Steering Wheel

[BuckeyeStateOfMind]

Hey everyone, curious question. Does your tractor drive straight with the steering wheel in perfect centered position?

I seem to need the wheel to be upside down for the tractor to drive straight. Should I care about this?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Perfectly normal with hydrostatic power steering. There is no mechanical linkage between the wheels and the steering assembly so the steering wheel can be anywhere and usually is every time you shut it down.

 

[BuckeyeStateOfMind]

Perfectly normal with hydrostatic power steering. There is no mechanical linkage between the wheels and the steering assembly so the steering wheel can be anywhere and usually is every time you shut it down.

Appreciate the quick response

 

[BigG]

The steering is done with hydraulics not done mechanically. The steering wheel will not remain centered, it will vary. Sit on the tractor and turn the wheel and it will hit the stops on the axle but the steering wheel will keep moving. This normal for a hydraulic steer machine.

 

[SidecarFlip]

The steering is done with hydraulics not done mechanically. The steering wheel will not remain centered, it will vary. Sit on the tractor and turn the wheel and it will hit the stops on the axle but the steering wheel will keep moving. This normal for a hydrostatic steer machine.

Fixed it for you. Kubota's have hydrostatic steering. Cars with power assist steering are hydraulic, least the older ones are. New ones aren't.

 

[Henro]

Fixed it for you. Kubota's have hydrostatic steering. Cars with power assist steering are hydraulic, least the older ones are. New ones aren't.

Asking because I do not know.

I would have guessed the tractor steering would be called hydraulic, rather than hydrostatic. What makes the operation of the steering cylinder different than any other cylinder, so that it would be called hydrostatic rather than hydraulic steering?

Not disputing this, just curious...

Edit: I suppose it could be because of the way the control valve connected to the steering wheel works?

 

[SidecarFlip]

The steering operates with an orbital pump to direct the flow, much like a hydrostatic transmission in the Kubota's, just much smaller. Why the steering wheel never returns to the spot it was when you shut the engine off.

Been playing with your Mini-Ex at all?

 

[OrangeKrush]

So when I put my new steering knob on I’m going to position it lower left bottom. Is there a way to keep the steering wheel in this position while straight?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

So when I put my new steering knob on I’m going to position it lower left bottom. Is there a way to keep the steering wheel in this position while straight?

Nope... it won't stay put ever, It's going to travel all over the place.
You can force it back into position by bottoming out the cylinder and turning the wheel, but that's hard on the system and damage something if done repeatedly.

 

[BA76]

Nope... it won't stay put ever, It's going to travel all over the place.
You can force it back into position by bottoming out the cylinder and turning the wheel, but that's hard on the system and damage something if done repeatedly.

That explains my recent dilemma. I put a steering knob on my MX5400 the day I bought it and have had to move it three times! Lol! I thought I was loosing my mind.

 

[smittydog27]

So, on my MX5200, the steering does as you stated (it is in a different place every time I use it), but on my L3901, I have my suicide knob is at the 6 o’clock position every time.

Just my observations from mowing my 24 acre field. I had a lot of time on my hands to discover this. LOL

 

[OrangeKrush]

Nope... it won't stay put ever, It's going to travel all over the place.
You can force it back into position by bottoming out the cylinder and turning the wheel, but that's hard on the system and damage something if done repeatedly.

Nope... it won't stay put ever, It's going to travel all over the place.
You can force it back into position by bottoming out the cylinder and turning the wheel, but that's hard on the system and damage something if done repeatedly.

Thanks Wolfman.. I kind of figured what the answer would be after reading previous post above but was hoping not!

 

[Mak65]

I have a L2501. I know the steering wheel location can “float”. Like smittydog27, my suicide knob is almost always at or near the 7o’clock position - where I placed it

 

[Fordtech86]

I have a L2501. I know the steering wheel location can “float”. Like smittydog27, my suicide knob is almost always at or near the 7o’clock position - where I placed it

The basic L series tractors have a steering gear not the hydraulic steering that is on most (all?) other Kubotas.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

So, on my MX5200, the steering does as you stated (it is in a different place every time I use it), but on my L3901, I have my suicide knob is at the 6 o’clock position every time.

Just my observations from mowing my 24 acre field. I had a lot of time on my hands to discover this. LOL

That's because your l3901 is not hydrostatic steering, it's power steering on a mechanical steering system.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have a L2501. I know the steering wheel location can “float”. Like smittydog27, my suicide knob is almost always at or near the 7o’clock position - where I placed it

Again because you have a mechanical steering system on the l2501, not a hydrostatic steering.

 

[Mak65]

Well, I learned something about my steering.

Thanks all!

 

[BA76]

Well, I learned something about my steering.

Thanks all!

Me too! That’s what we these forums are all about.

 

[NCL4701]

I suppose the hydrostatic steering also explains why there doesn’t appear to be any “feedback” from the front wheels into the steering wheel. First old tractor I learned on, if you hit a decent rock or hole the “feedback” would about break your wrists, but that system was just two bevel gears that set up a wrestling match between the driver and the front wheels. With the L4701 seems like I get no force from the front wheels back through to the steering wheel. Interesting... And thanks for the explanation.

 

[whitetiger]

The basic L series tractors have a steering gear not the hydraulic steering that is on most (all?) other Kubotas.

Correct. All other Kubota tractors including the Grand Ls have hydrostatic steering.