked on several 150/165/175 style, and have manuals for such. DIfferent though.... Your best shot at info, unless someone here will post, I'd get an I&T manual if not the "real" manuals from MF. You may be able to look in an I&T manual at a tractor supply store. (My local TSC has 'em) I don't advocate the use of I&T manuals very often, but the steering info is copied directly from MF service manual. That might give you the gear timing info you're looking for.

If you're getting parts at a Massey dealer, have them show you the shop manual pages on timing the steering sector. Most dealers will oblidge.
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem
  • Thread Starter
#8  
If you have never looked inside the steering gear housing there are 2 circular gears and a worm gear that is used to transfer the action of the steering wheel to the pittman arms transfering motion to the tie rods thus directing the tires to move left or right.

The gears are a 6 tooth on top of a 9 tooth sitting next to a straight gear which is moved by the worm gear of the steering column. The teeth have to be synchronized or they will not allow the steering to move evenly left and right to keep the same turning radius for each side. If they are not synchronized then bad turning radius or a tooth will break when in a bind....hence my problem.

If they had been in the proper synchroniztion I would not be asking if anyone knew the proper connection of teeth. I know where they were so i can put them back that way but would prefer to fix the problem.

Hope I have given enough information???????????????
 
   / MF 135 Manual Steering Problem
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Problem Fixed. Not that hard just takes patience. :D
 
 
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