[AT] John Deere 4200 compact tractor power steering Alert

[Larry Goss]

Alan, I would suspect that someone broke the seal on the tractor that's being discussed here, and didn't bother reassembling it correctly. The description of a strictly hydraulic steering system is pretty typical of modern compact tractors. I own three of them (all different brands) and none has a mechanical link between the steering wheel and the steering bell crank.

Larry

----- Original Message -----
From: Alan Nadeau <ajnadeau1 at myfairpoint.net>
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Fri, 31 May 2013 12:21:34 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [AT] John Deere 4200 compact tractor power steering Alert

I have repaired quite a few of the welded cylinders.  While not easily 
repairable they are relatively easy to take apart.  Every one I have had 
apart had the piston bolt VERY firmly secured with Loctite or similar 
retaining compound.   If done properly, and the ones I have seen have been, 
it is sometimes impossible to get the piston bolt out without heating it to 
break the locking compound loose.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ernst Borchert" <eb3 at shelby.net>
To: "'Antique tractor email discussion group'" 
<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 7:59 AM
Subject: [AT] John Deere 4200 compact tractor power steering Alert


> My neighbor has a 2000 John Deere 4200 tractor with loader. The other day
> while driving it on 226 in W.NC the steering quit and turned the wheels
> completely to the left and sent him across the highway into the other side
> of the road. It was lucky that no traffic was coming and there was no 
> ditch
> on the side of the road. The steering on these tractors have no mechanical
> connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels, but are
> controlled by hydraulic pressure diverted to a cylinder connected to the
> front wheels. The bolt that holds the piston to the rod in the cylinder 
> came
> unscrewed due to vibration, thus forcing the wheels to the left. The
> cylinder is of welded construction so you can not check the tightness of 
> the
> bolt and you can not repair the cylinder. The replacement cylinder is
> repairable. The thing is that if the cylinder fails at road speed or in a
> difficult situation the results can be fatal. Be careful out there,
>
>
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