steering options 126
 

I have finally decided that its time for a steering rebuild as you can turn the wheel half a turn and still go straight lol. I called my cub cadet dealer but he said the worm gear (which is prolly worn) is discontinued. Does anyone know of any other options or is this a dead end street? :Huh:

a used column is a possibility

but normally the worm gear is not the problem
it is typically the follower that can be ground down or remade with a 1/2" fine thread bolt

Did you look here....???....Steering Rebuild

Did you look up the parts here...???....Parts Lookup

Also check the play in all the ball joints,mine had a lot of looseness in them.:bigeyes:

Not only are our vintage Cub Cadet tractors the toughest, most durable garden tractors ever made, one of the REALLY great features about them is that nearly every component that they are made up of can be rebuilt.

Remove your column from the tractor, disassemble it, clean it out, replace the bearings and cups, cam follower, seal package and probably the upper bushing, put it back together, adjust it and be good for another 40 years. Obviously you will also want to check/repair/replace other steering related components to completely eliminate all the slop in your steering system.

While these columns can be a little tedious to adjust, if you're patient and take your time, you can make your tractor once again steer like a brand new one.

the follower? I looked at the microfiche but didnt see a follower?

I believe the proper terminology is stud with a hex jam nut. This is according to the ARIP Part Finder for your model of tractor. The stud extends into the worm gear and rides up and down in the spirol groove. It may be that part is no longer available but can be made from a bolt.

I got this kit for my 123 a few years ago, http://www.ebay.com/itm/111147229793?redirect=mobile

After looking into just the parts ( just the cam follower was over $40 from cub)
it didn't seem like a bad deal.:bigthink:

Before you tear the column out take a look at the top of the left spindle and watch the pitman arm while turning the wheel.
I just rebuilt my steering box(I had to) but my steering wheel still has almost half a turn before actually doing anything.
The hole where the pin(now a 5/16" bolt) goes thru to hold the arm to the spindle is worn.
It doesnt seem to have much movement when the linkage is unhooked and you move the arm by hand but once it is all hooked up it has a lot of play.
I am going to get a bronze busing and drill out the spindle to fit the bushing letting the bushing wear instead of the spindle.

I've got to tighten the steering on my 126 as it's all over the place. I did the super steer steering upgrade from Dave Kirk on my 1650 and it's a nice upgrade.