L 3010 Steering

TerryS63

New member

Equipment
L 3010 GST
Jul 31, 2021
1
0
1
Wichita Falls, Tx
Recently bought an L 3010 GST. Steering seems a little sloppy. Checked tie-rod ends and box connections, all good.
Question: Is there an adjustment to take the slack out, or new steering box needed.
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,835
1,587
113
Mid, South, USA
It doesn't have a steering box to adjust

it is completely hydraulic. Steering wheel attached to a shaft that runs through the column, and connects to a stub shaft that goes into the controller. There are a couple splined connections to look at in there. The controller has 4 hoses on it. One is a return back to the transmission. 2 go to the steering cylinder down under the radiator. The last hose is your "pressure" hose from the hydraulic pump. Controller takes pressurized oil and when you turn the steering wheel the controller directs that pressurized oil to whichever side of the steering cylinder it wants it to based on steering wheel input, while also allowing oil to be "dumped" from the opposite side of the cylinder back to the transmission via return hose.

I have seen a few of them that had splines between the steering shaft and the controller get really loose and cause a lot more play in the steering wheel. Also have seen the spines between the shaft and coupling get loose too. With that said, you'll want to visually identify where any looseness is and correct it as needed. If all that is nice and tight, you may have a steering cylinder internal leak which is not uncommon. I've had to do a bunch of them in the last 5 years or so. The replacement cylinder is an updated part, or the original can be rebuilt with new seals, bushings, guides as long as the bores are not oblonged tapered or scored. You will need access to a dial bore gauge to check the bore for taper and oblong. If it's worn, replace the assembly with new one. They aren't cheap but the new ones have improvements. I was never told what the improvements were, but I also didn't ask too much about it.