steering adjustment on Ford 860

[pileof64]

Just removed and cleaned and replaced all the steering column thrust bearings on this tractor of mine, Tried to adjust the sector gears but still have 1/3 of a turn in the steering wheel before drag links start to turn the wheels. The steering column goes up and down about 3/16 inch before the arms start moving. Would it help if I removed the (4) thin spacers shims between the top column and the bottom part. Trying to do this adjustment w/o a I/T F0 20 manual.

 

[Texasmark]

I don't have a manual in front of me but since you suggested it, with no manual, and said what you are doing, you apparently "are there". Why not give it a shot?. Obviously you have slop in the system as you put pressure against the gears in the steering box and the teeth are able to separate from the pressure. Other thing is your gear wear might be excessive, out of range of the adjustment screws...or maybe the wrong parts, or new parts not installed/seated properly in your overhaul???????

I redid a steering box on a 4600 once and it had loose balls in it. In reassembly I didn't realize that one had fallen out in the reassy, which became a spacer of sorts, preventing me from being able to close things up tight enough to function properly.

With no experience and unable to make heads or tails of the I&T manual, I made a couple of wrong decisions and that loose ball in the wrong place caused me to spend $2k for a new box.

 

[pileof64]

Thanks Texasmark. The inside of the sump box was originally and bunch of crud but the ball nut on the steering shaft was clean and free with no missing bearings. The thrust bearings were toast and so they were replaced. Since the tin is still off I will remove the steering shaft column and remove the spacers and then carefully snug down the column. Maybe alittle tweaking on the adjustment screws will give me the desired outcome. AND THEN BUY A MANUAL..