TC55DA Steering issue solved

[04Bob]

My long time steering stiffness has finally been solved. Two weeks ago I started my tractor only to find no steering, at all. Steering wheel turned freely but wheels didn't move. After several days of trying to diagnose the problem, I disconnected the steering shaft and removed the steering motor. I discovered that the female spline opening at the top of the steering motor was packed full of hardened grease and dirt which no longer allowed the secondary steering shaft to engage the opening. After a number of calls to technicians and dealers, I concluded that the shaft had always been so short that it barely engaged the steering motor and finally came out. I checked all the brackets and mounting framework to see if something had been bent but found no such evidence. The steering has been stiff for a couple of years and at times would bind so hard that it was very difficult to steer. I am convinced that it was built that way from the factory and only engaged the spline a fraction of an inch. I solved the problem by cutting the shaft and lengthening it about 3/8". I simply clamped two pieces of small angle iron around the shaft and welded them in place. The tractor has never steered so effortlessly, even when standing still the steering wheel can be spun lock to lock with a finger. I am wondering how many other owners have experienced this issue and have tolerated it thinking there is no fix. Hope this helps someone.

 

[mikester]

Feels good when you solve the problem! The steering was always heavy on my TC55DA under load. From what I read it is a common problem on that tractor.

 

[Ford850]

This is interesting given the many steering threads on here for the 55's. But if the shaft wasn't engaged at all and you lengthened it only 3/8", doesn't it still only engage by 3/8" or less? Is that the maximum that can engage based on the depth of the female spline?
Thanks

 

[04Bob]

As far as I can tell the factory setting engaged the shaft by only 1/8 inch, which over time wore of the splines on the male and female parts. The female spline was approximately 5/8 inch deep. That left me a maximum of 1/2 inch left for engagement. My first attempt at 1/2 inch lengthening caused the shaft to bottom out in the hole before I could get the steering motor back up in position, so I ended up cutting the shaft off 3/16 inch to give me a small tolerance when tightened back up. I figured if the original 1/8 inch of engagement had worked for the 3000 hours on the hour meter, 3/8 inch should do the trick.