B-10 steering gear change

[TomSchmit]

After many years of tinkering with small frame lawn tractors (I currently have 5 Broadmoors and use all of them), I obtained a beat-up (but free!) B-10 to restore. I recall seeing a post about the steering gear, where someone (I think Kent) changed to a different gear to get easier turning. But I could not find this post with a couple of searches. Can anyone point me to the post or repeat the change that was made? Thanks - Tom

[MPH]

I remember that post Tom, not sure which tractor Kent did that to, but I think your B-10 already has the better gear. If its the full round one, that the one Kent switched to. Its slower turning, thus easier. Newer ones like my B-112 have a half gear, which I plan to switch out this winter when I do some work on it.

[BLT]

Also some people have installed thrust bearings to the spindles to make steering easier.

[Kent]

The early B-10 and 9 HP Landlord (990314) used the round steering gear like the B-1/725 did, which is a 5:1 ratio... The Big Ten and Landlord 101 were the first to use the pie-shaped steering gear which has about a 3:1 or 3.5:1 ratio... You can swap the older round style onto the newer tractors, but you must also swap the steering shaft itself, which requires pulling the dash out of the tractor.... I did this on my 2012 with loader, putting the round steering gear out of a 9HP Landlord 990314....

[TomSchmit]

Thanks Guys! I will check, as I do not know if I have the early or the late B-10 version. I see there is a steering shaft/gear from a 2010 on e-bay right now, which is the later half-moon style. By the way, I use the thrust bearings on the spindles of my Broadmoors, and HIGHLY recommend this simple and inexpensive modification to others! Tom