Wheels are kattywompus on CK30

[ritcheyvs]

That's bent a LOT. It will really mess with your toe-in alignment. Remove the tie rod by popping both of the tapered ball joint shafts out of the steering knuckles and take tie rod to a local auto shop. They can straighten it in minutes with an arbor press if they are willing to do the job at all. When you reinstall the straightened tie, rod the alignment will be close. You can check the toe-in measurement with a metal tape measure (like carpenters use).

 

[bzimmel]

That's bent a LOT. It will really mess with your toe-in alignment. Remove the tie rod by popping both of the tapered ball joint shafts out of the steering knuckles and take tie rod to a local auto shop. They can straighten it in minutes with an arbor press if they are willing to do the job at all. When you reinstall the straightened tie, rod the alignment will be close. You can check the toe-in measurement with a metal tape measure (like carpenters use).

Thanks a lot, ritchey.

 

[k0ua]

Yeah but what a great excuse to buy the press.! I need one fairly often anyway.

 

[BethelHntr]

My neighbor brought a tie rod from his jinma over a few weeks ago looking badly bent like the OP's, Used a hydraulic press to straighten. He was back to work 30 minutes later.

Works good with two people.

 

[Capt. Bob]

I bent one far worse than that a few ago years on a CK30. A friend and myself bent it back straight using a long piece of pipe and a large shipboard vise. Just don't heat it to bend it and you will be okay. It is still on the tractor today.

 

[powerscol]

It should run straight between the tie rod ends. Replace this one, dont try to repair

 

[paulfun9]

It should run straight between the tie rod ends. Replace this one, dont try to repair

Curious as to why you say not to repair? An adjustment has to be made after he gets it straight and the same adjustment needs done with a new rod as well. So why not just fix the existing part for pennies and get back to work?

I don't recommend replacing it with stronger than stock parts as I have seen many off road folks do, only to find out that their unbendable creation has forced the steering to break someplace else that is not an easy fix or to weaken it with heat when getting it straight.

 

[PILOON]

A cheap HF 12T shop press will do the job. Yes, it's about the price of your replacement parts but then you'd have a new shop tool for future use.

LOL, like that thinking but does that mean that I have to go find a solid stump?

 

[Leejohn]

Did you buy the tractor that way and how long have you had it?

 

[Billrog]

I've bent mine 3 or 4 times took it off hammered it straight with a sledge hammer ( cold no heat ) 4,000 hrs. on the tractor no abnormal wear on the front tires. Just adjust the lineament with a tape measure. The only time there's any stress on these is if you hook it on a rock or stump. Running in dirt you'd never notice a slight bend.

 

[Gator6x4]

That's bent a LOT. It will really mess with your toe-in alignment. Remove the tie rod by popping both of the tapered ball joint shafts out of the steering knuckles and take tie rod to a local auto shop. They can straighten it in minutes with an arbor press if they are willing to do the job at all. When you reinstall the straightened tie, rod the alignment will be close. You can check the toe-in measurement with a metal tape measure (like carpenters use).

Good advise. :thumbsup: Sometime we must stop and realize the answer to all problems on a tractor is not a hammer.

 

[TomSeller]

Yeah, actually just received a quote for the rod alone ($70) and total including the 2 end pins ($150). I'll try to straighten it out, but even at $150, won't kill me.

You could buy a new one and hang the bent one up to remind you not to drive over stumps

Seriously, I'd just bend it back straight and make sure you adjust the alignment until the wheels are both pointed the same.

 

[paulfun9]

Good advise. :thumbsup: Sometime we must stop and realize the answer to all problems on a tractor is not a hammer.

But in this case there is absolutely no need to use anything but a hammer!! As many others have pointed out there is no point in spending money or lots of time fixing this any other way when the hammer will do just fine and not have any ill effects for the long term.
Its not a car that needs a perfect alignment so it can do 70MPH down the road and for most of us our street time is limited to a slow crossing of a mile or less to an other field so why bother with an expensive repair that wont get you any closer to a perfect alignment then you will get with a hammer and two rocks or a cheep Harbor freight press or an expensive Press in the shop. Last time I looked at the Alignment Menu in the computer at the shop it didn't have anything listed for any tractors at all which leads me to believe that no matter how much money or time one spends on this it will come down to how much time one spends with the tape measure when they re-install the tie rod that makes it right or wrong.

 

[k0ua]

When I bent mine on the old B7500, from bending it to having it back on after hammering was maybe an hour. As said, these things don't need perfect alignment like a car. They don't have perfect alignment when they are brand new from the factory.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Been there done that. I cheated and backed it up to the same stump and straightened it back out. Got lucky and never broke anything. Going on six or so years ago.

Steve

 

[powerscol]

I say replace as the rod ends/ball joints have been badly stressed. If it comes apart at speed ....... well lets not even think of that happening. Lets just say I have been penny foolish in my life and found out later to just by a good replacement and move on. Then you know all the parts are new and solid.

I'm just an old guy that has been around the block and very very lucky at times.

 

[k0ua]

hammer (or press) it out and go on.. The tie rod ends are fastened with a castle nut with a cotter key. It is not likely to come apart. Or if you like, buy a nice new one.

 

[TomSeller]

hammer (or press) it out and go on.. The tie rod ends are fastened with a castle nut with a cotter key. It is not likely to come apart. Or if you like, buy a nice new one.

Agree. The concern that they were stressed should be a very valid inspection piont. However, unless the two wheels were completely against their opposite travel limits, there would be limited strain on the joints. From the pictures it did not seem to be the case, but pictures can be misleading.

 

[paulfun9]

There is no reason to replace the ends They will not have been stressed enough to merit it as the rod itself is designed to be the weak link in the system. This is the reason I did not recommend making a new rod out of stronger material, having the rod bend doesn't put undue stress on the end at least not anymore than turning the steering wheel which we do every time we run our machines and we don't replace our ends after every use now do we?

 

[Leejohn]

My god 14 days and 4 pages and a 20 min job not done yet.