Squeaky steering column.

[Reg]

As the title suggests, this is on a C42 (large frame) Century with very few hours on it.
I have been through the owner's manual, but can find no oil/grease points.
I did HAVE shop manuals, but they are water ruined and I can't get reproductions in .pdf files (a different issue).

Anyway, it Squeaks even when the engine is off if I just turn the wheel a little bit and it appears to be from some sort of bushing that holds the column.
Any ideas, suggestions ? other than to spray everything with WD-40, and I might do that anyway (-:

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I don't recommend using WD-40 -- it's essentially an oily mild acid and when it dries it leaves a sticky residue that attracts dirt.
On the other hand, I've had good luck on other projects with liquid wrench and/or one of the dry film lubricants out there.

sorry I don't have any advice on how to find the actual squeak.

 

[jgreen]

Hi Folks,

I had some small noise from my 2810 Branson column. I used a white lithium spray grease. No noise but I am concerned about dust/dirt build up and will watch for it. If dirt build up becomes a problem, I will clean off the old stuff and use an aerosol spray graphite. I have used this on my 5th wheel hitch and it worked great on my hitch. The noise on my 2810 was from the flex joint/ujoint.

Good luck

 

[Reg]

Thanks for the replies.
In the hopes of isolating the source of the noise and/or curing it...
I put the tractor up on the bucket, so the front wheels are off the ground.
With the engine off it is a bit easier to hear the squeaks and the wheel is quite a bit easier to turn. I did spray a lot of WD-40 on the top of the steering rod itself, in the hope that it would find it's way down to the bushings. No luck after 2 days.
I think the penetrating oil (liquid wrench, basically diesel fuel) would have a better chance of getting down there, so that is probably what I will try next.

BTW, how stiff should the steering be when the wheels are off the ground and the power steering pump isn't running ?
There seem to be some rough spots and I don't know it is because I am fighting a power steering pump or not.

 

[Zork]

I don't know what system you have, but my "steering box" is really a hydraulic switching device. It works the same way as a steering box, but needs hydraulic flow in order to work. It should be very hard to turn with the engine off. Hope this helps.

 

[Reg]

I don't know what system you have, but my "steering box" is really a hydraulic switching device. It works the same way as a steering box, but needs hydraulic flow in order to work. It should be very hard to turn with the engine off. Hope this helps.

Thanks,
I took the trim panels off and the steering column is basically a rod (or tube) within another tube or long guide bushing. At the bottom is what looks like a cable box and my guess is that those cables control hydraulic valves much like the joystick cables control the FEL valves. The squeak seems to be coming from the bushings that the rod rides in, so that is where I'm focusing for now.

 

[Reg]

GOOD NEWS !
After all the soaking in penetrating oil and WD-40 the squeak is GONE !
I mean totally and utterly GONE.

It took a while and I think it was some combination of repeated spraying and maybe the mix, but whatever it was it is gone (for now).
I would still like to get in there and give it a "fer real" lube job, if I could just find a grease fitting or something I could take apart and oil.

tnx,

\R