clark-michigan 175B loader steering slop

leaddog · Oct 27, 2011

I picked up an old loader to move alot of dirt that i dug from my lake. It's got about 3/4 turn in the wheel and make it sort of hard to keep in a straight line. It feels like it's slop in the shaft before it comes solid and moves the hyd actuator. I don't have a book on this and wonder if any of you have had this a part and could tell me what I'm getting into.
leaddog

Taylortractornut · Oct 27, 2011

Check the rear axle housing for egg shaped holed in the steering bushings where the 2 studs/dowels that bolt onto the axles that the hubs pivot on. What can happen if they are worn really bad they can over steer and the CV joint balls will spill out. I had a friend that had a 175 for many years and I used a torch compass that I cut out a new set of donut bushings for them to take up the slack.

This slack and the slack in the other joins in the steering system will stack up like your describing. I also have seen some that the steering valve has a steering box like an older truck that has a link to the drag link o nthe steering. THen that has steering assist with a built in valve like a Ford tractor used to use and Terex scrapers. These can get out of adjustment an do the same.

My friends had something go out in the steering box and we robbed a hydrostatic steering unit off his dads burnt out cotton picker.

Those older rear steer loaders didnt track well when new lol. I saw a video of a new one in Vietnam on History Channel and ut was weaving all over the road. I worked for an old man part time in 01 that had a 175 and 275 and to road them between pits we drove them backwards and they steered better. I cant rembeber but some of them had a 2 wheel drive selector to cut down wear on the transmission during long drives.

leaddog · Oct 27, 2011

This is an articulating loader. The slop seem to be all in the steering wheel shaft. It looks like the shaft conects to the hyd actuator in a steering gear box.. Just not sure whats all involved. Guess I'll just have to start taking things apart.
leaddog

kevinwak · Oct 31, 2011

I have driven some older loaders and that play can get annoying. I also spent about 2 years running a new case 821B on a sawmill. In the new machine there was still lots of steering play if you didn't keep all the bearings and the bushings on the steering cylinder ends in the pivot point greased tight. I found greasing would take out any slack and make it steer a whole lot more accurate.

Taylortractornut · Nov 2, 2011

The old Terex scrapers and some loades used a steering box like this that connected to a standard valve to open and close it proportionally. THe TS 14's we ran were like this. Sometimes the thrust bearings would come out of the steering column and let the steering get floppy. I lost steering on one when I was 18. To get it back off the cut I drove it walking beside it with a pry bar in there working the main valve. We just redid the bearings and made it tighter.

Also the splines in the shaft couplers could be warn out and do this to.

leaddog · Nov 4, 2011

Thanks guys. The steering box had no oil and putting oil in helped but there is still play. I turned the bearing screw in untill I couldn't tighten the lock nut and it didn't help much. I think the bearings are shot because of no oil so it looks like a good winter project to put in new bearings. I just hope the worm is ok. Thanks
leaddog