Power Steering Kits

   / Power Steering Kits #1  

nomad

Platinum Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2002
Messages
905
Location
TR
Tractor
MH744
What are opinions of vintage (Ford, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, etc) tractor owners on power steering kits? They are being sold many here and big companies in USA too are buying many from these kits. But, I have not seen discussions on these forums.
 
   / Power Steering Kits #2  
I know of a couple companies offering power steering retro kits for fords, but keep in mind that starting as far back as 1955, power steering was a dealer option.

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits
  • Thread Starter
#3  
A&I, Tisco, Sparex, etc are only a few of companies who are selling tousands of these power steering kits for relatively older tractors. To which tractors they are selling these kits then? Maybe, these kits were a dealer option as far back as 1955s, but, I think these options have not been bought so many before. Now, things have changed. Farmers thinking more about their comforts.
 
   / Power Steering Kits #4  
Ok nomad.. what was the point of your question???

And there is no 'maybee' about it... At least for ford anyway, power steering was a dealer option in 1955.. late 54 actually, when the 600 series came out.

So.. what exactly are you asking? ( Yes.. there are other companies making many different kinds of power steering and power assist kits?? ).

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits #5  
My Dad had an after market power steering kit installed on his Ford Golden Jubilee a few years ago. Don't know the brand of the kit but it was installed by a Ford dealer. I think it was installed in 1983, and still works great to this day.

The addition of power steering sure made it a totally different tractor, especially with the Shawnee loader bucket full of sand.

If you have a vintage tractor that you use a lot I would say that power steering would be the best up grade you could do to the machine.
 
   / Power Steering Kits
  • Thread Starter
#6  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ok nomad.. what was the point of your question???

So.. what exactly are you asking? ( Yes.. there are other companies making many different kinds of power steering and power assist kits?? ).

Soundguy )</font>

You need to read my first post again (withOUT prejudies)
My point was in the first line of my first post: "...What are opinions of vintage (Ford, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, etc) tractor owners on power steering kits?..." Just opinions. OK?
 
   / Power Steering Kits #7  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You need to read my first post again (withOUT prejudies)
My point was in the first line of my first post: "...What are opinions of vintage (Ford, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, etc) tractor owners on power steering kits?..." Just opinions. OK? )</font>

I knew it was a mistake trying to engage you in a conversation....

And I don't see any prejudice here??????

I've got tons of vintage ford and other flavor tractors setting in my pasture... And as for opinions... your first sentence didn't offer much for us to go on.. " what are our opinions on power steering kits :" How about you give us some specifics??? You want a comparison between brands.. comparison between oem and aftermarket? comparison between different oem style? mid production changes?

Comments on the kit the website in your profile sells?

( looks like a nifty kit with possibly a valve in cyl setup.. nice 5000.. perhaps one of fords best tractors... )

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits #8  
I have an old orbit motor type on my Ollie S77. Nice setup. Pretty spendy to buy new for an old tractor, but my uncle had a front mount 4 row cultivator on it with narrow front - the $$$ doesn't seem so much then. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've seen a few tractors with a conversion like nomad has on them at an auction sale. I was not at all impressed with the sturdiness of those type. Now, it can easily be a different brand, or a poor install by the local owner, but the ps units just looked real cheap & ready to break.

--->Paul
 
   / Power Steering Kits #9  
I think the weakest (looking) part of that kit is the valve on the cyl that is actuated by the draglink.. the pump and actual steering cyl look ok, and similar to some I have seen on other fords and fordsons.

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits #10  
Was at an auction today and say a ford ( 4000? ) with that kind of pow steering setup.. looke dok.. again.. looke dlike valve was the weak link. The owner had done some custom welding and fitting ont he valve.. making a stop, etc.. i assume to prevent oversteering.. or out of range motion.. etc..

