Steiner 425 Hydraulic issues

Talonkid119 · Sep 3, 2014

i have a early 425 steiner Kubota diesel model. Today wile i was cutting the grass i starting noticing issues when i went going into reverse it didnt have much power and would be fine in the forward. Then after making a couple passes in the grass it would act normal and will have good flow to the rear. When i was finishing cutting the grass i was pulling into the garage and i had the lever almost all the way forward and the mower was creeping. When i put the lever in the neutral position the mower would go in reverse, i almost couldn't stop it.

I checked the dip-stick in the front diff and the level was good. In this model there is no dip-stick on the rear diff. Does this sound like a pump issue or air in the lines. I have had a light drip coming from the motor area in the rear where the gasket maybe leaking a tiny bit.

Any ideas where i should start.

Thanks,
Mike

DoubleDeere · Sep 4, 2014

I would start by checking all of the linkage for the forward and reverse lever. Almost sounds like something loose and it is not finding ( or losing ) neutral. My 440 Steiner has a neutral adjustment but I think the older models are completely different.

Talonkid119 · Sep 4, 2014

Hey thanks for the response DoubleDeere.

I ended up snapping off a spring pin that goes through the swashplate inside the hydraulic pump assembly. There is a control shaft that goes on the one side and another shaft inside the opposit side of the pump. There are 4 roll pins. I snapped off a pin on the main control shaft so i had no control over the variable swashplate. Looks like i have try to get some parts for this tomorrow. Ill probably have to lap the barrels and valveplates since i have this apart. Has anyone else has any issues with there pumps on the steiners. Sundstrand Series 15 pump.

Thanks,
Mike

Raw Dodge · Sep 4, 2014

Double deer has the right starting point. If it's loose , you found the problem and got lucky..if it is tight, you'll need to do what in told you in the pm....here is the image in wanted to show you. Your likely problem is the key ways have partially sheered, number 32...there are 4 of them...only 2 sheered but you replace them all anyway. There may be wear on number 36 and 33 as well especially if you have run it this way for a while. .hopefully they aren't worn because getting parts for Sunstrand pumps isn't easy anymore. Btw this is the 430 pump but they are the same..

Talonkid119 · Sep 4, 2014

Thank you Raw Dodge, you were exactly right what the issue was.

Raw Dodge · Sep 5, 2014

This is my high pressure closed loop filter..everything is readily available. .the hardest thing to find will be a 3000psi 10 micron filter...whatever it costs , just think this is 1500-2500 repair at a steiner dealer..if you can do this yourself it's a great feeling of accomplishment and huge money savings..and you will be ready and have the filter if down the road yiu have another problem or the rear hydraulic motor ball bearing let's go.

Raw Dodge · Sep 5, 2014

DoubleDeere · Sep 5, 2014

Raw Dodge is there an easy explanation how to use the high pressure filter you show to flush the hydraulic system.

prs · Jun 23, 2016

RawDodge; thanks for showing that. Seems much simpler than I had envisioned. When in use, do you just connect those quick connects to the ones that supply hydraulics to the attachments? Then the machine's pumps do the work? I wonder how long the process takes to cycle all the oil through a few times... We keep pick'n at Yer brain, there will be none left! LOL

Raw Dodge · Jun 23, 2016

prs said:
RawDodge; thanks for showing that. Seems much simpler than I had envisioned. When in use, do you just connect those quick connects to the ones that supply hydraulics to the attachments? Then the machine's pumps do the work? I wonder how long the process takes to cycle all the oil through a few times... We keep pick'n at Yer brain, there will be none left! LOL

you connect the filter inline with the pump and front and rear motors.you simply start the engine ,put the trans axles in neutral,and running about half throttle with the hydrostat lever lever fully forward or backward it doesn't matter whichever way we go it will only go one way the other way it will simply whine and push the lever back to neutral.I let it run about 20 minutes usually at that point The fluid is warm,then very carefully disconnect and reconnect and making sure not to introduce any contamination.check your fluid level when you're done