1862 Steering Problem - steering wheel spins but no tire movement

[Hammy8]

This is my first post so please forgive me if I am in the wrong forum. Love this site though. Been following for a while.

I have a model year 1991 1862 tractor. My dad bought it new and I am now restoring it for my brother. I have it running and cleaned up real nice (fresh paint, etc). The issue I have been working on is figuring out why the tires are not turning when I turn the steering wheel. I can turn the steering wheel in both directions and I can turn it as many rotations I want each way — meaning I can just keep spinning into over and over again in the same direction. Regardless of what way I turn the wheel, the tires do not turn. I can manually turn the tires right and left if I physically turn the tire with my hand.

What I have seen so far:

(1) when I turn the steering wheel to the right, the power steering cylinder initially moves back a half inch but then stops moving. The hex cap screw holding in the alignment ball end in place was very loose and moved around when the power steering cylinder tried to compress and open up. I figured the bolt but still only get a half inch of movement.

(2) when I turn the steering wheel the upper steering shaft turns with it, all the way down to where it goes into the coupling boot. The shaft, like the steering wheel, just spins around without stopping, in both direction.

Is there something at the bottom of the shaft that is suppose to lock the turn after a certain distance? Maybe something is not connecting the shaft into the drive coupling? Any other thoughts?

[cubs-n-bxrs]

My 1872 the steering wheel will spin without the tires turning when the engine is shut off. Engine running the tires will turn. Probably the steering column will need a rebuild. I am sure mine needs rebuild.

[Hammy8]

Thanks for the reply. That’s interesting. When it is running do the tires turning when you rotate the wheel?

It the past the tires would turn for me when I turned the steering wheel even when it wasn’t running. I remember pushing it up into a trailer and turning the wheel and it worked. It was tight, assuming it was just not engaging the power steering since the tractor was off. But now I get no turn.

[FrankF3]

Hi Hammy8 - Welcome to the forum. What else has been done to the tractor? Will the tractor move forward and backward? With the wheels moving very little when you turn the steering wheel, Are they pointed in a "straight-ahead" position? I found with my 1572 and my 1772, when the steering cylinder was leaking internally, it would especially do that in a straight ahead position. If the wheels were positioned for a hard-right or left, the internal leakage was less, and I would get more of a corresponding wheel to steering wheel movement at the extreme range of travel, although since this is a hydraulic system, there will be losses of steering wheel to wheel movement. If the wheels turn better at the extreme as opposed to straight head, the steering cylinder may need to be replaced or rebuilt.

[Hammy8]

The tractor does go forward and reverse but the tires do not turn left or right at all when I turn the steering wheel. Steering wheel just spins as much as I want. So far I have disconnected the steering mounting and plan to inspect the power steering box for any damage. Requires unlocking the hydronic lines which I’m not thrilled about but maybe they are empty anyway.

[Mike McKown]

Lift goes up and down?

[Hammy8]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

Lift goes up and down?

It didn’t go up and down. I have the battery off now so and things are pulled apart so I can’t check other things but I did try to get the lift to go up so I could move the mower around easier and it was stuck down. Does that point to a hydronic issue?

[Mike McKown]

I don't want to speak above my pay grade but the pressure that raises/lowers the lift passes through the hydraulic steering.

I have an 1864 that the only way I could get the lift to raiser was to saw the steering wheel back and forth while holding the lift handle up. Another steering box fixed that.

I believe the first step is for you to check for pressure coming out of your hydro heading to the steering.

But I'd also think if you have oil in the steering box, even without pressure, the steering wheel shouldn't spin freely.

[Hammy8]

Originally Posted by Mike McKown

But I'd also think if you have oil in the steering box, even without pressure, the steering wheel shouldn't spin freely.

When I disconnected the steering box last night I only got a trickle of oil come out when I took of the tubes. Of course I should have stopped there and checked for leaks but I went a step further than my pay grade and skill set and disassembled the steering box. I have the manual so I can reassemble it but two of the springs in the Port manifold shot out like a bat out of hell when I took it off. So now I have to figure out how to repack the springs correctly.

[Mike McKown]

Maybe you have a line blocked from the hydro pump to the steering?