Ford 1500 Steering Slop

[Soundguy]

no idea on the difference other than the bushing.. post back when you get it and let us know what you see.

good luck

soundguy

 

[old1500]

Will do. Based on mine being made in 1980 (per the serial number) I never expected to find the case with the bronze bushing installed....and it looks good too...the bushing I mean. No wonder I had so much slack. That outer (cover) end was just flopping in the breeze.

Yep there are two different part numbers for two different shafts, but I don't see what the difference could be. The picture from the catalog I ordered mine from looks exactly like the one I pulled out and the measurements (36 spline, 5-teeth, etc.) are the same as what I have in my hand. Maybe the diameter of the ones without the bushings were a little different? If I got the wrong one...I hope it is a little larger than the other one and I can just turn it down to fit and not fool with a return/replacement.

We'll know when the UPS man gets it here.

 

[old1500]

Soundguy.......I think I have most of this figured out and know what somebody did. I have been pouring over parts diagrams and PN's from the various model years.There were two basic configurations for the 1500 from start year 79 to early 82, then some changes were made in early 82. The change was adding a bushing in the output side of the load deck. With this change, they also changed the sector shaft and the cover. So...if one had updated to the new load deck (case) he/she should have also changed the shaft and the cover. The previous owner/owners did not do that.

I have the updated cover with the busing on the output side, but whoever replaced the deck (cover) did not replace the shaft and the end cover. So, I am sure that the old shaft will work with the new cover on the output side. (Only change in PN was the addition of the bushing). BUT...the reason my shaft broke was the misfit on the cover side. Across the model years, some covers had bushings and some didn't. Since the interior of my cover is trashed (worn) anyway, I think all I will have to do is have a busing installed to match the older shaft, which will already work on the output side of the newer cover.

If that does not look like it will work out, all I should have to do is get the updated shaft and cover, but I am going to try and avoid that $300 (cost for shaft and cover), buy just fixing the older cover I have now with a bushing.

Who's on first?

Man-o-an...wading through and figuring out all this stuff is worse than fooling with my old Harleys. I have the Harley pattern of confusion figured out, but these tractor people really do a better job of trying to trick a guy.

My whole problem is that whoever changed the load deck...did not update it with the sector shaft and the proper end cover.

 

[Soundguy]

fun ain't it.

it's not uncommon to see stuff like that. IE.. mismatched parts.. or parts repaired in a non standard way.

keep us posted.

soundguy

 

[old1500]

The diagrams are not exactly clear (surprise...surprise) amongst the various models, but I have a question to ask concerning what is called the "column" (PN:334292141 #5 in the diagram) in the 03E03A version, or the "cover" (PN:334240060 #6 on the diagram) on the 03E03 version diagram. I believe JC posted a diagram of a steering section on page 1 of this thread that zero's in on my concern. If you look at the blow-up down in the lower right-hand corner.

For simplicity sake...lets call it the steering column. Some drawings lead one to believe the flange and the column that bolts onto the top of the box are a "solid" piece, yet the blow-up I mentioned in JC's diagram, clearly shows this flange as a slide-in (for lack of a better description).

This is a 1500 I am talking about here and mine appears to be "loose" at this junction and the column doses not appear to be solidly affixed to the flange on the bottom.

Does anybody have any thoughts in whether-or-not the column on the 1500 should be a "part of" the flange, or does the flange "slide" into the base of the column? The diagrams I have found show it to be a solid piece.

 

[old1500]

Okay folks.....SHE STEERS!

I appreciate all the input and help and also hope that somebody with a steering issue like I had may one day see this information and it can save them a lot of time. To recap...I had a 1980 1500 that had a mind of it's own. I knew going out the gate that I had an issue and this was my first shot at tractor-fixing since those 50's model gas burning Fords. When I got right down to it and figured it out, it was a fairly simple fix.

Ford/NH changed some of the steering components in early 1982. From it's 1979 introduction up to early 1982, you must have a specific sector shaft, end cover and box (load-deck). The components will not interchange. I had thought for a while that someone had installed a late model sector shaft in this early box, but that was not correct...it won't fit.

I wound up with a new early-model sector shaft and a new early model end cover to fix my problem. The early cover has no bushing and the new cover does, but the old shaft will not fit the new cover and the new cover will not bolt onto the end of the old box. I still have a "tad" of slack in the system, but I am sure most anything that old is due a little slack and I am not distraught enough to start changing tie-rod ends, what I have is what I will live with and I am sure I could adjust that out even more with the sector shaft adjustment screw.

She now travels in the direction she is pointed and I have regained control.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[JC-jetro]

Old,

Glad you got her to steer:thumbsup: I have another " Steering lesson learned" that I'm working on right now. I'm in the process of repairing. I'll post a thread later on to cover it as it will be good to avoid some unforeseen mechanical type steering issues for 1700 owners and tractors alike.

JC,

 

[old1500]

Please keep me posted on any "steering stuff"....I am now a pro on 1500 mechanical steering PN"s and most of that stuff crosses over to big brother (1700).

I am so thrilled....that I have done nothing but just ride around through the woods and down the road for the past 2-hours. I had to get back in here and check my fuel level.

Soundguy has been hanging-in too.

Thanks!

 

[Soundguy]

did that one have a back lash adjustment, or a way to adjust thrust bearing preload using shims or an adjuster stud / nut?

soundguy

 

[old1500]

Soundguy....yes it does, but they did it a little differently than the diagrams show and what the stock sector shaft does. The stock shaft has a channel (for lack of a better word) milled all way through the adjustment side of the shaft and the adjustment screw "slides" into this slot. Cutting that slot for the screw takes away fully 1/2 the bearing surface on the cover end of the shaft. None of this matters if the cover is in good shape and there is still some 1/2 inch of full shaft thickness to bear inside the cover. Where the trouble begins (and why these ears break) is when you run the adjustment screw deep into the cover. The farther in you adjust the screw...the less full shaft bearing area you have and when you get the "ears" pushed out to the edge of the cover cup...."snap".

This one has a hole drilled right down into the end and the head of the adjustment screw is a little smaller in diameter. There is a slot milled down inside this hole to accept a snap-ring (internal). First...you drop in the screw (head first), then a washer, then the snap-ring that holds the washer and screw in place. There is no slot cut across the end of the shaft and the bearing surface runs on out to the very edge. Imagine a broom-stick with a screw in the very end of it and you will have the mental picture of what I am trying to explain. I have some pictures on one of these threads.

I stumbled across it at Walt's Tractor Parts. Others wanted over $600 for the stock shaft, but Walt had it for $165.00 and it is better designed.

Hope all this makes sense?