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Poor Man's Power Steering


CarlH

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/Steering-Upgrade-Kit-for-Simplicity-Lawn-Tractors/324256935859?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D231410%26meid%3D641731ef383d499ea301486f07b7e709%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D384048392272%26itm%3D324256935859%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV2bDarwoXgbV1&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851

Brand X vendor is productizing what we've been doing for years.  Also peddling for Brands Y,Z,A,B, ... etc.  Some nice illustrations but obviously a Deere guy.  Ad says 'Patent Pending'.  I doubt he could get (or enforce) a patent (IF he has applied for one) since an (potential) infringer could readily show prior art.

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Interesting.  I wouldn't be concerned about any "Patent" infringement.  

I wonder if instructions are provided?  Or use of JB Weld and grinding "eyebrows" into the upper thrust washer?   

 

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or using a set-screw collar to make sure the bottom thrust washer is perpendicular to the vertical when the JB Weld fills the uneven surface.

On one of mine I had to use thinner washers so the top clip would engage.

 

 

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1 hour ago, GregB said:

On one of mine I had to use thinner washers so the top clip would engage.

I didn't like the idea of using thinner washers, so I ground down the top of the spindle "housing" so I could use the "standard" thickness washers.  I ground the top since the clip doesn't care if the surface is exactly square.  

 

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While I honestly think this is a great idea, I think the execution is poor due to the inability to sealing the thrust bearings from dirt. I installed this on one of my tractors one recent spring and while preforming routine maintenance in the fall I noticed, with the front end up in the air, the thrust bearings were squealing while turning the wheels due to dirt. I removed the thrust bearings and I am now using just the thrust washers.

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There was at least one post of someone cutting a shield of some sort to try to prevent the ingress of dirt into the bearing. 

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2 hours ago, Tom45 said:

His suggestion was to use a piece of bicycle inner tube.  It seems to work well for me.  

 

That was my suggestion back in 2009:

IMG_4432a.JPG.e714cc122fb5aade7a1600a5b37e2f2e.JPG

But I found with time, the tube cuts and the bearing is exposed to the dirt and grass clippings.  I guess if you check it frequently enough, you can roll more tube down over the bearing setup until you run out of inner tube.

Since then, @tweinke came up with using a wheel cylinder cup and cutting a hole in it.  I've switched over to that setup:

IMG_9069a.JPG.436a3cd4f5d4fe33d92079e5492fd72b.JPG

Cutting the hole isn't fun. 

 

Edited by PhanDad
Added "tweinke" reference
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I used the inner tube method and installed this on my Sovereign when I did the build. I used liquid steel epoxy to secure the thrust washer and it failed very quickly. The epoxy steel was as worthless as tits on a bore hog.

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17 hours ago, MARK (LI) said:

You can get the thrust bearings from Graingers for a couple of dollars

The 'interested student' can also find appropriately sized thrust washers/bearings for manual steer Sunstars (larger diameter spindles) at Graingers/McMaster-Carr/Fastenal,etc.  Most of the surviving Sunstars seem to already have hydraulic PS.

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8 minutes ago, hurleyii said:

@CarlH please explain more on the Sunstar steering. I have a complete manual Sunstar column.

The Sunstar spindles can be equipped with the 'Poor Man's' PS with the correct size thrust bearings/washers fairly simply and economically just like a Sovereign's steering can be upgraded.  I don't know how PeppyDan's steering gear upgrades would be applied to the Sunstar manual steering since I have never had one in my possesion.  That part would be left to the 'interested student'.

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Oh ok I thought you meant the column could be adapted to Peppy Dans system easily and installed in someway on a Sovereign.

As for actually doing the poor man's upgrade to a Sunstar. I don't see a lot of point it steers very easy already but it might upgrade it to feel like real P.S.

I was hoping to be able to put a Sunstar system in a Sovereign as it has so much gear reduction but there's not enough room.

 

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