Help with the steering

[TraderRalph]

I have a 16hp Bolen Q17 with a FEL, it works real good except for the steering. It is as hard to turn as an old Mack cement truck fully loaded without power steering & sitting still.
Anyone have any ideas for an easy & inexpensive fix. (besides my selling or getting rid of the unit)
Any & all info is appreciated.
Thanks for listening,
TraderRalph

 

[BGL990]

I'll take a shot at it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've never done this, but have wanted to for some time and I don't see why it wouldn't work (add homemade power steering to an old tractor that is)...

On most older manual steering tractors you should have easy access to the rod that connects the steering box arm to the arm that actually turns the wheels (sorry, not sure of all the proper terminology). Imagine that you remove the front (wheel) end of this rod and attach it to the spool of a hydraulic valve instead. Now when you turn the wheel just a little to each side the valve spool will be pushed in or out just like when you push or pull on the handle that might normally have been connected to this valve.

Now imagine that there is a hydraulic cylinder with the ROD end attached to a bracket on the tractor frame and this cylinder is plumbed into the above valve. When you turn the wheel a bit each way, the cylinder will extend or retract and since the rod end is fixed, the outer cylinder moves back and forth.

Next we will fasten the valve body to the outer part of the hydraulic cylinder so that when the cylinder moves, so does the valve. Now move the wheel a little bit to one side, the steering rod pushes on the valve spool, the cylinder starts to move, and the valve body "catches up" with the spool, thereby shutting the valve off again and everything stops moving. Move the wheel a bit more, everything catches up again.

So now we have a hydraulic cylinder that moves in proportion to steering wheel movements but with the power of, well, a hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder body will basically just follow the position of the steering rod. We have essentially built a hydraulic servo. Now all we have to do is also connect the cylinder body to the wheel side of the original steering arrangement and you should have a reasonably decent power steering arrangement.

You will have to make sure the valve to cylinder plumbing is the correct way around of course, and without a source of hydraulic pressure you will probably not be able to steer the tractor at all. The orbital steering valves on modern hydrostatic steering systems act like a pump when you turn the wheel with the motor off and so you can still steer with a bit more effort. The above system will not be able to do that, so consider the possible safety implications.

I hope that long winded description is clear enough to understand. If not, let me know and I'll try to draw a picture or two of what I have in mind. Be warned, however, I can't draw worth a cra.... um, darn. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Brad.

 

[BGL990]

I guess I didn't really address the "easy" or "inexpensive" part of your question.

"Easy" is relative to your mechanical ability and access to the required tools. Only you can judge that one.

As for the cost, all you really need is one cylinder (a small one will suffice), a small single spool valve, and the associated hoses. My local farm/hydraulic/surplus/other neat stuff store has all the required items for a total of about $300 CAD (~ $220 US?). You will also have to modify the tractor a bit (brackets, shorten the steering rod, etc) and if you don't have a source of hydraulic power already, then maybe a larger power steering pump from an auto wrecker, if you have room to get it mounted somewhere at the front of the engine.

Brad.

 

[Egon]

No power steering!! Builds character, gives you sore elbows-shoulders and the occasional steering wheel back lash soon teaches one to not hook a thumb over the steering wheel.

I have a kubota 7100 with the identical problem. I have lately been thinking of trying to adapt a rack and pinion auto steering unit but so far just thinking.

Egon

 

[texbaylea]

No power steering will also give you a hernia. I know from horsing around my old IH444. That is what is prompting me to get a new tractor.

 

[slowrev]

My 444 has Hydro steering. Steers with one finger even with a bucket full of pea gravel on it.

 

[FERRARI]

How about installing grease fittings on the knuckles of tie rods on steering?

 

[Soundguy]

Your tie rod ends don't have grease fittings on them. My 50 and 60 year old fords do...

Soundguy

 

[Poppa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Your tie rod ends don't have grease fittings on them. My 50 and 60 year old fords do...

Soundguy )</font>

Yeah, sounds crazy don't it? I was reading the manual on my new B7800 and it tells you 4 places to grease (Not including Loader): 1) the speed control pedal, 2) the top link, 3) the adjustable side link, 4) and the battery terminals.

I read that and thought what the heck, ran out into the garage, crawled all around the tie rods, no zerks to be found. Still makes me uncomfortable but appears to be true.

Mike

 

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The orbital steering valves on modern hydrostatic steering systems act like a pump when you turn the wheel with the motor off and so you can still steer with a bit more effort. The above system will not be able to do that, so consider the possible safety implications.)</font>

Actually if instead of removing the linkage completely
it was replaced with linkage which had limited
spring-loaded play, the initial displacement in the spring
linkage could be used to articulate the spool valve.

When hydraulic flow is not present, turning the
steering wheel with effort sufficient to exhaust
the spring-load would transmit manual steering
torque as it had with the original rigid linkage.