Steering Box Rebuild Problem

[rick sheltra]

The difference on my B7100 box rebuild is that my "column" tube is welded to the lower casting making it accessible from the rear next to impossible. I found a inner seal puller that had a slide hammer design at harbor freight that made short work of it. 2 or 3 raps and it was out. it also worked for the lower race as well. I dont know if there was a design change or not but my serial number places it at late '76 to early '77. But if I remember correctly, I read a note from SDVic that there may have been an even earlier box design entirely.

Hey Tim what is the serial number of your tractor? Mine is 5 digits i think its 47509 not sure but around 47000...wonder how many they made? someone told me mine was made in the eightys.
One more thing do you remember the tool part number at harbor freight? Im sure I can find it if you dont... just thought I would ask..thanks

 

[Kytim]

Oh, replace everything like the pinion seal now. There is no sense doing it over for something as inexpensive as that.

 

[Kytim]

Hey Tim what is the serial number of your tractor? Mine is 5 digits i think its 47509 not sure but around 47000...wonder how many they made? someone told me mine was made in the eightys.
One more thing do you remember the tool part number at harbor freight? Im sure I can find it if you dont... just thought I would ask..thanks

47000 puts it manufactured in '78 according to tractordata.com, my tractor is said to be a '77.

the link in a previous post will take you to the tool on the HF website or

follow this link.

 

[rick sheltra]

Hey Everybody, I got the tool at harbor freight (along with a lot of other cool gadgets!). You cant go in that store without buying more then one thing. The tool cost 69.95 and I used that 20% coupon they send you in the mail so I paid about $56.00.
I assembled it and tried it and within 2 hits it was out clean no problem!!
Thanks for the link to the tool. It is appropriately named....

Now onto the seal on the box assemly where the pitman arm hooks up. I think I remember seeing that on part 2 of vics rebuild. I am going to try it tomorrow.
Thanks again to all.

 

[Kytim]

That was my experience exactly, 2 hits and out it came. It was almost too easy, with the right tool.

Glad it worked for you!

 

[donp815]

Not to hijack this post but, I do not see a way to drain the steering box. I see the fill but not a drain plug. Is this correct? and if so, how do you remove the old oil? I am on a L1500 but it should be identical to the L175. I did clear the weep hole a few weeks ago and it drained for almost a full day. The steering is fine but I want to change the oil.

Thanks,
Profnohair

I have a Satoh Beaver w/42" tiller along with my Kubota L3010 bucket & backhoe, & L245DT brush hog. It constantly gets water in steering box. New seals, button on steering wheel etc. I just remove the lower bolt in the side plate and watch until water stops and gear oil comes out. With new seals, not as bad, but I still do this 3-4 times during the summer operating season. The first time I had the plate off, I packed chamber about 1/3 with grease and topped off with 90W gear oil.

 

[rick sheltra]

Hey everyone who has been helping me...
I put the steering box back together and after several attempts to line it up I think I got it. Then I realized AFTER I put the oil in I forgot to buy or install new gasket DAMN!!! Now I have to take it off and go find some permatex and try to get it back in again. Definately tricky to get the steering lined up in there. I kept referring to the part 2 rebuild and couldnt quite comprehend the way to line it up so I put in the middle and it seemed to line up. The first time I thought I screwed the lower bearing up as I looked in there and there was a ball out of the bearings! Since the newer bearings are contained by a plastic housing it must have just popped out when I put the shaft down in the box. The bearing keeps shifting as you try and line it up just as described in rebuild instructions. The bearing ball popped right back in the plastic housing and didnt look damaged so I continued. Now its all lined up and no gasket...nothing like a good dose of stupid on my part!
I am guessing that permatex will be fine as there is no real pressure in there...I noticed a lot of people used grease in there too so I might try that.
Well off to autozone will update later.

 

[rick sheltra]

Thanks Vic I am going to use that grease trick! that will work good....Do you think making my own gasket for that is ok instead of buying one?

 

[rick sheltra]

Hey everyone!
I was hospitalized for a few days and just now getting back to the kubota. Im gettin old and I guess they just needed to verify im still greased up! Feeling better... good bill of health....every test possible and of course the day after we lost health insurance and wifes job. however we have our health and friends and thank God we are still here to talk about it....

So I made myself a gasket and put a glob of grease in the bottom of the case to hold the lower bearing and sealed it up....now I will put oil in the steer box tomorrow and see if I can get her too start and try to drive it...

Just wanted to take the time to thank you all for the help. Im not done yet plenty of other fixes to do but at least it will be operable.

Rick

 

[Kytim]

Glad to hear your back! keep us informed..

 

[rick sheltra]

Thanks Vic.... On my way outside to try her out. Ill keep it posted. should be 70 degrees here today good tractor weather!!!
Rick

 

[rick sheltra]

Just want to say I am back with the same problem in the steering.
This forum is the best. I get to go back and read all my mistakes and the advice and try and remember how to do this again. 6 years later same problem but my own fault I should have kept it covered up.
Getting ready to order the parts and begin repair again. Hello to all who helped me in the past. I am sure I will need advice again. thanks to all

 

[Russell King]

You may want to look at a bushing around the steering column if it goes through the fuel tank. My L185 steering column goes through a cylinder through the fuel tank and there is a rubber bushing or a hard plastic version that supports the column to the tank so it does not flex as much when using steering wheel to get onto the tractor


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[2458n]

When I rebuilt my L245DT steering the top of the shaft seemed loose coming out of the column and bushing. Before putting the steering wheel on I wrapped the column with electrical tape going up to the shaft , there I flipped the tape over and circled the shaft twice with the plastic on the inside - flipping the tape back over so the adhesive was sticking I stretched it tight and rewrapped both the shaft and column again. Silicon under the cap. It has been good for 15 years.

 

[rick sheltra]

Thanks Russell I am starting on it today as the weather is starting to cooperate. Being able to go back and look at all the mistakes I made is great. Maybe this time I will get it done quicker. This site is the best. I will check on that bushing around the fuel tank.
Thanks
Rick

 

[rick sheltra]

Good Morning to all. Really nice day today here in the free state. Wonder why they call it that it cost a fortune to live here LOL

Going to order some parts today and just wanted to get opinions. As I said before I am 6 years into this post now. Exactly 6 years ago the steering broke down on me and here I am again. I think the failure is a combination of things however I do not think it was from water getting in the steer box this time. I didn't see any evidence of water so I may have lucked out with that. But she still broke down same way. When I opened it ball bearings from the ball nut assembly were sitting at the bottom. It seems to me it happened because I never really got the steering to be lined up correctly when I fixed it last time. Steering was never feeling correct but it worked so I left it. This time I am going to try and understand that better.
I should mention another problem which happened before and that is the pitman arm is twisted again. That piece alone is 65$ so I am going to try and use it as it is. I guess all this happens because of the extreme weight the FEL puts on the front. I mean after all these were built for rice paddies right?

So now here is my question about the steering rod (shaft) When I took the shaft out this time and was inspecting the bottom of it I noticed it has developed wear to the point there is a small ridge that is very sharp right near the end. Is that something I should just file down? or does it even matter. the shaft at that point just sits on/in the bottom ball bearing set..but is this sharp ridge causing premature wear?
Everyplace I have checked the Knuckle is not in stock and some places the shaft and knuckle are sold in a kit for about 120$. DO you all think I need to replace he shaft because of the Sharp ridge I have described and attached pic of? Just wondering what to do and how to do it the cheapest as usual. Thanks for any input you can give ,also are they any other vendors I could use besides messicks as they are out of stock. thanks Rick