65 Ford 2000 Diesel Steering Repairs

[wschaftl]

Just found this site a few days ago. Would have saved a lot of money had I found it earlier. I have had this 1965 2000 3cyl diesel since 89 and have made many repairs to it over the years (hydraulics, rear axle seals, pto). It is a 6 speed with live PTO and manual steering and an 11 amp generator. Finally decided to work on the steering since it is getting worse. The left axle knee and spindele needed replacing, the tie rod ends were all loose and the steering box leaked and was worn out. After taking ithe front axles apart I found the center axle bushing and spacer were worn away.

Pictures of the tractor in its current state are attached. I have bought a used LH axle knee and a new spindle from Gulf South Equipment in baton Rouge ( lowest prices I have found). I decided to buy a new steering gear after reading the service manual since I did not think I could do the rebuild. Cost was $420

After reading many posts on this site I now know I should have rebuilt the old one - I might try it still then sell it.

Question I have now is what lube to put in the new steering gear - go with Ford manual spec lube or something better?

Since I had to take the fuel tank off anyway I want to fix the fuel sender which has never worked. Found the float laying in the bottom of the tank full of fuel. Gulf South has a replacement new sender for $35 which sounds like a good deal.

The rpm meter works but not the hour meter - I took the instrument panel apart but can not see the problem except hour meter gear is not turning.

 

[jeff pk]

Welcome.

I can't be certain about your hour meter, but my 57 Ford hour meter won't advance unless it's at higher RPM's. It's supposed to reflect hours at working speed and not idle.

Jeff

 

[Varmint1]

Those are great guys at Gulf South, I mainly deal with Richard , they had all the parts I needed for my Komatsu dozer. You got a nice looking Ford, keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming

 

[Soundguy]

oh my.. a new steering box?

ford manual steering boxes are a piece of cake to rebuild.

just seals and bushings and thrust brarings.

I've probably rebuilt 3/4"s of mine.

unless the ballnut is excessively worn and cocking on the worm shaft.. or the sector gear face/teeth are worn to a pointed profile instead of blunt face, or the sector shaft diameters are worn excessively.. they rebuild quite nicely.

Go back in with a 0EP or 00EP grease.

JD cornhead grease comes in a tube and is a 0EP grease. many lawn equipment and golfcourse dealers .. especially ones that sell or service snapper will sell a stens or snapper greae in a 32oz squeezy bottle that is 00EP

either will work fine.

you can add a large zrk vs the fill plug.. then pump in till it extrudes out from under he steering wheel. give here a lil spin half way thru pumping to spread it and clear any voids.

 

[wschaftl]

Thanks for the lube advice Soundguy. I will get one or the other.

I knew I had screwed up on the steering box after reading through this site but I already had the new one when I found the site. When you have never done one or seen the inside of one and the service manual calls for all kinds of special tools and you have no one to talk it over with it seemed like it was best to go the new or rebuilt route.

At least in the future I can get opinions from this site to show me the way.

 

[Soundguy]

what special tools did your service manual call for on a manual steering box repair.

i don't recall any.. I did actually look at the manual the first time I did one...

it's pretty straight forward..

recirculating ballnut on a worm, driven sector and a drive sector.

post when you weant to rebuild it.

you'll be scared at how easy it is..

 

[wschaftl]

OK, I tore down the old Steering Gear today and have attached pictures of it. A lot of water poured out of it when I turned it shaft end down (a pint or so). There is rust on the surfaces and the upper & lower shaft bearings had come apart. A water/oil sludge with metal particles filled the box after the gears were out. I can see that it would be an easy rebuild as long as the gears and rotating balls are in good shape.

Looking at the service manual procedure again the special tools needed would be if the bearing cup races need removal - and I do not think they do.

My only real concern with it is that the rocker arm gear teeth have quite a lot of wear on them. Some of them mic out at 0.2 inch width at front and are worn down to 0.14 inch at back.

 

[Soundguy]

from what i can see.. those sector gears look useable.. some where can be adjusted out via backlash adjustment.

the races can be snatced or welded out.

the top race snatches or welds out EASY. the bottom race.. some boxes have a welch plug int he bottom and you just drive them out... otherwise.. snatch.. or if not damaged.. leav ein.

