4700 - DOA - steering kaput - Dang!!

[gvw]

Steering completely failed on my Green Machine - had just driven in the driveway from spraying the neighbor’s field - pulled down the drive and tried to make a U-turn to load up with more spray - YIKES! No steering at all!!----Luckily there were no cars/trucks/vehicles in the immediate vicinity cause it would have been major league ugly. Was able to apply the whoa and bring the beast to a halt just prior to meeting the side of the barn. After much consternation determined that in fact there was ZERO steering --- turn the wheel all you want - then turn it some more - results all the same - NADA. Sooooooooo--- get on the phone and start begging the dealer that my machine is vastly more important than the two-week backlog that he already has in the shop. Was able to turn the tractor around with the wheel brakes and with some trepidation get on the trailer for the dealer.
After apparently a lot of confusion as to what was actually wrong - seems that the nut fell off the end of the steering cylinder on the front axle. This is a sealed unit with no way to open it up and put the nut back on. They found the problem after jacking up the front end - twisting by hand one of the drive wheels and the rod pulled right out of the cylinder.
Now the problem is that apparently the parts people at JD do not have a replacement part - as of this moment in time and space NADA steering cylinder is available according to the dealer - am now thinking about simply measuring the length and seeing if we can substitute something.
My stock in JD just went in the tank - this tractor has about 500 hours on it and something like this should not happen and then no parts ---ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! The only bright spot in this is that I was in my driveway when it broke - I do a lot of work at other places and could have been in a real mess.

 

[beenthere]

Bummer. Thought parts could be next day delivery? If it happened this morning, then Monday may be the 'next day' for Deere parts. If yesterday, then I would think they would be available today. Was there any damage beyond replacing the cylinder? Seems another cylinder would not be hard to replace.
But think of those caught in the 2 week backlog. They are going to have to wait longer than you just having to wait until Monday to get a new cylinder, seems to me anyway.

I doubt Deere planned it that way, and suspect a sealed cylinder wouldn't rely on a nut like that. Do you have a picture of the rod end that came out of the cylinder? Is it threaded or broken? Just curious.

Hope you are back running again soon. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

According to deere parts, if it's the same part I asked about there are five of them in the central warehouse in KC. They would be available by 8am tomorrow morning at most any dealer. I'm assuming it's the cylinder that I have in the attached picture #9?

 

[gvw]

Looks right-- do you have part #?
TKS
Not sure why I'm being told they are on back order!??

 

[cowboydoc]

Part # AM128370 substitute for M136882

 

[gvw]

Richard - just found out that is the wrong one - seems there are two different front axle assemblies - mine is the "other" one --------part # I need is supposed to be LAV13561

 

[cowboydoc]

GVW,

I've got the guys here working on it. They said they should be able to come up with one in an hour. I'll let you know PM what I find out.

 

[gvw]

Oops # is LVA13561----------and back order is becoming a term that I am not happy with

 

[jd110]

Did your dealer do a dealer search? It looks like two dealers in Wisconsin show they have it in stock. They are the closest to you. Other choices in Florida, Alabama, Massachussets. New Hampshire, and Virginia. I hope this helps you out.

 

[gvw]

My Dealer told me last night that they had called the WI dealer(s) and were told they did not have it - today is a new day we will see - as of last night they were going to take a cylinder off a new tractor in the yard and put on mine - this is now over a week to resolve - and that is unacceptable when there are parts available - from other dealers but for whatever reason this cannot be fixed.