philtyler
New member
Today I replaced the steering draw bar on my Foton FT404. As you can see from the accompanying photograph, I have hit many rocks etc over the last few years which resulted in a boomerang shaped bar. This is the bar also that is adjusted to give the correct toe-in so that would also have been way out. I did in fact buy a replacement bar some months ago but had not got around to changing it.
In theory, because of the LH thread on one end and a RH thread on the other it should be easy to remove. The bend in it however meant that when turning it, it would not clear the front axle. So, my angle grinder came to the rescue, and I cut the bar into two pieces. Each separate part easily unscrewed as the ball joint allowed the bar to swing clear of the axle.
To refit the new bar, I thought that I would lift the tractor front end using the loader bucket. Big mistake. Once I lifted the front end both front wheels went to a toe-out extreme and I couldn’t move either wheel. Having to start the engine to lift the front end allowed hydraulic oil into both steering rams at the same time. I then had to loosen the steering ram hydraulic fittings to drain oil from the rams to let me move an individual wheel.
Once the bar was fitted, I adjusted it to give the required toe-in of 4-11mm as per the book and topped up the steering oil tank to the correct level.
Fortunately, when I purchased my Foton new in 2006 I received a supply of manuals which always makes it easy to identify the correct part and determine the correct specifications such as toe-in. Plus, parts never seem to be outrageously priced.
In theory, because of the LH thread on one end and a RH thread on the other it should be easy to remove. The bend in it however meant that when turning it, it would not clear the front axle. So, my angle grinder came to the rescue, and I cut the bar into two pieces. Each separate part easily unscrewed as the ball joint allowed the bar to swing clear of the axle.
To refit the new bar, I thought that I would lift the tractor front end using the loader bucket. Big mistake. Once I lifted the front end both front wheels went to a toe-out extreme and I couldn’t move either wheel. Having to start the engine to lift the front end allowed hydraulic oil into both steering rams at the same time. I then had to loosen the steering ram hydraulic fittings to drain oil from the rams to let me move an individual wheel.
Once the bar was fitted, I adjusted it to give the required toe-in of 4-11mm as per the book and topped up the steering oil tank to the correct level.
Fortunately, when I purchased my Foton new in 2006 I received a supply of manuals which always makes it easy to identify the correct part and determine the correct specifications such as toe-in. Plus, parts never seem to be outrageously priced.