 

[Charle]

wschaftl I too am new to this forum and I was very interested to see the work you are doing on your 65 Ford 2000. I have a 1964 Ford Super Dexta 3000 and want to service the steering box which has multiple oil leaks. From your photos my Dexta, and steering box, look identical to your Ford 2000; they were badged under different names, I believe, in the US and Australia.
I have been looking for the correct service manual for the steering box, would you mind telling me the manual you are using and where I can obtain a copy.

With many thanks,
Charle

 

[Soundguy]

it's just a regular 3000 steering box.. the naming convention is overly confusing.. not sure what ford was thinking at the time.

hit the CNH website.. pull up the exploded view of the steering box ( manual or power.. depending on what you have ).

they are EASY to rebuild... just thrust bearings for the most part.. that usualyl tapes up the slop.. oring/.seals.. etc. lube..

 

[wschaftl]

Charle, I have the full Ford Tractor Service manual for the 65 & up 2000/3000/4000 etc. The manual steering gear rebuild procedure is 5 pages. I can scan them in if you would like to have a copy.

 

[Charle]

wschaftl, That is very generous of you and would be much appreciated. You could forward them to this email address charlesderek34@gmail.com Or if you don't wish to use your email perhaps you could post them on this thread as jpg's.
Many thanks again,
Charle

 

[Charle]

Soundguy, Thanks for your comments. You can say that again. And doubly confusing when my Operator's Manual which came with the Dexta (I assume the original) is dated November 1964, marked for export and was printed in the the UK, shows a steering box which can be filled with oil via a filler plug on its side. But when I consult the Dexta/Super Dexta workshop manual it shows a different steering box with no filler plug.
Mechanics not being my strong point I want to be sure of what vehicle/steering box I am dealing with in order to obtain the correct workshop manual, and spares, for servicing the steering box. It looks to me as if this is a late production Super Dexta in which they installed a steering box from the upcoming 1965 Ford 3000.
I have the exploded view of the 3000 steering box but will feel more confident with the workshop manual. And wschaftl has kindly offered to scan the the rebuild pages for me.
Cheers, Charle

 

[whodat526]

no in the uk they had some 1964 model 2000-3000-5000 and the 2000 was a dexta 2000 and the 3000 was a super dexta 3000 so what you most likely have is a early model 3000

 

[Charle]

whodat526, the decals on my tractor shows it to be a Super Dexta 3000; also there is a decal on the lhs with 3000 on it. I am unable to find the Dexta series number in the location described in the Operator's Manual or at other locations described in various web pages and forums. The only numbers I can find are barely discernible at the location described for the Ford 3000, rhs just behind the starter, (FORD CODES and SERIAL NUMBERS) but they don't make sense to me:

5H26P
10-5-0(this zero is?)
607121

Also there is a foil plate, which I take to be a vehicle identification plate, riveted to the lhs steering box cowl ; again the numbers are meaningless to me:

3B46 60 93000
600753 ND076012J105

Any ideas what these mean?
Thanks,
Charle

 

[whodat526]

it is a 3000 the dexta had a perkins diesel and a different style hood that is the very first production of the 3000 you have when ford was changing over from the dexta style to the 2000/3000 style like you got

what is the numbers stamped on top of the bellhousing where the starter bolts on

 

[Charle]

whodat526, those numbers I have given are from the bellhousing just behind the starter.
5H26P
10-5-0(this zero is?)
607121

I tried to photograph them but they don't come out very well. I'll see if I can get a clearer shot.
Charle

 

[whodat526]

the first set of numbers says its a 1965 model

 

[wschaftl]

Charle, my serial numbers do not make sense either. There are two numbers on the LHS, the outside one (s/n) is clearly B802033B175 and the inside one is very hard to read - looks like 5B01B. The engine s/n on the RHS is clearly LD014117B5 which indicates a 2000 series with a Feb 1965 build date.

I have attached pictures of my progress on the rebuild. The new steering gear, tie rod ends, axle knee and bushings are back on and the engine has been painted. Outside tin was painted today and is hanging while drying.

Will start cleaning and painting the wheels and fendors next.

 

[Charle]

Thanks for that whodat256, I've got a 'newer' tractor than I thought. All these years I have been thinking of it as a 64 model.

wschaftl, gratifying to know that someone else is confused by their serial numbers. I haven't even found my engine s/n yet. Your work looks very impressive. You won't want to get it dirty after this. I'm not going that far, just rebuild the steering assembly. Shall have to find a source of spares in Aus before I start.
Charle