Narrower front axle= tighter turning radius?

[SandburRanch]

I recently bought a 1960's era 4cyl gas Ford 4000. I love everything about this tractor except the steering.... Even with no front weights, the steering wheel is quite difficult to turn and the turning radius seems huge (my old tractor was a 1940's Case SC- tricycle type).

Right now, the adjustable front axle is set at about 68 inches (rears are at 72 inches), but my owners manual shows how I can narrow the front end to a minimum of 52 inches.

Would narrowing the front by 16 inches noticeably improve the turning radius?

Might it also reduce the effort required for steering or is this likely just a function of the gear ratio of the steering box?

Note: there are only gentle hills here so rolling over isn't an issue (I had no stability problems with my old tricycle tractor).

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This may be similar to the old saying - that's what I've been accustomed to -

I had similar feelings when I mowed alfalfa as a kid with a Farmall trike front and a spinner knob. Boy could I ever turn those 90° corners. Then the boss says, " I need ya to go plow with that D John Deere" Good Gawd, made a person want to get off and walk.

I think you'll get accustomed to your new tractor and like it very well. Make sure it's well greased and the front tires are inflated with max pressure and a little rear ballast for awhile may ease the pressure some.