Steering Box Drain and Service

   / Steering Box Drain and Service #1  

Florida2610D

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2020
Messages
29
Tractor
Yanmar 2610D
New here, I will be uploading pictures of my new to me YM2610D soon.

Question, other than removing and cleaning steering box, has anybody serviced it while installed? I can't find a drain on this thing. Maybe a vacuum pump to suck out old fluid. I think if done frequently, it could be possible to keep it clean.

Thoughts?
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Yep, I already read that and watched all the youtube videos trying to see if there is a drain plug hidden anywhere. So it does not appear that there is a drain on the steering box. So I ordered a vacuum liquid extractor. Hopefully it was serviced and cleaned when it was rebuilt and frequently sucking fluid out and servicing will prevent buildup of gunk.

Thanks for the welcome.
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #4  
Yep, I already read that and watched all the youtube videos trying to see if there is a drain plug hidden anywhere. So it does not appear that there is a drain on the steering box. So I ordered a vacuum liquid extractor. Hopefully it was serviced and cleaned when it was rebuilt and frequently sucking fluid out and servicing will prevent buildup of gunk.

Thanks for the welcome.

Nope no drain plug.

As good as Yanmar engineered things I wonder why they didn't allow for it to be serviced? Probably didn't see these tractors in use 40 to 50 years later and just knew the gear oil in that application if not leaked out would last decades.

Would be good though for if it ever got water in it. You can just change it frequently if you have a bad seal and it keeps going in.
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #5  
New here, I will be uploading pictures of my new to me YM2610D soon.

Question, other than removing and cleaning steering box, has anybody serviced it while installed? I can't find a drain on this thing. Maybe a vacuum pump to suck out old fluid. I think if done frequently, it could be possible to keep it clean.

Thoughts?

FL2610D,

I have the 2WD version, else we are identical. I have all the manuals too in PDF. Shoot me over a PM.

BMaverick
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #6  
Yep, I already read that and watched all the youtube videos trying to see if there is a drain plug hidden anywhere. So it does not appear that there is a drain on the steering box. So I ordered a vacuum liquid extractor. Hopefully it was serviced and cleaned when it was rebuilt and frequently sucking fluid out and servicing will prevent buildup of gunk.

Thanks for the welcome.

It's been mentioned before. The problem with the steering box at the bottom of the hollow steering column (the steering wheel is on the other end of the column) is that water runs down that hollow column and then sits on top of the seal where the steering wheel shaft enters the steering box. Some models had a small weep hole drilled in the hollow tube of the steering column to drain rainwater entering the center of the steering wheel. Look for about 3/32" diam. hole drilled in the back of the steering column about an inch above the steering box. That is the weep hole.

If the weep hole is plugged up - and the tractor left out in the rain and moisture - then water will just sit there and eventually enter the steering box. The good news is that the bearings and seals are easily replaced.
good luck,
rScotty
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #7  
It's been mentioned before. The problem with the steering box at the bottom of the hollow steering column (the steering wheel is on the other end of the column) is that water runs down that hollow column and then sits on top of the seal where the steering wheel shaft enters the steering box. Some models had a small weep hole drilled in the hollow tube of the steering column to drain rainwater entering the center of the steering wheel. Look for about 3/32" diam. hole drilled in the back of the steering column about an inch above the steering box. That is the weep hole.

If the weep hole is plugged up - and the tractor left out in the rain and moisture - then water will just sit there and eventually enter the steering box. The good news is that the bearings and seals are easily replaced.
good luck,
rScotty

Good info.

On the Fredrick's restored machines, they come with NEW steering wheels. And the new wheel has a cover with a seal to prevent rain water getting down the hollow shaft.

Now, why the hollow shaft? Some of the Yanmar machines ran the horn wires down the inside. My model was like this, but with the new steering wheel, Fredricks omitted the wires to the horn and the horn button on the wheel. The nice thing is, they left the horn where it belongs. I then wired it up myself. Please with how it all came together. The more I understand why Fredrick's did what they did, the more pleased I'm with the restore process. They by-passed another technical fault in the original design.

So, a non-UTDA restored machine would have issues with water getting down the hollow steering shaft.
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #8  
Yep, I already read that and watched all the youtube videos trying to see if there is a drain plug hidden anywhere. So it does not appear that there is a drain on the steering box. So I ordered a vacuum liquid extractor. Hopefully it was serviced and cleaned when it was rebuilt and frequently sucking fluid out and servicing will prevent buildup of gunk.

Thanks for the welcome.

Have you made any progress on this?
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #9  
Yep, I already read that and watched all the youtube videos trying to see if there is a drain plug hidden anywhere. So it does not appear that there is a drain on the steering box. So I ordered a vacuum liquid extractor. Hopefully it was serviced and cleaned when it was rebuilt and frequently sucking fluid out and servicing will prevent buildup of gunk.

Thanks for the welcome.
newbee here. But Couldn't you drill and tap the housing for a threaded plug???
I do need to rebuild my gear box and a good time to ask LOL
 
   / Steering Box Drain and Service #10  
Yanmar was aware of the water/steering box problem in their older designs. They published service bulletins, put a weep hole in the steering wheel tube, and offered free decals for the steering wheel.
They also published warnings about water making its way past the fuel cap and the transmission shifter lever. I never saw anything published about similar problems with the brake housing, ig.switch, front axle and rear end vent.

But as you say, the only area without some reasonable way to drain it is the steering box. I don't see any reason that a person wouldn't build a drain into the steering box. A little bit of brazing and machining should do it. Take some photos. Might as well improve all those other areas where water gets in as well.

I've wondered if water intrusion ultimately caused more problems than normal wear on these older Yanmars. It might even be that until Yanmar started making such durable machines, rice paddy tractors didn't last long enough for water to be a problem.
rScotty
 
 
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