JD400 Steering play

   / JD400 Steering play #11  
Any progress with the steering play? Would love to see some pictures to reference when my turn comes around.

No pun intended.
 
   / JD400 Steering play
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#12  
Ok. So i have taken the steering column out and disassembled it part by part and checked it to the parts diagram as i was taking it apart. Everything is there nothing is missing or broken. But somebody was in there before me. They left they marks in there on some pieces. I have been smashing my head trying to figure out what would make the steering shaft go up and down and NOT move anything else. The only thing that I could think of is when it was put back together the other person didnt make sure the 2 valves were not all the way down inside the steering column when they reassembled it. I have not checked this theory yet because I am waiting on the 2 "C" clips I broke them trying to get them out
 
   / JD400 Steering play #13  
I've just brought my new to me JD400 home and it has a similar problem. There is good half turn of the wheel before anything happens. It's all right when it is in the paddock going slowly but on the road it was a bit scary. I read somewhere that there is a pin that wears which can be rotated to fix the problem but is better replaced. I'm not planning to pull it apart to check until I can get my hands on a manual.
 
   / JD400 Steering play #14  
   / JD400 Steering play #15  
Thanks Jim
That is exactly what I need to start looking. I see you are in Texas. I came to Dallas twice forty years ago and on one of the trips, drove down to Laredo as we had a week off and wanted to see more of the state. I have very happy memories of Texas though, like here in Australia, no doubt it has changed a lot since then.
 
   / JD400 Steering play #16  
I attended a JD dealer sales meeting in Laredo in 1978. Back then there wasn't much to look at between San Antonio & Laredo but scrub Brush & Cactus. I haven't been that far South since them.
 
   / JD400 Steering play #17  
Hi Jim
Your manual solved my steering problem. There is a large bolt on the steering that someone told me I needed to tighten. I did that and it improved things but when I looked it up in the manual it said it needed 170ft/lbs. When I put a torque wrench on it, I had nowhere near that sort of pressure and it took all my strength to get it up to that. This seems to have fixed the problem and the steering is working fine now. Thanks again.
 
   / JD400 Steering play #18  
Congratulations on your repair. Thanks for update & you're welcome.
 
   / JD400 Steering play #19  
Hi Jim
Your manual solved my steering problem. There is a large bolt on the steering that someone told me I needed to tighten. I did that and it improved things but when I looked it up in the manual it said it needed 170ft/lbs. When I put a torque wrench on it, I had nowhere near that sort of pressure and it took all my strength to get it up to that. This seems to have fixed the problem and the steering is working fine now. Thanks again.
John Deere did an update. The large washer was changed to a thicker one. IIRC from 1/4" thick to 1/2" thick. The bolt then had to be longer too. JD also changed the torque spec from 170lb-ft to 240lb-ft.
Changing the bolt and washer and the increased torque really made difference on my tractor.
The tech manual also says torque, strike with hammer, torque again.
 
 
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