[AT] Some ads from the 11/26 Lancaster Farming

[Dudley Rupert]

Dean,
There is no loader on the tractor ... the only additional weight on the
front end is a bumper, which I'd guess, weighs 40 to 50 pounds.  Yes there
is one place that I know of that could go dry and that is the steering box
which is attached to the base of the steering column and sits on top front
of the transmission.  I am guessing the mechanism in the steering box is a
rack and pinion.  I filled this box with 90-wt gear lube sometime ago but we
didn't notice any difference in the steering afterward.  The front spindle
bushings/bearings could be a source of the problem ... something I should
check on.  I changed these items (plus the spindles) on a Ferguson TO35 but
that was because of excessive "wear/slop and not hard steering."  I think
what would also be helpful for us would be for someone really familiar with
an 8N and how it handles to drive this one and get their opinion.  I bought
my first of two tractors with power steering (MF245 and MF35) three years
ago so maybe this is all in our heads as we may be expecting the 8N to drive
and steer like they do.  But still we both think it steers harder than my
Farmall MTA with WFE (no power steering).
Dudley
Snohomish, Washington

Dudley:

I know less than I should about 8N's but one complaint I haven't heard much
is "hard steering". Is it possible you have some steering bearing issues?
Isn't there a place in the steering column that can go dry?  Or does it have
a loader on it like my 861 did? To temporarily solve my 861 "hard steering"
problem, I hooked up my JD 550 roto-tiller to the three point (Don't tell JD
I did that! :-)). If I remember right the tiller weighs about 500 lbs. Man
did that make a difference. I would have preferred a 1000 lb weight though!

I chased the hard steering problem for quite some time, with help from some
ATIS members. Even replaced the spindle bearings. Never solved the problem
and was pretty convinced by others that it was the nature of the beast.  I
looked into the PS option and at the time didn't want to spend the $1200
bucks since I knew I could come out all right the way it was if I were to
sell it. Adding another $1200 to it made it questionable.

But the real reason I sold it was because it was dangerous for me due to my
age and long legs. I had real trouble getting to the pedals when I needed to
in a hurry. I had the seat all the way back but I still was just too far
forward. I had figured out a way to jury rig a custom seat bracket so I
could move the seat back further but I finally decided to sell it. Got a
really good price for it and the buyer never called back so I guess he was
happy too. I just grew to not liking it.  So it was out of here.

Dean A. Van Peursem
Snohomish, WA 98290