# Running gear steering problems.



## Goatman (Jun 11, 2010)

I have a 8 ton running gear that, that i am planning on building a hayrack on, has very stiff steering. I recently tried to use a press remove the vertical shaft, the one that the wheel assembly bolts on to, and it wouldn't budge at all. Tried heating it and turning it a little while there was pressure on it. I couldn't apply much pressure being that is was in a ackward position. If i just leave it the way that it is and fill it full of grease will it eventually get any better after I use it?? I plan to be using it to move big squares so there will be a lot of weight on it to force it to turn. It will turn now, but not at all very easily!


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## dixietank (Jan 26, 2011)

Squirt in a mix of deisel and old motor oil, use it some and it should loosen up and then grease it.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Goatman,

I wouldn't use it with the steering like that unless I absolutely had to. We have had hay wagons like that over the years and we learned the hard way that eventually something will break. It might be a tie-rod end, a bent tie rod... something. What may have happened is the grease that was in there has dried out and is not longer lubricating the joint, but is instead causing it to seize up. Another explanation might be water getting in there causing rust. Either way it needs to be fixed.

In order to really fix it, you need to get the king pin (vertical pin that the hub bolts to) out and clean up both the pin and the bore that it fits into. My dad and I worked on one this past summer and found the best way to get the stuck king pin out is to use a hydraulic jack to press it out. We wrapped a chain around the axle of the running gear and around a flat plate of steel which the "bottom" of the jack pushed against. We also used a big bar (I believe that it was an old axle out of a disk gang) that was about 8 feet lone to turn the hub back and forth while heating it with a torch. It took us about an hour of heat, pressure from the jack and a lot of sweat working it back and forth, but it came loose.

Once you get it apart, take a wire brush to the king pin and get all the rust/old grease/dirt off. Then use a hone or wire brush to do the same to the bore that the pin fits into. There may also be a thrust bearing that fits between the king pin and the running gear frame. My dad was able to clean all of the crap out of the one that was on our wagon and save the bearing. Make sure the king pin will easily move in the bore and then put everything back together with a good dose of grease. Another good thing to check while you have everything apart is that the grease fitting is cleaned out and working properly.

I hope this helps. Let us know how it turns out.

Josh in WNY


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## stickney farm (Jan 17, 2011)

Spray pb blaster on it at least once a day and move the it. eventually it will free up and you can put clean grease in it and push all the rust, old grease and pb out of it. I once freed a 10 yr seized jd b engine spraying that in every night after work and after 5 days it just broke loose.


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## dixietank (Jan 26, 2011)

Let me clarrify my post, by "using it I didnt mean loaded, just try working the moving parts. Any thin lube like PB will work, I just suggested deisel and oil because it penetrates and is readily available. Not everything can be freed up with lubes but its a quick easy start. Sometimes if you heat with a torch and then quench cool with oil or water the rapid expansion and contraction breaks the rust sieze. Dont heat the pin, heat the housing to make it expand.


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## Goatman (Jun 11, 2010)

Thanks for all you guys imput! I keep messin with it hoping it will come lose. I agree that it had really ought to be takin out and cleaned. I might try taking it to a shop to just have them try to get it out. Ill let you know how it all ends up.


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## Goatman (Jun 11, 2010)

Took it to my neighbor who put an 80ton press on it! Got it out and all cleaned up. Glad I did too! Thanks for your imput!!!


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

The last couple I fixed that were like that I drilled a hole through the bed with a hole saw and jacked up the grear and pounded the king pin out from on top after using a whole lot of heat from the rosebud tip. At that point never seen oils and sprays do any good.


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## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Goatman said:


> Took it to my neighbor who put an 80ton press on it! Got it out and all cleaned up. Glad I did too! Thanks for your imput!!!


Glad you got it fixed!

Lew


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