L345 power steering box leaking

[rbargeron]

My L345's power steering box has developed a fluid leak. It leaks at the bottom front cover, directly into the top of the clutch housing, dripping out the housing's bottom weep hole. It leaks enough to empty the reservoir in a couple days. It hasn't soaked the clutch yet - I'd like to fix it before it does.

Looking for ideas - does anybody have experience with this steering box? Sealing up the outside of the bottom of the box would direct the leakage away from the clutch, but if it's pressurized from inside, it may blow out a shaft seal instead. Any thoughts? thanks for reading - Dick B

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

It could be as simple as needing some O-rings replaced.
Do you have the WSM for it? If not ask, I do.
There is 2 o-rings and a seal in the bottom of it.

 

[rbargeron]

Thanks a lot for the help - do you have the part numbers?
Closest WSM I have is L355 - has pics but no parts list.
My L345 illustrated parts list only shows the fully assembled
steering box - no part breakdown or individual part numbers.
I'll take it apart and try to match something up. I'm wondering
about adding a sealed sheet metal plate under the box to close
the hole into the clutch housing. If the box gets pressurized
the fluid might find its way to the exhaust port to the ps tank.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

My advice, don't change what's worked for 30+ years, so no on the plate,
fixing the leak is a far better choice.

Check your PMs as I've sent you a link to download the WSM.

There is only the lower O-ring listed as a individual part (most likely the point of the leak too ) P/N 04811-50650

The other parts are only sold as part of the Ball Nut Assembly (BOO ).

You say there is a weep hole, I wasn't aware of the Power steering unit equipped models having a weep hole???

Pictures?

 

[rbargeron]

Thanks a lot for the part no. and PM with WSM link.

My local dealer had the lower o-ring (picked up a couple today). I may get to
taking it apart tomorrow. The leakage drips out onto the loader frame cross-member
and runs off at the front or back. It's hard to see the actual point it's coming out of the housing.
My L3250 has a bottom drain for seal leakage so I assumed this L345 has one too.
But I can see the fluid is actually coming out of an unused tapped boss. It's apparently drilled thru.
It may be unintentional but it's useful in this case, preventing fluid build-up.

My idea about adding a seal plate under the steering box is that after 30+ years it isn't working right.
It may just be a failed o-ring, but I'm concerned the valve spool or ball nut is worn and leaking internally
with no place to go - so it has pushed out the bottom plug.

Also I don't see a purpose for the opening in the top of the clutch housing. One guess is it's a feature
from earlier models like the L225 where the steering shaft went down thru the housing to an outside gearbox.
A thin steel plate would be easy to add and would keep the steering fluid off the clutch. Maybe I'll find a proper
smoking gun when its apart and I'll get away from the seal plate idea.

In the L355 WSM they show a teflon ring around the outside of the #14 o-ring.
Do you by chance have the rest of the "Figure 28" parts & numbers?
Any idea whether the L355 and L345 use the same power steering unit?

Thanks again, Dick B

 

[rbargeron]

Update:
Took the steering box off and turned it over, revealing the source of the leak.
The area around parts 12, 13, 14 is severely corroded. The ball screw plug is still tightly seized in place
but the snap ring groove is partly corroded away so some of the ring is no longer retained.
The fluid is seeping out where the ring groove is bad. The o-ring groove is likely bad too.

The plan is to seal the leaking area.........edit

1/21 update: Hey Wolfman - you were exactly right - all it really needed was a new o-ring (and some cleaning up.

I decided to try to get the plug out - I ground some flats on the crown to grab it by and got it loose.
The snap ring groove had built up with rust and pushed the snap ring partway out. The o-ring was shot.
With the ring grooves cleaned up it all fit back together well - no epoxy or retainer plate needed. Life is good.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Excellent to hear!

Might I suggest 2 other things while you hopefully still have it apart?

Get some Calcium, rust and line remover Zep at HD is cheaper than CLR and I think works better.
Take the plug out of the bottom of the case and spray it in the hole and clean all the rust off, then a shot of WD40 on everything and then a light coat of very light oil.
Then when you put the box back on , a little RTV on the mating surfaces will seal it up nice.

If you've already put it back together, please disregard till you have to get in there again!

 

[rbargeron]

Great minds .....I shined it up and put on Ospho (phosphoric acid) and then Rustoleum primer.

The ps fluid leak has been lubing clutch housing internals. This tractor will never need
splitting to grease the release fork pivot shaft (like a green tractor might). Take care, Dick B