[sublime68charger]

good luck with trying to get those parts Gabby!

 

[gabby_in_wis]

I got the tube painted on the steering assembly.

The seal i think I can make with multiple plys of carpet tape or I have some foam that is used to seal topper to pick up bed that may work also.

Bushing is a different story. Hoping that parts from other models will interchange with this steering unit.

 

[ed_lincoln]

I have made the kidney shape part out of leather. If the cad plated ring on the top of the column is egged out a new plastic part will still be sloppy. You can find a wheel bearing at a hardware store that fits the tube and the shaft. Cut the lip off the cad cap and put it back on the steering column.

 

[gabby_in_wis]

Ed, let me get you some photos of the top of the tube later today.

 

[gabby_in_wis]

Look what I found on my work bench.

M45568 Isolator and M45669 Retainer.

They are used on 110/112 SF, 120, 140, 300, & 316K.

I do not see what is different about these that they will not fit on a 110/112 RF or 312, 314, or 317. I have 2 or 4 (depending what I have at rural property) Ross gear boxes from 317 tractors. Was hoping parts would be interchangeable. I do know that due to steering linkage difference the 314/317 operate reverse of other gearboxes. I would think the parts I need though would be interchangeable.

 

[gabby_in_wis]

Here is the issue with the bushing/bearing at top of the steering tube.

• first photo is the washer/bushing that reduces the opening between the steering shaft and grommet at top of tube (2nd photo)
• with the steering wheel nut torqued there is significant clearance between bottom of steering wheel and top of bushing (3rd photo)
• last photo shows steering shaft wear pattern on shaft with steering wheel removed.

The clearance between the steering wheel and top of bushing allows the bushing to disengage from the grommet and allow a large amount of free play in the steering column. I do not like stacking up washers to reduce this clearance. Looking for a piece of vinyl/composite material to reduce the clearance.

 

[MiniHomesteader]

Gabby, if I remember correctly, there is supposed to be a felt washer there that holds that bushing in place.
It’s been substituted by M43744

 

[ed_lincoln]

I have a NOS m43743 and a NOS m43744 probably bought 10 years ago or more. m43744 is a foam washer/spacer about 1/2" thick and 2 thin felt washers.

 

[smalljob]

I use the foam pipe insulation to replace the felt pad that was mentioned earlier. You can see it here on a CUB 100 I restored a few years ago. I started doing it on my JD 110 RF years before. I know wrong color !!

 

[gabby_in_wis]

As I said earlier I have some 317 steering units laying around. I know at least one has that felt washer on it that I could rob to use on the 112. Question I have is will it hold that vinyl bushing in place to keep the steering wheel from moving around?

I had an appointment with endocrinologist yesterday afternoon so work on tractor stopped early. I bunged up the threads on the steering shaft removing the steering wheel. I got that cleaned up and modified a couple of washers to use in place of the felt washer. Will work on the steering unit this afternoon to get that finished then will be switching projects temporarily. I need to get t he axle seal in the 332.

Gotta go fertilize plants at the greenhouse first.

 

[jetjoe]

"As I said earlier I have some 317 steering units laying around. I know at least one has that felt washer on it that I could rob to use on the 112. Question I have is will it hold that vinyl bushing in place to keep the steering wheel from moving around?"

Gabby, I'm a little puzzled here. It wouldn't be the first time I misinterpreted something but I believe the felt washer is nothing more than a seal to keep dirt out of the upper tube. I don't think it was ever intended to hold the bushing in place. (The Deere parts call it a "sealing washer") In every one of these Ross steering boxes I've dealt with the bushing fit tight enough in the tube to take care of itself. But I'm pretty sure the bottom of the steering wheel should snug up against this bushing to hold it in place crushing the felt washer in the process. I think your problem is your steering wheel isn't seating all the way into the shaft splines.

The other thing that comes to mind is that there are many different shaft/steering wheel combinations with these Ross gear boxes. Are you sure the wheel or shaft is the proper one for this assembly? I know they are not all alike. It almost looks like somebody previously installed the wrong shaft or tube into this gearbox assembly. There are numerous assemblies with different length tubes to accommodate different brands. Perhaps the lower screw went bad and somebody replaced it with the wrong shaft.

