My Steering Wheel does not stay centered

[kenhar]

Steering wheel spinners seem to be a good addition to your steering capabilities until you hit a hole, stump, etc. when that knob comes spinning around by itself at about 500 mph, you may wish it wasn't there. Lots of knuckles and fingers have been broken by those handy devises. Good luck.

 

[LouNY]

Mos

Most compact tractors now use "Non-Load-Sensing" hydrostatic steering systems. Auto Makers use "Load-Sensing" systems for over the road applications. Load Sensing systems adjust hydraulic pressure based on the load sensed from the front wheels, which is why you can let go of the steering wheel after completing a turn and the vehicle wheels return to center on their own. In "Non-Load-Sensing" systems, the operator adjusts the pressure in-balance by slight movements of the steering wheel. If you drive a "Non-Load-Sensing" system down a crowned road, you will naturally account for the pressure differential in the steering system by slightly turning the wheel against the crown. You can hardly notice you are doing it until the steering wheel is in a completely different place than you started.

Hope this helps,

To the best of my knowledge no highway vehicle (car or truck) uses a hydraulic steering system with no mechanical connection to the front wheels. The most common tractor steering has for many decades been a rotary valve (steering motor) to a hydraulic cylinder(s) which actually shove the wheels back and forth. It is not a mechanical linkage with power or electrical assist as a car or truck has.

 

[LouNY]

My Mahindra 8560 has hyd steering too, I struggled with oncoming arthritis holding the wheel. Steering spinner helps to ease the discomfort of holding a big steering wheel.
I put a second spinner straight across from the first.
Now I can operate the controls while steering regardless of the wheel location.

FWIW,
Everything I drive has a spinner due to the onset of arthritis.

Hate to hear that your arthritis is bothering your hands that much. Mine doesn't bother unless I'm gripping something closely. I grew up being told to never get my thumbs inside the steering wheel so it wouldn't break them when the wheel kicked back and spun. With the advent of good power steering I seldom have more then my finger tips on the wheel I'm never grasping it and actually often when rapid movement is required am usually just pushing down with my palm and spinning the wheel around.

 

[BnRidge]

Auto Makers use "Load-Sensing" systems for over the road applications - which is why you can let go of the steering wheel after completing a turn and the vehicle wheels return to center on their own

With "center" based on the king pin geometry. Turning the wheels actually raises the vehicle, inducing the "load". The tendency then is to lower and center at the same time.

 

[Eagle1]

Hate to hear that your arthritis is bothering your hands that much. Mine doesn't bother unless I'm gripping something closely. I grew up being told to never get my thumbs inside the steering wheel so it wouldn't break them when the wheel kicked back and spun. With the advent of good power steering I seldom have more then my finger tips on the wheel I'm never grasping it and actually often when rapid movement is required am usually just pushing down with my palm and spinning the wheel around.

Palming works for me, the gripping tight come into play when I'm doing things in precarious places. Like next to big drop off or nose down toward a pond.

 

[MoKelly]

Palming works for me, the gripping tight come into play when I'm doing things in precarious places. Like next to big drop off or nose down toward a pond.

Yikes. I’m very glad my property has no drop offs. That scares me terribly.

If I had those areas my hands would not be the only thing gripping tightly!!

 

[Eagle1]

Yikes. I’m very glad my property has no drop offs. That scares me terribly.

If I had those areas my hands would not be the only thing gripping tightly!!

We have a few hills here.... I use the BX to cut the dam it get vertical in places, just get straight, ease over the edge, drop the mower deck and in 4x4 it will get traction about 15-20' later when the slope eases. Do NOT forget to be in 4x4.... it a long way to the trees but you'll make it... I dropped lost the front drive shaft once crossing the spillway, what a ride down the long hill but I got stopped before the trees. Had a crease in that seat for a long time.
I'm a idiot that puts tractors and ATV in places I shouldn't.

 

[LouNY]

Palming works for me, the gripping tight come into play when I'm doing things in precarious places. Like next to big drop off or nose down toward a pond.

All most all of my driveway has a steep drop on one side and a bank with a ditch on the other. Much of my lawn is to steep to mow across.
Over on the farm we have very few flat fields and those have steep roadways to or from them.We have one good sized field on top of a good sized hill that bring loads down you are headed towards a pond and have to make almost a 90 corner when you get to it. When chopping the haulers have to let the chopper operator know how full to fill the wagons if they get to pushing to much going down the grade to get out. Been times we would have the 7130 4wd be the tractor to bring the wagons down that roadway and switch to the little bit smaller 2wd tractors to haul home with. Makes a long day with 4 people to chop haylage or corn silage. One chopping, one just bringing the empties up and the loaded wagon down and then two or if we get lucky three hauling the wagons and unloading.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Auto Makers use "Load-Sensing" systems for over the road applications. Load Sensing systems adjust hydraulic pressure based on the load sensed from the front wheels, which is why you can let go of the steering wheel after completing a turn and the vehicle wheels return to center on their own.

