BX2200 steering freewheeling

[aeblank]

There should be no single point of failure that eliminates your ability to steer your vehicle.

I gotta call B.S. on this one. There is *always* a single point of failure for any system. To say there isn't, is to say that there is a complete independent backup system.

A car is the best comparison, and I can think of many single failures causing an issue with steering (u-joint on the steering shaft, gear failure in gearbox, blown tire, broken tie rod, etc.). Naturally a car has a much higher rate of speed, which equals more danger in the event of a failure.

In a car, an engine stall doesn't remove your ability to steer, or brake, which are obviously safety features. I certainly believe that is the reason there isn't (yet) steer-by-wire and brakes-by-wire, only throttle-by-wire. Of course, that may be old/bad info by now...

Anyway, not diminishing the steering issues, just had an issue with that point. Continue on.

 

[BobBrennan]

When mine started acting up I took the steering controller out and nothing was wrong with it. It was the steering cylinder. It would work fine until it got warmed up real good then it would act up. Got a kit and rebuilt it and worked fine for about three years then started acting up again. I guess I will talk to the dealer and see if there is a permanent fix.

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Interesting. It just seems odd that mine went from absolutely zero steering to regaining complete control by letting it sit a few day.

I'll avoid the single point of failure conversation. I am still trying to wrap my head around the mechanics of the cylinder self correcting. Heat or not, this is not something I would have expected.

I really was leading to the controller having an issue or having air in the line.

I guess my issue is just like many others that have posted here and on other forums. Time to start wrenching.

BB

 

[wv bc owner]

I googled it and found a lot of complaints about the same thing with this model. One site it was even mentioned that Kubota had even issued a recall over the cylinder but I can't find it any where else. Was told to file a complaint with the consumer product safety commission look at the site and they have several complaints already. I am going to file mine soon.

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[orangen]

My dealer didn't even offer me that choice about 3 years ago when I bought the rebuild kit.

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You wouldn't have that part number for that cylinder, would you?

 

[orangen]

You wouldn't have that part number for that cylinder, would you?

 

[whitetiger]

Steering cylinder for a BX2200: K2561-16500

 

[netxtown]

I call this the terminator problem....because "I'm back!" I have a bx1850d. o ring replaced. pump replaced and still.....I'm back!

 

[cheetahpilot]

Like one of the earlier commentors I had all these symptoms and it was all due to a flattened o-ring on the center piston. It simply allows small fluid inputs to seep past, but large inputs move the piston. It is a faulty design. Consider the quality of seal on the guide assembly end of the cylinder vs one o-ring. Which one will fail first? I too bought the kit, but would advise first timers to just get an o-ring and expect to go back in every few years. Mine is 15 years old, but it has been doing this for at least 5 years, and I have just lived with it.

 

[cheetahpilot]

Also, getting the guide assembly out of one end was a pain. There are instructions from kubota that were not clear to me. There is an internal snap ring that keeps the guide assembly (plug) from being spit out the end of the cylinder. There is no ring on the snap ring for snap ring pliers. Kubota says to drill a hole through the lip above it so a punch can begin removing it from its groove. But this will not happen before you are able to push that guide assembly back up into the tube about a quarter inch. Corrosion of the surfaces around the exposed end is the only thing preventing the guide assembly from going up into the cylinder. So I propose you plan to let it sit vertically with pb blaster or something similar dissolving the corrosion before you start beating on it with a hammer and piece of brass. Enjoy!

 

[paularthurdean]

Hi everyone, I have a BX 2200 4WD and had the freewheeling syndrome mentioned here, so following the thread I ordered a set of steering ram seals fro Kubota dealer which cost £94-- extortionate for what they are. So I stripped the ram down and replaced all the seals. Steering now works fine but now having done the job I would recommend that you save yourself a bundle of money. If the outer seals on the ram are not leaking then all you need to replace are 2 "O" rings on the piston inside. If I had been thinking at the time I would have measured them and posted the sizes, but if you strip your ram, take the 2 piston seals off and visit your local hydraulics repair centre I am sure you will able to buy the "O" rings for less than £10. That is what I will do for sure if the problem returns. Incidentally the dealer thought this type of steering failure was not common in UK.