sticky steeering in cold

[fiddlerkelly]

The weather up this way has started to get cold and yesterday I went to move my B2630 and the steering was hard to turn , I let the tractor run for about 15 minutes prior to moving it and as I tried to turn the steering there was a lot of resistance/sticking/stiffness call it what you want and after moving the tractor around some the steering came back to normal . I first noticed this last winter and have since changed the fluids and filters in the tractor hoping this would resolve the problem.


Anyone got any ideas or suggestions.

 

[Egon]

Cold hydraulic fluid in the steering cylinders needs to be moved out and replaced by warmer hydraulic fluid.

Easiest way to do this is to lift front of tractor with the bucket and then turn the steering wheel back and forth.

Do you have a winter version of hydraulic fluid [ not proper nomenclature ] in the hydraulic system?

 

[JOHNINMA]

I 2nd what EGON said. I have had my steering stiff on my tractor in the cold until the warmer fluid gets moving in the steering cylinder. I like the suggestion about turning the wheels with the loader holding the front end up, and may do that myself initially on cold starts.

 

[fiddlerkelly]

Actually that is what I done this morning was raise the front end with loader and start turning wheel both ways and then it started to free up. But the problem is I never had this issue till last winter ,the years before that I never use to ,not that I can remember . I was told one time that there may be some water in my fluid so when I changed the fluid in August I hoped not to have the problem again.

 

[MHarryE]

Only running the tractor does not circulate all the hydraulic oil. You need to get the warm oil throughout the system. However just running the machine doesn't really warm up the oil either. You do need to work it to get the oil fully warmed. We say in our manuals that the controls will be sluggish to start with in cold temperatures. Assuming you use UDT the oil is already equivalent to about a 10W-30. Super UDT is better in cold weather but when my dealer's partsman found out I kept my tractor in a heated building, he said not to spend the extra $$$.

 

[nspec]

Almost sounds like you're getting air in the system and you're bleeding it when you turn the wheels. Maybe check all your fittings and the fluid level? Just a thought.

 

[fiddlerkelly]

So if it is air how would the air be getting into the system ?

 

[nspec]

Loose fitting, bad seal, low fluid level....quite a few ways. Lift your front end with the loader and turn the steering wheel lock to lock, right to left and back a few times. This should bleed the air out of the system. Do it a half dozen times back and forth then see if its stiff the next time you start up. Cold fluid shouldn't make your steering stiff. I have the same tractor and have started it many times below freezing without the steering being stiff. Plus, you said this is a new problem to you. Not sure precisely how, but I would bet air. Try the method I described to bleed it really well. I'd be curious to see if your problem returns.

 

[fiddlerkelly]

Doesn't hurt to try. I will let you know the outcome. But if it is air getting through wouldn't I see some dripping of oil?

 

[nspec]

Perhaps it is sucking air during operation only. Any oil than leaks may only be leaking during use and when you're shut down and parked the culprit doesn't have enough pressure to leak, thus showing no oil under the parked tractor? I'm probably stretching, but I've worked with enough hydraulics to know the symptoms of air in the system. I believe the steering has it's own hydraulic pump on this tractor, but it still has a common oil reservoir. Have you checked the fluid level lately?