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits #11  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Was at an auction today and say a ford ( 4000? ) with that kind of pow steering setup.. looke dok.. again.. looke dlike valve was the weak link. The owner had done some custom welding and fitting ont he valve.. making a stop, etc.. i assume to prevent oversteering.. or out of range motion.. etc..

Soundguy )</font>

Yes, the actual pump/ cyl looked ok tho they were rusting already - poor paint job, but the linkage and attachment points looked very poor on the installations I saw. As well as the valave, as you mention. Looked like it would all fall off in a year or so.

That could have been just a poor, home engineered application tho, & not reflective of a total good kit.

I still like the orbit motors better, for a good clean install that stays out of the way of mounting loafers, etc. to the tractor.

--->Paul
 
   / Power Steering Kits #12  
In general, I thik the rust could be solved by painting. The 2 biggest problems i percieve with the setup are the placement of the valve.. it is on the outside facing away from the tractor... Looks like a limb could cause it some problems... The unit at auction i saw had a piece of metal welded on in front of the valve linkage.. presumably to deflect branches.

Also.. valve looked like the seal was insuficient.. a rubber piece move back and forth with the valve as the steering arm actuates it. Looks like an entry point for dirt.. due to wear fromt he moving rubber. I woud think a special boot.. like a cv boot could be fitted.. it would look like a plumbing 'T'.. have 2 wide openings across from each other for the dody o fthe cyl to pass thru, and then a side opening for the valve to slip out of. You could then take 3 hose clamps.. 2 large ones to clamp the boot to the cyl.. and one small one to clamp the boot to the valve.

I think if those 2 mods were made, the entire covering boot, and the 'warding' brush guard.. then it would be a much more robust unit.. etc... just my .02$

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits
  • Thread Starter
#13  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've seen a few tractors with a conversion like nomad has on them at an auction sale. I was not at all impressed with the sturdiness of those ..... )</font>

In this thread, I was wondering about different types of these kits and popularity of these power steering kits in general. Kits on my site are products of world's top company who are located in my town. These are the same products being sold by Tisco, A&I, Sparex, etc etc. Are these also being sold on ebay auctions? I have no idea. But, if you are not impressed just because they are on ebay, you must not be impressed with the kits being sold by those top USA companies either.

Soundguy, I was relatively new in this field (power kits) and I wondered why these kits have not been discussed so much on the forums even though those top USA companies are buying tousands of these kits.
 
   / Power Steering Kits #14  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( I've seen a few tractors with a conversion like nomad has on them at an auction sale. I was not at all impressed with the sturdiness of those ..... )</font>

In this thread, I was wondering about different types of these kits and popularity of these power steering kits in general. Kits on my site are products of world's top company who are located in my town. These are the same products being sold by Tisco, A&I, Sparex, etc etc. Are these also being sold on ebay auctions? I have no idea. But, if you are not impressed just because they are on ebay, you must not be impressed with the kits being sold by those top USA companies either.

Soundguy, I was relatively new in this field (power kits) and I wondered why these kits have not been discussed so much on the forums even though those top USA companies are buying tousands of these kits. )</font>

The auction I was at, physically, and saw the tractors, touched the power steering add-ons myself. I don't live my whole life on the internet. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif These were not in a box, they were installed on several tractors. They did not look all that good.

Many old tractors already have a power steering added to them. Most all newer tractors come with power steering already.

Many people buying and restoring old tractors these days do so for a hobby, and wish to restore them to their original condition, not add power steering or the like.

So, there is not so big of a market for power steering add-on units any more. Back in the late 1950s through mid 1970's a lot of conversions were made to power steering. Most of those wre the rotory orbit type, Charlyn (sp), and not the bar & hyd cylinder type like you have.

I'm sure you will sell some, but there just is a lot less demand any more. You are about 30 years too late for the big wave of conversions. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

That is what I know of hyd power steeringf add ons in the USA.

