Gritty or Groaning Steering on GC

[Nacademus]

Hey there,

Anyone notice a sort of gritty or groaning when they turn their steering wheel? Its actually a new occurrence and I've heard/felt it the last few times I used my GC1720. If I pick up the front axle with the loader bucket, I don't feel it.

It feels like I've overloaded the bucket and the hydraulics are trying to move the steering-but its completely empty. If I run at operating RPM, Its not as noticeable. But at idle, it surely is. This is not something that's always been the case.

My tractor only has 140 hours on it. I changed the fluid last summer. It was fine all summer and isn't low or anything and zero leaks. I mow 4 acres every couple weeks. No issues.
4wd is disengaged. What does a failing orbital valve feel like? Do they fail often?
Weird.

 

[JWR]

Don't own one so my comments are inherently peanut gallery. You might have somehow had damage to a front wheel bearing? That would seem rare but might produce the symptoms. Front end exle lube? You probably checked that. I assume the GC has a single pump serving both steering and lift hydraulics? That might lead to a clue if there is a separate steering pump common on larger tractors... Good luck.

 

[DMW]

Have you checked the front axle fluid level? Any weeping from the front axle seals?

Does it happen in 2WD and 4WD? Differential lock disengaged?

 

[lpakiz]

I’ve noticed that on my 1754 twice now. Both times, I’ve noticed a significant reduction of “growling” noise right after the scheduled change of hydraulic/hydrostatic fluid. The noise wasn’t constant--only when I asked the steering to do some work.
It got really quiet after I replaced the fluid with Permatron Synthetic fluid at 200? hours.
Just my observation. How long has the oil been in there?

 

[Nacademus]

The oil is a little over a hundred hours old. The levels are fine in the front axle. The sight glass shows perfect fill level, too. Hydro oil still looks very clean-its Permatran 821xl. When I did the maintenance, I replaced the hydro fluid, filters (+oil screen), engine oil and filter, and drained and filled the front axle. Everything is as it should be.

Its not a super pronounced feeling but I definitely notice it, now. I want to also add that my tractor seems to vibrate a good amount at idle. I noticed this very very early on at ownership. It seemed to just go away. Now I notice it again. I am wondering if my water pump fan is throwing off the balance or something. The overflow reservoir tubing somehow got caught in the fan and it ripped it off. No idea what could have done that. I had to replace the tubing and noticed the tips of the trailing edge of my radiator fan are chipped a little. I have used it for brush hogging but this happened long before then. All I did up to that point was mow grass and move some gravel.

Overall, I don't think that these tractors are particularly well made-regardless of what people seem to voice about them. I almost regret buying mine. There's a ton of niggling things that just set me off and I could list them. I shouldn't have these issues at such low hours but I do.

My best friend has a 2016 GC1720 with 250 hours on it and he recently had to replace the bolts holding the loader control manifold together because, for some unknown reason, it overpressured or something and blew the head of the cap bolt clean off splitting the manifold (or valve body-whatever its called). Makes no sense.

 

[GeneV]

Yeh, I think you posted a few problems with it already, right? Maybe a lemon? Mines been ok overall, really no problems to report with 220 hours on it.

 

[cdaigle430]

Are your tie rods seizing up? My GC2410 will do that when the bucket is about max load.