goodolboydws
Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2010
- Threads
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- 12
Has anyone come up with any replacements for the fast-wearing AYP steering components (sector gear and steering shaft/welded-on gear) on their garden tractors?
My garden tractor is a 1997 AYP HD185H46B, labeled as a Poulon 17.5hp with hydrostatic drive and a 3-blade 46" deck. I do primarlly mowing of a couple of acres, and use the tractor to pull carts, sweep grass clippings, and very occasionally plow up a small garden with a Brimley plow. Due to the terrain here, I have wheel weights and chains on the rear tires.
I've worn out about 5 sets of sector gears and steering shaft gears so far-and it needs doing again. Each time it's the same pattern-for the first few mowings on moderate to steeply graded terrain the steering has very little slop but it gets continually worse from then on and I'm sawing the wheel back and forth more and more over time trying to keep a straight cutting path, until I can't stand it anymore and replace it again. I'm sure that our terrain is a big factor in the part's wearout, by putting so much stress on the steering gears in turning while heading downhill, but that's not something that I can change. I've also replaced many of the the other steering parts, linkages, etc. over time so there isn't much play in the steering when the gears are new.
The wearout rate doesn't seem to matter if I ONLY replace the gearset (sector gear/steering shaft with welded-on gear) or replace the entire factory gear package with bushings, shim washers, bracket, etc. I've tried an aftermarket sector sector gear also, but that didn't seem to last any longer than the OEM part.
Both the sector gear and the steering shaft gear wear significantly, so one doesn't SEEM to be much harder than the other.
I've pictured a worm gear/rack as a possible replacement, but I don't know if it's possible to use one with the current steering linkages-or if it's worth trying if there are any longer-lasting parts available to mimic the OEM setup more closely.
Any suggestions would be appreciated-this is tedious and expensive to keep doing every other year or so, but I can't afford a new tractor.
My garden tractor is a 1997 AYP HD185H46B, labeled as a Poulon 17.5hp with hydrostatic drive and a 3-blade 46" deck. I do primarlly mowing of a couple of acres, and use the tractor to pull carts, sweep grass clippings, and very occasionally plow up a small garden with a Brimley plow. Due to the terrain here, I have wheel weights and chains on the rear tires.
I've worn out about 5 sets of sector gears and steering shaft gears so far-and it needs doing again. Each time it's the same pattern-for the first few mowings on moderate to steeply graded terrain the steering has very little slop but it gets continually worse from then on and I'm sawing the wheel back and forth more and more over time trying to keep a straight cutting path, until I can't stand it anymore and replace it again. I'm sure that our terrain is a big factor in the part's wearout, by putting so much stress on the steering gears in turning while heading downhill, but that's not something that I can change. I've also replaced many of the the other steering parts, linkages, etc. over time so there isn't much play in the steering when the gears are new.
The wearout rate doesn't seem to matter if I ONLY replace the gearset (sector gear/steering shaft with welded-on gear) or replace the entire factory gear package with bushings, shim washers, bracket, etc. I've tried an aftermarket sector sector gear also, but that didn't seem to last any longer than the OEM part.
Both the sector gear and the steering shaft gear wear significantly, so one doesn't SEEM to be much harder than the other.
I've pictured a worm gear/rack as a possible replacement, but I don't know if it's possible to use one with the current steering linkages-or if it's worth trying if there are any longer-lasting parts available to mimic the OEM setup more closely.
Any suggestions would be appreciated-this is tedious and expensive to keep doing every other year or so, but I can't afford a new tractor.