Buying Advice Need advice on steering

[roxynoodle]

I am about to change the front tires on my 1510D because they are seriously worn and cracked. While I have the tractor jacked up I am wondering if there is anything I can do to adjust the steering? While on grass or dirt I have no problems with it. But, on pavement I get the sway back and forth with the front tires (both tires move together side to side). It will be getting R1s and I know to some extent that is normal. I am just wondering to what extent it is normal? On the road the highest speed I can stand driving it is range 2, speed 3. Which is not very fast. Anything over that rattles my brain. Is this normal for the R1s or can I do anything to improve it?

 

[buppy69]

That is normal. You'll have to live with it or change to industrial or turf tires.

Eugene

 

[normde2001]

Have you tried running with minimum air pressure?

 

[roxynoodle]

The air pressure is very low. That does helps some.

So this is normal for the R1 tires? If so, I'm willing to live with it. I don't want to change out the rear tires, too since they are good. Just thought maybe I could make an adjustment to get some improvement.

 

[kenmac]

If I understand you correctly .You are saying that the play is in the steering. If so, there shoule b an adjustment on the steering box somewhere to take out some of the play. Not sure where it is located on your tractor. My 3110 has one & it's power steering . Mine is on the steering box on the rt. side.

 

[normde2001]

Check for any wear in the entire steering linkage. Be aware that you must maintain the same exact tire size ratio, front to rear, when changing tires on 4wd.

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, I questioned that, too. Someone told me to use R1s on the front. The rice tires are still on the back. What does everyone think about that? Are the R1s advisable with the rice tires? Or do I need to find some used, but better condition, rice tires? The owner's manual lists the tires as 5x12.

 

[normde2001]

Measure the circumference of old vs new. If within an " or 2 you should be ok. Although rice tires have deeper lugs than R1's, worn ricers should be about the same. No 4wd on pavement, and should be no problem.

 

[roxynoodle]

Thanks! I was also thinking my worn tires were about the same as R1s and they seem to work fine with 4wd now. I only use the 4wd when necessary and I guess I don't see a use for it on pavement. Might be easier to measure the diameter and then calculate the circumference. I could also use a piece of twine I suppose to find the circumference. Again, thanks, that's what I needed to know. I did have a concern that R1s might not match up right, but that would be the best way to find out.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

...
I could also use a piece of twine I suppose to find the circumference.
...

If it was me, I'd use the direct measurement, piece of twine, route. Otherwise, any error in the diameter measurement will be multiplied by pi when you convert to circumference. May not be a significant difference, but no need to introduce more error than necessary.

Actually, a more precise measurement would be the rolling radius of the tire - distance from ground plane to the center of the axle with the tractor at its working weight and tire at working pressure. But, unless you know the overall gearing ratio between the front and rear axles, trying to be that precise is overkill.

 

[roxynoodle]

I agree, very hard to be precise. I will attempt the twine circumference measure along with the diameter calculation. At the least they can be a check against each other.

 

[Cord]

I've posted the fix for this several times...

"I believe that everybody should adjust the sector shaft when they first get their tractor. It makes a amazing difference in how well the tractor steers at high speeds. Look on the side of the box. You will see an allen screw with a jam nut. Jack up the front of the tractor so the wheels are off the ground. Now loosen the jam nut and start turning in the screw. Keep turning it in until you start to feel resitance in the wheel when it's being turned. Back off the screw so the resistance is gone. Tighten the jam nut, but DON'T allow the allen screw to turn. If the screw turns when you tighten the nut you'll loose the adjustment. This screw adjusts the gear spacing and accounts for their wear. Over the years things will loosen up and the result is a tractor that tends to wander all over the road."

Also check your ball joints. It doesn't take much slop in the joint to have a ill handling tractor.

 

[roxynoodle]

Thanks much! I knew I had seen you say that fairly recently and then I couldn't find it again.

 

[kenmac]

Cord, that's the one I was talking about in my post but, I didn't know where her's was located on her 1500. Mine on the 3110 with ps is on the steering box itself . I thought that mabe the ps vs non ps & the different size tractors , the adjustment nuts may be in a different location .They may be all in the same place. Good luck roxy

 

[Cord]

Actually, the sector shaft nut is on every gear, worm drive or recirculating ball steering box out there. Doesn't matter if it has powersteering boost or not. Something to check if you drive a Dodge pickup and it wanders all over the road. Thanks for at least recognizing my prior posts. It's frustrating when you post the fix and nobody bothers to reply back.

 

[roxynoodle]

Cord, your previous post in the other thread definitely had my attention about the steering. But, some of our threads do get long and change topics and that is why I couldn't come up with it again. I should have copied it or printed it off when I saw it. I tried doing a search and didn't find it. It is appreciated greatly that you came on here to tell it to me again. Maybe I've been lucky but both my Dodge trucks drove nice and straight. Is there something peculiar to Dodge that I'm missing?

 

[arthr31]

Maybe I've been lucky but both my Dodge trucks drove nice and straight. Is there something peculiar to Dodge that I'm missing?

depending on year, yes... trac bar is another gotcha with the dodge truck... Trucks diesel or gass? Diesels seem to wear the f-end harder... See, here we go again, changing topics ! LOL

 

[roxynoodle]

Both gas. First one was a 95 that I sold last fall. And I worked the snot out of that truck as a daily driver, tow vehicle, farm vehicle. The current one is 3 years old now (2003). On the 95, the big torsion bar had the ends wear out and when it would pop out of place, the truck went bucking down the highway. It was pretty awful, felt like the whole thing was just going to fly apart. Luckily my mechanic friend figured out right away what it was because it had happened to a Chevy 4wd he had had. The Dodge dealer did tell him (couldn't get the part aftermarket) that it happened to all of them and that they sold at least 7 a week. Sounds like that should have been a recall. As far as the steering on it, I had to replace the power steering pump at around 180,000 miles and no other problems. I did have a hose clamp break for the power steering on the 2003. It cost me less than $1 to fix.

 

[roxynoodle]

We do change topics a lot and I'm guilty of it as well. There is tons of useful information in all our threads, but much of it is off topic. I enjoy our forum very much and I read every thread to learn everything I can about whatever topics. But, from now on, when I see something I need I should copy it or print it off so I don't lose it.

 

[Cord]

I have a diesel Dodge and that trac bar is a real b-otch. A Luk's link kit solved that problem. Adjusting the sector shaft and also helped quite a bit. But I'd hate to get things off topic...