LT1045 steering upgrade
 

My mower has always been hard to steer, even with proper greasing. I installed some thrust washers and all is well! Topped it off with a shaft collar for future maintenance needs, as I always destroy the press lock washers.

Nice fix. :beerchug:

Thank you. Made a big difference, I still have some slop in the rod ends and at the tie rod to cam gear? connection. I will address those next week when I am off.

Was able to work on this the past few evenings. New rod ends, and removed the steering gear plate from under machine. Wire brushed all the rust off, this was likely the cause of hard steering, and greased with moly grease. Slides like butter now! Also removed broken plastic bushings and pressed on some bronze oilite bushings where tie rods attach. McMaster-Carr saved the day. If anyone is interested, I can post part numbers for everything I used.

:TTWWP:
And I forgot to take pictures. Ill try to get some this evening.

While you are at it put a pillow bearing on the steering shaft where it goes through the upper frame... Most have a plastic sleeve.... I did this on a Craftsman GT 5000... But again it was a Craftsman 5000....

Not sure I follow. I did buy the pinion and spacer, but mine were still good.

Please do. :beerchug:

Here are the part numbers from McMaster-Carr.

2 Oil embedded flanged bearing-6338K415
4 Needle roller thrust bearing-5909K33
8 Washer for thrust bearing-5909K46
2 Clamping shaft collar-6436K16
2 7/16-20 rod end-60645K451 I did have to modify(drill out) my steering C's for this to work.
Bag of 50 Nut for rod end-94846A520
And just so the bag of nuts doesn't hurt so bad, I bought wheel studs for my 128 too.
Box of 25 Socket head cap screws-91251A003

This is assuming your steering C's are 3/4". And I did install bearings and washers on top, they are probably not needed. I removed the spacer as seen in the picture above and installed the bearing stack.

:beerchug::beerchug:

I will get pictures of everything tonight. Where the flanged bearings go, what I removed, wire brushed and greased and the bearing stack I put on top of axle.