--->Paul
 
   / Power Steering Kits #15  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Kits on my site are products of world's top company who are located in my town. These are the same products being sold by Tisco, A&I, Sparex, etc etc )</font>

Nomad.. i think the point everyone here is trying to make,.. is that it doesn't matter who is making them, or selling them.. IE.. just because a company you are associated with is selling them.. we aren't giving them a bad rap because of that /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.. As was stated... many mid to late model tractors already have power steering either as factory normal setup, or retrofit with a factory optional kit.. or a non oem kit. For instance.. most fords 1955 and up had a factory or optional kit available. Also.. restorers probably are looking for an original machine.. not add on's.

Utility users using old iron may be the prime buyer of these kits. I'd almost guess that you may be selling more of these to non-us customers.. but that is just a guess.

There are other power steering kit manufactureres over here as well. Some make universal kits.. some make brand specific kits.. etc.

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits #16  
I was thinking about add-on power steering units too, and that a universal kit, easily installed, might sell like hot-cakes. I think there would be a decent market, if at a decent price, with all of the new "hobby farmers" emerging and buying used Japanese and older utility tractors and then invariably adding a loader on the front. Most of those smaller Japanese tractors (under 30-hp models) don't have PS. The unit would probably have to be an integral linkage power system where the valve and power cylinder are mounted on the frame and actuated through a drag link or Pitman arm. The integral gear type that has the boost system mounted in the steering gear would be limited due to space at the base of the steering shaft, like on my Iseki tractor, which has no room for the orbital unit.

Bill
 
   / Power Steering Kits
  • Thread Starter
#17  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'd almost guess that you may be selling more of these to non-us customers.. but that is just a guess.
)</font>

Soundguy, have you heard of Tisco, A&I, Sparex, etc? They are buying many kits from the same factory in my town. So, they must be selling them in USA. My guess is you don't have an idea on part business in USA. Once I had sold 3000-4000 pcs of air cleaner reproduction to a USA customer for an old Massey Harris. I was wondering if there were so many old MH there. But, they sold. If an air cleaner for an old tractor is sold so many there, my guess is ps kits being sold tousands there. Anyway, other than big companies above, I have seen several web pages in USA supplying these p.s. kits:
http://www.we-beat-prices.com - is just one of them.
 
   / Power Steering Kits #18  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Soundguy, have you heard of Tisco, A&I, Sparex, etc )</font>

Yes... Are you implying that they only sell to the USA market?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My guess is you don't have an idea on part business in USA. )</font>

Nomad.. why is it that you have to be condescending in the bulk of your messages. It's to the point I -don't- want to read or respond to your mail, as it always sounds like you are ont he defensive and more or less cutting people down.

I go to many ( very many ) tractor shows.. mostly equipment from late 30's thru 80's. Most of the antiques I see are non- power steering.. or factor optional power steering. Most restorers leave units like they came from the factory. Most newer tractors i've seen, come from the factory with pwer steering. my guess is the units that are being sold are going on some early 60's/70's untis that are 'workers' and setting on farms.. or as conversions for older factor power steering systems that failed. That said.. I've only see the power steering setup like you show twice.. one was on a tractor at an auction, and one was on a tractor on a consignment lot for sale.. well.. ok.. 3 tractors, as the web site you have in your profile links to a spiffy looking 5000 that has that power steering. Incedentally.. A&I was the -re brand- for the untis I saw.. etc.

I any case.. with this post, i will cease reading your other posts, or any responses adnd/or PM's, if sent. I'm pretty much tired out by your constant condescending and defensive attitude.

-later- ( much later )

Soundguy
 
   / Power Steering Kits
  • Thread Starter
#19  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Soundguy, have you heard of Tisco, A&I, Sparex, etc )</font>

Yes... Are you implying that they only sell to the USA market?

)</font>

Yes, especially, market of Tisco and A&I is "mainly" USA. So, they are selling most of steering kits they are buying from my home town to USA customers. I will only answer this. I agree with you "lets stop discussing on these kits."
 

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