Power Steering in 90 Minutes!

[bostonrats]

Hello to all!

So, an upgrade to my Kubota L185DT from "Armstrong" to power assisted in 90 mins? It's true, except for the time spent getting the hydraulic hose.

The kit is from Rick Davis at Tractor power steering conversion kit and parts store. . My final cost was about $500 with ship and getting some hose, your tractor might be more or less.


Here are the photos, the entire job was 1 1/2 hours....but I didn't clean the garage after.

The kit's great, the install was simple, the power steering worked as soon as I started the tractor and it's perfect, just like "real", you would never know it's an aftermarket kit...without looking. The only thing that's a bit odd is there is no provision to keep the piston actuator side up, I used a rubber tie down and it just might stay like that, it works perfect...I'm NOT a fancy guy!

The bottom line is for short $$ and a little fab you can make a huge improvement to your tractor. It used to be $1,200 bucks or so, I would never spend that much...but for under $500?? I can't wait to drive it all over the place! I used to turn in LONG arcs, and I'm not a light weight...it's a whole new world now...

Best to all!


PS This is the BEST upgrade to my tractor yet!!

 

[Ductape]

Sweetness ! Truth be told............. I might still own my first tractor if it had power steering. Nice work.

 

[wedge40]

Does it come with a pump or do you use feed from tractor?

Wedge

 

[SPYDERLK]

Shouldnt the cyl body be connected to a fixed point? Am I missing something? ............Oh, I see. I guess those hoses get a workout.
larry

 

[JoelD]

What a great set up. Really cool how it looks like they have the valving built onto the cyl.? And then when you turn the wheel your shortened linkage pushes the valve and then the entire cyl. moves with the valve and visa-versa in the other direction?

That is really something, does it work smoothly?

Thanks for posting.

My Kubota b6000e did not have power steering and with the bucket full it was tough to turn.

Joel

 

[woodlandfarms]

So how was the steering wheel and controller to install? Do you notice an binding or limit to the degree of turn you now have?

 

[JoelD]

Looks like to me that there is no steering wheel / rotory vavle installation / modification required. Looks like the steering linkage now hooks up the valve on top of the cyl. and that is how the cyl. is actuated?

That's my gues based on the pictures and the link to the supplier's site.

If that is the case, this is a super cool set up.

I did notice as the poster stated that the cyl. looks like it will want to fall to one side or the other due to the tie rod ends.

As I think about it, because the cyl is mounted between the axle and the tractor frame, there are a bunch of angles that could occur and therefore tie rod ends are required. On my tractor I think it is all mounted onto the axle itself, therefore less angles.

Not sure there is an easy solution other than bungy, which will probably work fine forever.

Joel

Joel

 

[bostonrats]

Sweetness ! Truth be told............. I might still own my first tractor if it had power steering. Nice work.

Thanks Ductape!

 

[bostonrats]

Does it come with a pump or do you use feed from tractor?

Wedge

Hi Wedge!

It does not come with a pump, you can use FEL hydraulics with a priority valve, KubotainNH bought a kit too and will be posting his photos...he's going to use a priority valve. I was lucky enough to have an unused send and return. You can see in in this photo..under the seat.

Thanks for the note!

 

[bostonrats]

Shouldnt the cyl body be connected to a fixed point? Am I missing something? ............Oh, I see. I guess those hoses get a workout.
larry

Hi Spyderlk,

It does come back to a fixed point, here is a photo of the bolt I welded to angle iron, the angle iron is welded to the FEL subframe. You can see this fixed point angle iron held in place with my welding clamp in the 2nd photo.

Thanks for the post!

 

[bostonrats]

So how was the steering wheel and controller to install? Do you notice an binding or limit to the degree of turn you now have?

Hi Woodlandfarms!

There is no controller, you cut the drag link from the pitman arm to the wheel and replace it with the provided parts. One end goes to the wheel and one to the frame. The old drag link goes to the actuator...when it pushes forward the piston extends, when it pulls back the piston contracts. I have a full sharp turn, it goes all the way, no binding, it feels just like factory power steering. I couldn't be happier! Thanks for the post!

 

[bostonrats]

Looks like to me that there is no steering wheel / rotory vavle installation / modification required. Looks like the steering linkage now hooks up the valve on top of the cyl. and that is how the cyl. is actuated?

That's my gues based on the pictures and the link to the supplier's site.

If that is the case, this is a super cool set up.

I did notice as the poster stated that the cyl. looks like it will want to fall to one side or the other due to the tie rod ends.

As I think about it, because the cyl is mounted between the axle and the tractor frame, there are a bunch of angles that could occur and therefore tie rod ends are required. On my tractor I think it is all mounted onto the axle itself, therefore less angles.

Not sure there is an easy solution other than bungy, which will probably work fine forever.

Joel

Joel

Hi Joel!

You got it! The drag link is cut and now pushes the actuator (valve welded to piston) Turn the wheel one way and it extends the piston, the other in contracts. There is a spring detent in the middle. It feels smooth as silk, just like a modern vehicle. On the bungy, I could replace it with a spring to a center point...maybe when it's warmer. For now it's working and a joy to drive. Thanks for the post Joel!

