broken steering column?
 

Took my steering column off and well, im not sure if this is a common problem with the 123 cubs, or if neglect and abuse was the result. But im pretty sure they aren't supposed to be slit in two. sorry for the dark picture, i took it at night, and im currently scraping the old grease off. ill post a better picture once its all clean

Its really hard to see your pic, but did the tube seperate from the casting? If so it could be from abuse, or from sitting outside for a long period of time. Ive seen some where the tube is full of water, and the po never greased it......ever...and they rust from the inside out. If you can get a better pic we might be able to help a bit more, its really hard to tell whats going on there. :beerchug:

Jeff (teet)

ok this the column with some of the grease and junk cleaned off. the black tube is completely seperated from the yellow housing. the grease is a nice dark grey color, to me indicating water build up and age, im not sure if the column was ever greased or not. the po was my grandfather, a fellow IH mechanic from 1963 to 1974. hopefully the pics are better this time, let me know if you need to see more.

The tube often comes out of the steering box. That is an easy fix.

Matt is correct...they are just pressed in. I would clean it up real good, repair or replace anything else on the column that is in question, and slide it back together. The presence of the steering wheel and related bushings will help keep the tube mated to the lower housing after you reassemble it.

Ive seen a lot worse than that :biggrin2.gif:

Jeff (teet)

Thanks! :beerchug:i plan to have it all the way cleaned and painted soon. goin to completely over haul the steering box once the pay check comes in. im glad its an easy fix. would you guys recogmend it if i was to use JB Weld to keep the two pieces together or should it be ok when i bolt everything back in?

No problem...I asked the same question the first time I had one like that. I don't think I would use any adhesives or jb weld to hold it in there. I think if you gently tap it in with a block of wood, and button it all up, you'll be good to go.

Have fun!

Jeff (teet)

thanks jeff! ill keep that in mind! now off to the garage and make this cub like new!:beer2: :biggrin2.gif:

Three solutions I've seen are: tap it back into place and use either 2 or 3 pop-rivets, or sheet metal screws, to hold it, or get an exhaust pipe/muffler expanding tool (cheap one like from HF) expand the tube and tap it back into position.

Good luck
Dick

If it came out once it will probably come out again. Either expand the tube (careful...easy to overdo) or rivet it in. Locktite should also work as well. I have riveted and locktite'd a couple of tubes with no problems.

Ive seen people use hose clamps arount the top of the casting too....Ive had luck without using anything..you might try dry fitting it before drilling holes into it to see if screws or rivets are really necassary......

Jeff (teet)

I had the same problem. I cleaned everything up very well, sanded and primered the tube, painted it, then tapped it back into place with a block of wood and a hammer (after I rebuilt the insides of the box, of course). Apparently the couple of layers of paint on the tube were enough to tighten the tolerances. My tube is solid now.

I would hesitate to use something like JB Weld on it. There may come a time you want to disassemble it. If you have to reinforce it, I'd go with Matt's suggestion of pop-rivets. Not a "stock" look, but it would work and it could be undone, if necessary.

@Therie, the JB was suggested to me by my grandfather as a possiblity (being that he lives in Illinois and i live in TN and isnt able to see it), but i wanted everyones opinion to see what would work the best. the paint im using (rattle can) is pretty thick so im more than certain ill get a nice tight seal when it all goes back together.:biggrin2.gif:
@Jeff, i agree i want to refrain from drilling any holes unless necessary and clamps would make me feel like i had left it unfinished.
Thanks for the advice guys! ill keep you all posted!

Good luck....not that you'll need it :biggrin2.gif:

You will love the way your cub steers after rebuilding it...it will feel like a new tractor!

Jeff (teet)

Lol the whole thing will be a new tractor! im kinda goin for a working resto. looks great but will do the work. been at it for three months now. hopefully i can finish it close to xmas and play in the snow! (if we get any here in Nashville)