In my experience, the reason the front wheels return to center on their own is because of the caster.

It works whether the steering is manual, power assist, power, or not connected at all. It even works on bicycles, motorcycles, and such.

 

[tradosaurus]

Easiest way to not have that issue is to remove that damn spinner. Every used tractor I purchased had one of those and is the first thing that gets removed.

The spinner valve is one the best things I have on my tractor, besides my grapple. Wouldn't operate a tractor without one.

 

[TBob42]

The steering wheel issue was something we used to torture mouthy new mechanics with. We would point them to a Gradall and tell them to sort out the steering wheel clocking. Even brand new ones don't index the same way from use to use.

 

[Bob Gibson]

This is most likely caused by an internally leaking valve in the hydrostatic steering circuit. Leakage is caused by age or continuously holding the steering wheel against the mechanical stop in the steering axle. Replacing the valve may help or turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction and holding it against the stop to reposition the steering wheel may help. There is really no other fix!

 

[ulflyer]

Put a second one opposite. Works for me on my Kioti CK-30.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

This is most likely caused by an internally leaking valve in the hydrostatic steering circuit. Leakage is caused by age or continuously holding the steering wheel against the mechanical stop in the steering axle. Replacing the valve may help or turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction and holding it against the stop to reposition the steering wheel may help. There is really no other fix!

You have no clue about what you are saying...... as stated before, multiple times, it iS HYDRAULIC STEERING!
It is NORMAL for the steering wheel to be at random positions. No mechanical linkage.
Doesn't need a fix at all!

 

[5030]

Hand valve is leaking by or shot.
Common problem with Kubota. Wheel actually changes position while driving in a straight line.

What a hair brained comment...

 

[BubbaSam]

I have a 2023 Bobcat CT 2025 and my steering wheel is doing something weird. I have a steering wheel spinner and I put it on the top right (about 2 o'clock) of the steering wheel when I installed it but after i use the tractor for any amount of time the steering wheel will move its clocking. My spinner will be at the top sometimes, on the side sometimes or at the bottom sometimes but the wheels are straight, just the position of the wheel changes? The spinner location on the steering wheel hasn't changed just the clocking of the steering wheel. Anyone know how to stop the steering wheel position from changing position? It is driving me nuts. It steers perfect but I just can't figure out why the clocking changes.

Yep, the guys are correct. Your Bobcat is manufactured by Kioti. I have a CK30HST and is exactly what mine does. When I first got my tractor I noticed the Kioti steering center cap was off center, so I twisted it around to be aligned. (yes, I am very picky about things like that). Lo and behold... it was off the next time I started the tractor. That's how I found out it was not a manufacturing issue... but was due to the hydraulic steering. And Yes, I STILL look at that darn center cap on the steering wheel every time I start it.

 

[Ian618]

I have a 2023 Bobcat CT 2025 and my steering wheel is doing something weird. I have a steering wheel spinner and I put it on the top right (about 2 o'clock) of the steering wheel when I installed it but after i use the tractor for any amount of time the steering wheel will move its clocking. My spinner will be at the top sometimes, on the side sometimes or at the bottom sometimes but the wheels are straight, just the position of the wheel changes? The spinner location on the steering wheel hasn't changed just the clocking of the steering wheel. Anyone know how to stop the steering wheel position from changing position? It is driving me nuts. It steers perfect but I just can't figure out why the clocking changes.

5030 have it right ''hydrostatic power steering so wheel position is irrelevant''

 

[QuantumRift]

I have a 2023 Bobcat CT 2025 and my steering wheel is doing something weird. I have a steering wheel spinner and I put it on the top right (about 2 o'clock) of the steering wheel when I installed it but after i use the tractor for any amount of time the steering wheel will move its clocking. My spinner will be at the top sometimes, on the side sometimes or at the bottom sometimes but the wheels are straight, just the position of the wheel changes? The spinner location on the steering wheel hasn't changed just the clocking of the steering wheel. Anyone know how to stop the steering wheel position from changing position? It is driving me nuts. It steers perfect but I just can't figure out why the clocking changes.

I have a 1999 John Deere 345 garden tractor and does the same thing. I has 'power steering' and it never centers and its because of the hydrostatic steering mechanism.