 

[bostonrats]

Here's a photo with text tags.

 

[KubotainNH]

You are too fast on these things. It may be a month before I get mine done although this gives me more incentive. Now all you need is to paint it.

 

[Ductape]

You are too fast on these things. It may be a month before I get mine done although this gives me more incentive. Now all you need is to paint it.

No problem Mike, we'll give you 120 minutes on yours !

 

[bostonrats]

Note from Rick (mfg) :


You now hold the record for the fastest installation. Great to hear that it's working well.
Thanks
Rick

*****************

Well, I'm happy to read this...but as I look at the other projects here I know I'm in the shadow of many. Did you see the guy that made a snow blower chute rotator from a piston? He must own or work at a machine shop! ...but awesome work?

The power steering upgrade is very easy, can't say enough good about it, if you have an old tractor without PS, do it! I drove mine today with one finger, (no jokes please). It's awesome!


Best to all!

 

[Kernopelli]

Thanks for this post. I have been looking at P.S. for the last year or so and have looked at these kits a zillion times and just decided it was too much (the old price). I had decided to fabricate my own and have recently been looking for an orbital valve again. This is much simpler and just a little more than I was going to have in my own conversion.

I had already decided that this summer I was going to start taking my loader off when I wasn't using it because it is such a pain to drive without P.S. In fact, I had to replace the bearings in my steering box last fall because of the stress my FEL has put on it. This is such an easy, and now cheap conversion that I can't pass it up.
Thanks again!

 

[bostonrats]

Thanks for this post. I have been looking at P.S. for the last year or so and have looked at these kits a zillion times and just decided it was too much (the old price). I had decided to fabricate my own and have recently been looking for an orbital valve again. This is much simpler and just a little more than I was going to have in my own conversion.

I had already decided that this summer I was going to start taking my loader off when I wasn't using it because it is such a pain to drive without P.S. In fact, I had to replace the bearings in my steering box last fall because of the stress my FEL has put on it. This is such an easy, and now cheap conversion that I can't pass it up.
Thanks again!

Hi Darryl,

I was surprised on many levels with this project. The cost, the easy install, but most of all how natural the steering feels. I thought there might be some slop in it since there was without the mod. Somehow between the strong center detent on the actuator valve and the design it feels tighter than before. I was going to take off the "suicide knob" but found it's even better with PS. I had it on there to help the hard steering.

As to "arm-strong" steering with a load, you know it. There were times when I could hardly move the wheel with my snowblower attachment or a full load in the bucket. I had learned to make long 3 point turns and 5 or 7 point turns to save my arms. The lack of PS really dictated how I drove, and how about almost breaking your fingers when you hit a curb or rut...as the devil takes over and spins the wheel faster than you can see? No longer a fear.

I'm betting all the folks that always had PS can't relate to this...but those in the Armstrong club know EXACTLY what I'm writing.

Darryl, good luck with your mod, you will LOVE how it drives after.

Best to all!

 

[Oldmax]

That is the same system that was used on some Ford cars in the 50's & 60's the valve was built in. If you could find one in the junk yard might be able to adpt to tractor.

 

[rankrank1]

Hi Darryl,

I was surprised on many levels with this project. The cost, the easy install, but most of all how natural the steering feels. I thought there might be some slop in it since there was without the mod. Somehow between the strong center detent on the actuator valve and the design it feels tighter than before....!

Boston,

Regarding the slop: Since your conversion retains the factory steering gearbox, you should still be able to remove (or increase) the slop in the steering wheel by adjusting the worm gear adjuster on the side of the original factory gearbox if you need to in the future. At least this is the way my Kubota L285 works. The adjustment procedure is covered in the Kubota Service manual.

Great Post: Your install and feedback has inpired me. I have been contemplating getting rid of my otherwise perfectly good L285 with FEL for a tractor with power steering. I think I will now opt to do this mod (when it gets a little warmer outside) and simply keep my current tractor as this mod is affordable. Furthermore, I have owned my current tractor for 10 years and it is in otherwise perfect mechanical condition so I know what I have. If I were to trade it off, I might end with a pile of junk as a replacement as I could only afford to replace it with a used tractor. I think this will be $500 well spent.

Questions: Do you know happen to know what the priority valve will cost me? (Could you post pics of the valve and its mounting location?) Also, Would substituting a tie rod end in place of the rear swivel stud on the bracket you fabricated eliminate the need for the bungy?

My tractor is almost identical to yours except that it is only slightly bigger (not much bigger) and I have 2wd instead of 4wd. I even have the Kubota factory FEL so the rest of my install should go pretty much like yours did if I opt to make my rear rear mount attach to the FEL like you did. (Since my tractor is a little bigger, I might even have just enough room to alternately make my rear mount attach to the motor instead of the FEL frame so I could still remove the FEL if desired. I have never removed the FEL in 10 years, but I still may opt to attach to the motor, if I can do it easily, so I would at least have the option of removing the FEL if i ever wanted to).

Thanks for a great post,