L1500 steering breakdown

GREEKMAN · Dec 30, 2011

Can you help Vic?
Hi Vic, well it happend to me a majar steering breakdown, but I think the Greek Gods were with as it happend on my land, the steering just went after I stopped on a bend to do something jumped back on and that was it would not turn any more sorry should say the steering wheel turns but we go nowhere round corners.
So after getting broken down why still in situ I think its just worn out, its always been, lets say on the lose side but never had been any trouble, and after having for just over 3 years this summer it has done a lot of work bringing in stone, about as much as it can cope with, and bringing sand back from the B/merchants.
So can you help me with a complete send of bearings seals and anything else you think will get me back on the road again, its Kubota L1500, age unknown but have loads of Japanese decals all over it, so that makes it a grey import, if you need some pics let me know.
Many Thanks Greekman
PS will be getting my olives in soon, but no tractor, going to have a sore back getting them sacks to the mill!!!!

meanjean · Dec 30, 2011

Heres to hoping its a smaller problem than replacing the steering box.

My wife called me last year with bad news
"Honey, I broke the tractor, steering doesn't work"

My first thought was steering box.
Inspection revealed that it was the RH steering knuckle.
$75 and 15 mins of work instead of $600 and how many hours?

Let's find out first why it is not steering for you.
Where is it broken?

Stumpy · Dec 30, 2011

When the steering wheel just spins that's usually because one or both of the steering bearings down in the box has disintegrated and the ball nut has jumped off the sector shaft. The cause of this is water getting into the steering box and rusting things. In colder climates you'll usually find the box has cracked due to ice. The entire bottom of the box had actually blown out in mine.

The remedy is a tear down and rebuild of the steering box. There is a good walk through on the site here. It's not terribly hard if you're handy.

A list of parts you'll need off the top of my head: Steering column bushing - Steering shaft seal - Two bearings (the upper and lower are the same) - Sector shaft gasket - Sector shaft seal - Column flange gasket

GREEKMAN · Dec 31, 2011

Stumpy said:
When the steering wheel just spins that's usually because one or both of the steering bearings down in the box has disintegrated and the ball nut has jumped off the sector shaft. The cause of this is water getting into the steering box and rusting things. In colder climates you'll usually find the box has cracked due to ice. The entire bottom of the box had actually blown out in mine.

The remedy is a tear down and rebuild of the steering box. There is a good walk through on the site here. It's not terribly hard if you're handy.

A list of parts you'll need off the top of my head: Steering column bushing - Steering shaft seal - Two bearings (the upper and lower are the same) - Sector shaft gasket - Sector shaft seal - Column flange gasket[/QUOT

Thanks Stumpy
Ice, freezing of the box, please this is Greece land of the sun, ice they only put in drinks here, but on the real side thanks for the info, just need the parts, we do have a agent in Kalamata, so will try them but me thinks could be barking up a tree, last time I went there looking for a part they just shrugged the shoulders, L1500 did not mean a thing to them, I also need part numbers for the list you've laid out for me, again many thanks, yassas

GREEKMAN · Dec 31, 2011

meanjean said:
Heres to hoping its a smaller problem than replacing the steering box.

My wife called me last year with bad news
"Honey, I broke the tractor, steering doesn't work"

My first thought was steering box.
Inspection revealed that it was the RH steering knuckle.
$75 and 15 mins of work instead of $600 and how many hours?

Let's find out first why it is not steering for you.
Where is it broken?

Many thanks, Its like Stmpy has said, just need lots of parts, and that may do the trick, just old age and worn out, there was water in the box when the end plate come off, but sure of its life before me, but tends to stand around in all weathers here, so it has a good sun tan, but if you know of anybodt with a new hood could do with one, as mine got reshaped going under a tree without me on it, and as they say is another story.
Thanks, and Yassas

Stumpy · Dec 31, 2011

I think I can help here too. The L1500 is the same tractor as the L175, which is what it's called in the States. I don't know what designation they use in Europe but I know L1500 is what it's called in Japan. Any of the marking in Japanese? Anyway you might have better luck asking for parts for an L175. Just a thought.

I'm afraid I can't help you with parts number though. I ordered my parts from Messicks.com and don't have a book with dealer part numbers. You might look around online and see if you can't find an online dealer in Europe.

Good Luck,

Matt

GREEKMAN · Jan 2, 2012

Service Dept Vic said:
The bottom of the box can also be blown out when parts of a disentigrated bearing are cruched under the ball nut and expelled through the floor of the steering box.

Trust me, there is plenty of advance warning that the box has an issue. Grinding and a general chunky steering feel, noises, binding, frozen steering wheel, won't turn in one direction, turns easier in one direction, unequal steering.

The number one warning sign that the steering box is failing--------denial.

Thinking it'll get better if you just 'crank' the wheel through that hard spot.

When you do that, you blow the bottom out of the box.

Here's a few pics of a B-7000 steering box repair I recently undertook.

View attachment 4550

View attachment 4551

Fortunatley only a small piece of the casting was broken through and i think you can see a loose ball bearing that was cruched into the floor of the box.

The size and degree of dameage here can be repaired with some JB Weld or some Loctite epoxy but any bigger than this and you're looking for a new or replacement steering box case.

Hi Vic
No, as the box still has oil in it and also water fell out when the end plate come off, other wise this would have all fallen through.
But at this time try hard to find a list of pat numbers for the steering shaft bearings,steering shaft seal, sector shaft gasket, sector shaft seal and column shaft seal, any advice were I can lokate them would be a great help.
Thanks Vic and Yassas

Stumpy · Jan 2, 2012

Ohh I didn't realize Messicks had Kubota part numbers listed. I figured those were internal part numbers. Whoops

GREEKMAN · Jan 2, 2012

Service Dept Vic said:
Ok DIY'ers,

Here's the complete parts overhaul list. If your Kubota L-1500, 1501, 1801, 175, 185, or L-1511 requires the ballnut and shaft, you're looking for Kubota part # 34150-16200.

Upper Steering Column Bushing 34150-16520
Lower Steering Column Oil/Water Seal 09500-19328
Upper and Lower Steering Shaft Bearings 34150-16220 (2 required)
Sector Case Gasket 34150-16420
Sector Shaft Oil Seal 09500-26387

Hi Vic
A big thank you you, will get these off to Trakter.com here in Greece and see just how they get on with them.
Again a big thank you, could not find them.
Happy New Year and Yassas

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