4300 Power Steering hose

pat32rf · Mar 6, 2016

While clearing snow today I lost my steering and found that one hose was dangling and squirting.....Might have caught it on the tire chains but I can't see how. ...
Once I was able to crawl under I found that the hoses disappear up between the frame and oil pan. Somewhere they then change to steel lines and head for the steering Control Unit at the wheel but I cannot find the first splice.
While it is the hose from the right hand (passengers) end of the cylinder, it sneaks up on the left side of the engine. Can these be replaced without dropping the oil pan?
I can flatbed the tractor to a heated shop ($100 plus shop time) or lay this old body in the snow which might have been OK when I was still in my sixties....

JohnDeere391 · Mar 7, 2016

On my 4500 the hoses were the same as yours and no need for dropping oil pan. I disconnected the lower radiator hose to get my hands inside so I could turn the small hard lines. Be careful as the hard lines are easy to bend and possibly snap off

pat32rf · Mar 7, 2016

The dealer has offered to do it for " about" $350, plus $400 float charges....Not that desparate yet

JohnDeere391 · Mar 9, 2016

Thats not too shabby but a little steep since the hose costs $90. If you have any questions if you're doing it yourself just shoot me a pm

pat32rf · Mar 11, 2016

I contacted the local Princess auto for some "re-useable" 1/4" hydraulic hose ends, cut off the old hose end with my grinder then installed the replacement. A few adapters and 90's and things went together.
When I tried to turn right however it became obvious that the lugs on the tire are going to catch the fittings. I ran the past two winters with chains on those front wheels and things were fine until last week. Seems that suddenly the wheels turn sharper?
Is there an internal stop in those cylinders that might have failed? The problem is on the compression stroke when it pulls the rear of the wheel IN.... This is not the original non serviceable JD cylinder (that one had the rod unscrew) but the JD replacement.

JohnDeere391 · Mar 11, 2016

Is the hose in the same position as before? I noticed on mine everything is very tight and well put together so if its not perfectly in the same location it might touch the tire.

pat32rf · Mar 13, 2016

The tire lugs will actually rub on the fittings that are screwed into the cylinder when the cylinder is fully retracted. (and it is firmly fastened in place) I am sure that I have seen limiters that go in or on cylinders but never had a reason to look close. Still a lot of snow and ice and I don't have a young helper to wrench on things down there so any advance knowledge is gold....
Like I mentioned, for the past two winters I have been running with chains that ride over top of those wheel lugs...Suddenly something changed.