sunnyblueskies
Well-known member
I've posted the same question on other forums as well, but never get a problem solving answer. Maybe I can find somebody here which dealt with the same problem before.
JD 2360 (which is made by MacDon, equivalent to macdon7000) is a pain in the butt with steering.
It's power wheel driven, 2 hydraulic pumps and a charge pump for the drive and an array of steering linkage between the steering wheel and the pumps.
So last fall we took the whole steering mechanism apart, because that's the first thing we were told, to check all the linkage and tierods etc, see if they are worn and might need replacing. Did all that. All the links are nice and tight but I have way too much play in the steering wheel.
It's not a problem if I drive on level ground, uphill or on a sidehill, the machine doesn't favour one side and remains straight. But as soon as I drive on even the smallest downhill level it starts to weave left and right and I have to counteract with the steering wheel, it ends up being a crazy left and right driving motion which get's downright scary if I don't slow down to a crawl.
So my question is more or less a double question:
1. How do I get rid of most of the play in the steering wheel? The most likely culprit is a wrong tension on the steering chain going from the steering wheel sprocket to the steering plate and tierods. How much play is acceptable?
2. Why does it wander left and right so much when on a downhill? I realize it's partially because there is no load on the pumps/powerwheels going downhill, but I would assume the load should remain about the same no matter if uphill or downhill? Could there be something not quite right in the pumps system which causes the machine to weave left and right? It can't just be the slack in the steering? Or?
Somebody point me in the right direction please. I'll try to put more tension on the steering chain, but I'm sceptical if that is the only problem.
JD 2360 (which is made by MacDon, equivalent to macdon7000) is a pain in the butt with steering.
It's power wheel driven, 2 hydraulic pumps and a charge pump for the drive and an array of steering linkage between the steering wheel and the pumps.
So last fall we took the whole steering mechanism apart, because that's the first thing we were told, to check all the linkage and tierods etc, see if they are worn and might need replacing. Did all that. All the links are nice and tight but I have way too much play in the steering wheel.
It's not a problem if I drive on level ground, uphill or on a sidehill, the machine doesn't favour one side and remains straight. But as soon as I drive on even the smallest downhill level it starts to weave left and right and I have to counteract with the steering wheel, it ends up being a crazy left and right driving motion which get's downright scary if I don't slow down to a crawl.
So my question is more or less a double question:
1. How do I get rid of most of the play in the steering wheel? The most likely culprit is a wrong tension on the steering chain going from the steering wheel sprocket to the steering plate and tierods. How much play is acceptable?
2. Why does it wander left and right so much when on a downhill? I realize it's partially because there is no load on the pumps/powerwheels going downhill, but I would assume the load should remain about the same no matter if uphill or downhill? Could there be something not quite right in the pumps system which causes the machine to weave left and right? It can't just be the slack in the steering? Or?
Somebody point me in the right direction please. I'll try to put more tension on the steering chain, but I'm sceptical if that is the only problem.
