Getting Slop Out of MTD Steering

[Cleave]

The project went on to the back burner as my new Hustler Raptor took the focus off the MTD.
I have the components and have got my welder up and working now, so, when the spirit again moves me, I am poised to go.
I also want to change the design of all the pivot points of the assembly to replace the plastic bushings and swivel joints
on the tie rods to beefier Heim joint designs.

Gotcha. I feel like half the projects I start get moved to the back burner and stay there permanently haha. Whenever you do around to it, I'd definitely be interested to hear the results.

 

[mhavanti]

Cleave, you can cut up some fairly thick plastic to lay on top of your fan gear to hold it tightly against the metal of the raised area on the frame as well as the top of the fan gear. Use extra heavy soapy molybdenum grease to place between the plastic, the fan gear and of course the fan gear and the frame. Also, make sure the holes are quiet tight for the center bolt bushing to keep the plastic from moving. The plastic needs to cover the entire bottom area of the fan gear retainer.

Then the bolts should be tightened until they are bottomed out on the bolt shanks. If there is still some movement in the bolts, remove the original plastic and find a piece that is a bit thicker to make the fan gear all but impossible to move by hand, yet tightens the bolts to the shanks and the steering pinion gear has no problem moving the fan gear back and forth with the steering wheel. Once you have gotten to that point, attach your steering links and test again with the front tires on the floor. If there is still some slack in the steering, you still need a bit more slack removed.

Remember, plastic has a crush factor. After changing my "cure" of my 1996 MTD Yardman for the third and now final "cure". It is driving even better than I told Ronno about when he was looking for his cure.

The lovely bride asked me when I put power steering on that sucker. By the way, don't forget to time your rack and pinion or your steering wheel will be off and it will also turn shorter one direction than the other depending upon which way you clock your pinion or at least it does on my 4 wheel steer. Mine relates to the second rack and that is for the rear wheels. Try backing a trailer with that thing.

Good luck,

Max

 

[Cleave]

Cleave, you can cut up some fairly thick plastic to lay on top of your fan gear to hold it tightly against the metal of the raised area on the frame as well as the top of the fan gear. Use extra heavy soapy molybdenum grease to place between the plastic, the fan gear and of course the fan gear and the frame. Also, make sure the holes are quiet tight for the center bolt bushing to keep the plastic from moving. The plastic needs to cover the entire bottom area of the fan gear retainer.

Then the bolts should be tightened until they are bottomed out on the bolt shanks. If there is still some movement in the bolts, remove the original plastic and find a piece that is a bit thicker to make the fan gear all but impossible to move by hand, yet tightens the bolts to the shanks and the steering pinion gear has no problem moving the fan gear back and forth with the steering wheel. Once you have gotten to that point, attach your steering links and test again with the front tires on the floor. If there is still some slack in the steering, you still need a bit more slack removed.

Remember, plastic has a crush factor. After changing my "cure" of my 1996 MTD Yardman for the third and now final "cure". It is driving even better than I told Ronno about when he was looking for his cure.

The lovely bride asked me when I put power steering on that sucker. By the way, don't forget to time your rack and pinion or your steering wheel will be off and it will also turn shorter one direction than the other depending upon which way you clock your pinion or at least it does on my 4 wheel steer. Mine relates to the second rack and that is for the rear wheels. Try backing a trailer with that thing.

Good luck,

Max

Appreciate the detailed instructions Max. I have a new steering shaft and fan gear on the way (the original teeth were pretty well rounded off) as well as new bolts and bushings. I'll take your suggestion and use plastic to snug everything up. Hoping to get some time this weekend to work on it. Been push mowing the last few weeks and I've about had my fill of that.

 

[Ronno6]

The double stacking idea is intended to increase the surface contact area between fan gear and pinion.
This oughta reduce pinion wear.

 

[Cleave]

The double stacking idea is intended to increase the surface contact area between fan gear and pinion.
This oughta reduce pinion wear.

That makes sense. Unfortunately, I don't have a welder (or the requisite skill to use one) to join the fan gears. I'd need to find an alternative way.

 

[mhavanti]

I don't believe stacking would work unless you were to forward one over the other and even then the sides of the teeth would not make full contact with the pinion gear. Considering the two stacked gears would be making less contact at each point, the pinion would fail more quickly than the stacked fan gears may seat in.

One more thing to consider is the extra effort on the pinion to move the rack gear. More lateral pressure on the pinion bushing along with more on the rack bushings due to trying to stand up the fan gear.

Wth, can't hurt to try. Just don't see that working sucksexfully.

Max

 

[Cleave]

I don't believe stacking would work unless you were to forward one over the other and even then the sides of the teeth would not make full contact with the pinion gear. Considering the two stacked gears would be making less contact at each point, the pinion would fail more quickly than the stacked fan gears may seat in.

One more thing to consider is the extra effort on the pinion to move the rack gear. More lateral pressure on the pinion bushing along with more on the rack bushings due to trying to stand up the fan gear.

Wth, can't hurt to try. Just don't see that working sucksexfully.

Max

Those are some valid points. I do want to avoid anything will cause premature wear on the already soft metal of the pinion gear. The design is truly terrible. I understand that these are low end, budget mowers but to use such soft metal and then have grooves in the teeth of the pinion gear is infuriating. I'll try shimming with plastic and tightening up all the components and see where it gets me.

 

[mhavanti]

If you run into trouble. Send me a note, I'll give you my digits. You can call and we'll walk you thru it. By the way, the plastic you use needs to be extremely dense. One material I use for a great many projects is pretty easy to come by. Run by a new build or a home that is undergoing remodeling. If a new exterior door is being installed, the door unit will have a threshold protector that stays on the threshold until construction is completed. Ask for that. Considering the item will be thrown away, most likely it will be given you. Wala, you're in business and is a perfect thickness and density for your application.

Good luck,

Max

 

[Ronno6]

I don't believe stacking would work unless you were to forward one over the other and even then the sides of the teeth would not make full contact with the pinion gear. Considering the two stacked gears would be making less contact at each point, the pinion would fail more quickly than the stacked fan gears may seat in.

One more thing to consider is the extra effort on the pinion to move the rack gear. More lateral pressure on the pinion bushing along with more on the rack bushings due to trying to stand up the fan gear.

Wth, can't hurt to try. Just don't see that working sucksexfully.

Max

Dunno about all that, Maxie.
The fangear tooth faces are perpendicular to the fangear body at that point.
Stacking that portion of a second gear would just widen the tooth surface, yielding a wider contact patch with the pinion
This would actually serve to REDUCE the pressure per given area of tooth contact, thereby reducing wear.
The overall force would not be increased as the rest of the system would not change as a result of this mod.
The force required to steer would not increase, hence, with a wider contact patch, stress on the given area of pinion tooth would be
reduced, probably bu half.
Stress on the pinion bushing would remain unchanged.

 

[Cleave]

If you run into trouble. Send me a note, I'll give you my digits. You can call and we'll walk you thru it. By the way, the plastic you use needs to be extremely dense. One material I use for a great many projects is pretty easy to come by. Run by a new build or a home that is undergoing remodeling. If a new exterior door is being installed, the door unit will have a threshold protector that stays on the threshold until construction is completed. Ask for that. Considering the item will be thrown away, most likely it will be given you. Wala, you're in business and is a perfect thickness and density for your application.

Good luck,

Max

Really appreciate the help. Just so happens that I have a family member that is in the process of building a new house. I'll check with him about getting a hold of some of that plastic.