Steering is out

woodlandfarms · Jul 4, 2007

Tractor only turns to the left. Struggles to find the right. I just had the steering rebuilt by PT because it leaked. I have run it maybe 6 hours...

Any diagnosis suggestions before a call to PT tomorrow?

J_J · Jul 4, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
Tractor only turns to the left. Struggles to find the right. I just had the steering rebuilt by PT because it leaked. I have run it maybe 6 hours...

Any diagnosis suggestions before a call to PT tomorrow?

I am assuming that you reconnected the hoses up correctly, and did you bleed the cylinders. They might have some air in them. I believe your steering unit is like the rest , and if that is the case, after everything was connected, did you have the ability to lift and curl. I believe that the steering has priority over the lift and curl. If you did, that proves that the fluid is moving through the steering unit.

Is this the same machine that PT refurbished. Just seems that you have had a lot of trouble with it. I think I would find some good hydraulic techs in your area, and get to know them really well.

woodlandfarms · Jul 4, 2007

Hoses are good, curl and lift function are strong. Turns very good to the left, not so good to the right. Did not bleed the system. Did not know I had to (Terry did not mention it when I spoke with him). And because everything else is working, I don't think it could be air in that system...

My gut says it is the steering mechanism... Big bummer....

Charlie_Iliff · Jul 4, 2007

Unless this year is different, I think the factory is closed fourth of July week.
If there are no leaks in the steering hoses, I'd certainly drive it around a bit and turn lock to lock to make sure the air is purged. Does sound ominous, however. I don't know enough about the steering valve to know what might go wrong.

J_J · Jul 4, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
Hoses are good, curl and lift function are strong. Turns very good to the left, not so good to the right. Did not bleed the system. Did not know I had to (Terry did not mention it when I spoke with him). And because everything else is working, I don't think it could be air in that system...

My gut says it is the steering mechanism... Big bummer....

A hydraulic system that has air in it will try and work, but what you are doing is trying to compress air to equal hydraulic pressure. It may work to some degree, but will feel mushy, similar to air in your car brake system.

I would raise the machine off the ground, and attempt to bleed the lines and cylinders. Should be easy enough to do.

J_J · Jul 4, 2007

Just another thought, maybe one of the hoses is reversed, and you are pushing against the other cylinder. Unhook both cylinders, and turn the steering to the stop in both direction, and see if you have a logical situation , and confirm proper operation.

woodlandfarms · Jul 5, 2007

One thing I forgot to say is that it worked for for 6 hours and then failed.. Its the mechanism. I hear there is a distributor in Portland and will call tomorrow...

Boy will it mess me up if PT is closed tomorrow...

toy · Jul 5, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
Tractor only turns to the left. Struggles to find the right. I just had the steering rebuilt by PT because it leaked. I have run it maybe 6 hours...

Any diagnosis suggestions before a call to PT tomorrow?

One of your cylinders isn't binding by any chance is it?

AltavistaLawn · Jul 5, 2007

The Steering quit working on mine a few weekd back. The steering wheel would spin, but it would not turn.

To fix it, we had to rebuild the steering cyclinders. It can be doen with them mounted on the pt, , we did it on the job site. U just need someone to hold the cyclnder with a big pipe wrench and then unscrew th e cyclinder and replace the seals.

Sedgewood · Jul 5, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
Tractor only turns to the left. Struggles to find the right. I just had the steering rebuilt by PT because it leaked. I have run it maybe 6 hours...

Any diagnosis suggestions before a call to PT tomorrow?

Hmmm.... I was beginning to sense deja-vu all over again, wherein I rebuilt my 1845's steering valve only to discover it wasn't the steering valve at all - just a busted seal in a steering cylinder. But on reflection I'm not so sure - in my case I had a loss of steering in both directions. You might get some jic plugs and try isolating first one cylinder and then the other and see if the problem is cylinder specific.

PT-1845 Repairing Loss of Steering Input

I'm beginning to feel a little steering slippage again... (darn)
Sedgewood