And also, in the process of pulling the wheel off the shaft it is possible to pull the steel hub insert out of position or even completely out. I've done it. The wheel being plastic and the splined hub steel. But obviously the assembly was never designed to have that much space between the hub and the bushing. Something isn't right.

Here's a photo of the wheel hub off a 317. Notice the spline portion is set back approx. 1/2" into the steel hub. The flat face is what should snug up against the bushing. The steel hub is approx. 1" deep in the plastic wheel.

I'll be pulling the wheel off my 317 soon as I broke it pulling my rear end over the seat. Gotta stop doing that! If it helps I can do it sooner than later and take photos and measurements to help you out. Sort of busy getting my shop in order these days after the recent move.

 

[gabby_in_wis]

Picked up 332 axle seals from Dealer today and talked to parts counter personnel about the 112 steering assembly. Both Brandon and Steve are knowledgeable about these vintage tractors. Bottom line is the parts I need are NLA so I need to fabricate parts to make the assembly work correct. Joe, 317 photos will not be much assistance to me as I know the 314/317 assembly is different due to linkage between the steer lever and the tie rods. Late 140/early 300 may interchange. I know the steering arm and tie rods on my 1975 300 is very similar to what I have on the 112 RF. I will show what I end up doing to resolution issues.

 

[jetjoe]

Picked up 332 axle seals from Dealer today and talked to parts counter personnel about the 112 steering assembly. Both Brandon and Steve are knowledgeable about these vintage tractors. Bottom line is the parts I need are NLA so I need to fabricate parts to make the assembly work correct. Joe, 317 photos will not be much assistance to me as I know the 314/317 assembly is different due to linkage between the steer lever and the tie rods. Late 140/early 300 may interchange. I know the steering arm and tie rods on my 1975 300 is very similar to what I have on the 112 RF. I will show what I end up doing to resolution issues.

I see according to JD parts, the steering wheels are the same part numbers but they don't call out any of the individual parts for what they call the steering gear. I guess, if they have it, they would only sell the complete assembly. So there is no easy way to tell if you're working with the correct parts or not. But the 112 and 317 do use the same steering wheel.

But, you got my curiosity up so I went out and swapped the wheels as planned. Took about five minutes! Here are the photos of the upper shaft with the wheel removed. I didn't put a micrometer to it but it looks pretty much the same as your photo's to me. I think you have the wrong steering wheel on that thing.

But, good luck with it. Hope you solve the problem.

 

[gabby_in_wis]

The 317 steering assemblies I have are same as your first photo. I have a steering wheel on shelf like the one you have in second photo.

You are correct the 112 RF original steering wheel (M40008 ) subs to M85416 (317 steering wheel). M85416 then subs to M71094.

Original steering wheel M40008 is a flat spoked steering wheel, not dished like the 317 wheel.

6 photos attached ... 112 RF

112 SF

317

FYI top of steering tube on early 300 is same as 317. Not 112 RF.

 

[jetjoe]

My first encounter with GT's would be sometime between 1963 and 1973. I was working in a paper mill maintenance department during those years and we purchased new JD's or Cub Cadets every year for lawn care and trash hauling. I bought my first from the mill sometime around then. I have been putzing with them that long and I've never seen a flat steering wheel on a John Deere as you describe. At least not that I recall. But I do have a severe case of CRS these days! Again, you learn something every day. (Or relearn) If your trying to keep it original that's certainly admirable and I hope you accomplish that.

 

[gabby_in_wis]

I am waiting for MiniHomesteader to jump in here. I think he has 2 or 3 112 RF's. I know I am not supposed to trust graphics shown in parts catalogs but the wheel for the 112 RF sure looks flat.

I made a correction to my entry. I need to research how to turn off the typing auto correct. I know it can be done.

 

[smalljob]

This was one of my 112s. you can see the wheel has round spokes.

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[jetjoe]

This was one of my 112s. you can see the wheel has round spokes.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Now I've seen two!

 

[ed_lincoln]

I have 4 rf's and junked 3 rf's they all have the flat steering wheel. early 68's had a steering wheel that the 3 spokes were flat and the others have the same wheel as rf's

 

[smalljob]

Now I've seen two!

I had 2 66 112s, a 65,66, and 63 110 all had the same round spoke wheel.


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