TC55DA steering leak fun

[Lyrch75]

Was out moving dirt with the TC a few weekends ago to build a better berm for our shooting range. The soil was mainly shale with a bit of clay here and there, gotta love old stripper cuts for interesting geology. The area I was digging was about 175 yards from where I was dumping it, fairly smooth with a well beaten path that I could take for all but the first and last 10 yards. Tractor worked as I have become used to it. Great break out, but won't lift a heaping full bucket, starts bypassing. As it has been this way for 3+ years and several visits to dealers I guess it is what it is. But, I digress.

I ran for about 7-8 hours doing this project and had the steering lock issue once or twice; again I have had this tractor long enough to expect this.
Finished up project, drove tractor back home (2 mile road trip) and parked it for the night.
Next morning I have a puddle about 6" in diameter under the tractor. I have had issues with this unit, but no leaks. It is power steering fluid, and the end of the cylinder and the axle pivot is caked with oil mud, so I have no idea how long it had been leaking while I was moving dirt.
Check lines, no leak
Check shaft seal, no leak
Check pump, no leak
Call closest dealer and ask. Told bring it in we will get to it in about a week.
Call dealer I bought it off of. We walk through what I have done and decide it is probably the cylinder. Unfortunately they do not have a hydraulic shop at their disposal so if the thing is leaking past weld on the inboard side all they can do is order a new one.
I pull the power steering cylinder and it seems to be leaking past the weld at the endcap. It is now at a local hydraulic shop, who agreed with me that breaking a weld on a powersteering cylinder was odd.
Worse case they will turn the weld off and reweld the entire thing back together.

Were me and the hydraulics guy right in this being a weird thing or have otehrs heard of the same?

 

[Lyrch75]

Just got off of the phone with the hydraulics shop I am dealing with. they cut the weld off of the cylinder.
Wasn't a crack it was not welded properly. When they cut the weld off said there was a hole from the inside to nearly the outside. Apparently when I was steering with the front loaded heavy, the steering pump pushed enough pressure to find a way through and open a permanent passage.

They are replacing the seals while they are in it and I should have it this Friday.

 

[Soundguy]

good luck.. hopefully that is the end of that.

sometimes things like that happen and sneak by QC.

soundguy

 

[Lyrch75]

It was odd, as looking at the thing you could not see a crack or hole, but fluid would end up at the bottom to drip off.
Had me scratching my head checking every connection and fluid point on the tractor until I decided it had to be the cylinder.