B3030 cab Steering Problem

RBrown · May 22, 2010

I'm on day 4 of owning a new B3030Cab and it has been broken 2 of the days that I have owned it, and I'm afraid it's broke again. I installed a steering wheel spinner as I had on my old 2710, however I noticed it started to drift around the wheel while I was mowing for the first time today. The entire wheel drifted counter clockwise and within about a half hour had made a completed circle. I then stopped the tractor and turned it all the way in each direction and the wheels stopped but the steering wheel kept going. I am guessing that the steering controller is bad but wondering if anyone else has had this problem. If you have, where is the controller and what did the dealer have to do to repair it? The dealer will likely want the tractor back, again, but if it is a quick repair then they need to send someone to me to repair. Thanks for the help!

brandoro · May 22, 2010

It isn't broken, that is how they work. The steering wheel will end up in a different spot every time you turn and come back to center. Hydrostatic steering, I don't claim to understand why it does that just that it does.
Does your dealer think this is an unusual condition for your tractor??

machmeter62 · May 22, 2010

brandoro said:
It isn't broken, that is how they work. The steering wheel will end up in a different spot every time you turn and come back to center. Hydrostatic steering, I don't claim to understand why it does that just that it does.
Does your dealer think this is an unusual condition for your tractor??

I have a 15 year old Kubota L-35 TLB, and the steering wheel also rotates to a continious different position....it's that hydrostatic feature with the fluid flowing through the power steering unit, I think? My tractor has been trouble free for all these years. If you have a loader on your tractor, raise the front wheels off the ground, then test the steering wheel in a static position, with the engine running, and check the results.

David_Kb7uns · May 22, 2010

Have spinners on my BX2230 and Grand L3130 and they have hydrostatic steering. The wheel just turns a valve that meters fluid to the cylinder when engine is operating and becomes a type of pump so you have some manual steering when engine is off. Since it just uses fluid there is a little leakage and the wheel spinner will shift around some.

The time to be concerned is when the steering starts to wander or you have to keep turning the wheel to keep going in the same direction and then you probably lost one of the seals in the cylinder.

Davidf Kb7uns

number two · May 22, 2010

I seem to recall a member here that had installed 3 spinners on his steering wheel to deal with this situation.Good Luck!

RBrown · May 23, 2010

Thanks for the schooling on the new machines, you guys made my night!! On my old B2710 it must have had a direct linkage becasue the spinner was always in the same place. Kind of sucks because I don't know whether to leave it or remove it. But at least it doesn't have to go back to the dealer!