3230 Xtra Steering

[John Deere 8530]

Good evening. Just acquired a 3230 xtra however the steering doesn't seem to be working properly, wondering if anyone has any ideas please? The steering is very stiff when turning to the left but seems okay when turning to the right. With the axle lifted off the floor it easily steers with the engine off.

 

[JCB_JCR]

It has manual steering with a ram to help. There's a steering box above the front axle with a hydraulic valve in it for the ram, which probably wants looking at. I think it's a bugger to get to aswell!

 

[John Deere 8530]

It has manual steering with a ram to help. There's a steering box above the front axle with a hydraulic valve in it for the ram, which probably wants looking at. I think it's a bugger to get to aswell!

Okay thanks, is there anyway to pressure test it? Been told it's recently had a new steering box.

 

[Speedstar]

Grease the steering linkage and joints for a start

 

[John Deere 8530]

Grease the steering linkage and joints for a start

Okay thanks will give that a go. Boost doesn't seem to be working either, any ideas on that?

 

[JCB_JCR]

Okay thanks, is there anyway to pressure test it? Been told it's recently had a new steering box.

Don't know. Not sure on this model but some had little plug things you put in steering box to turn off hydraulic pressure at full lock and there is a sequence to set them up correctly.

 

[John Deere 8530]

Don't know. Not sure on this model but some had little plug things you put in steering box to turn off hydraulic pressure at full lock and there is a sequence to set them up correctly.

Had a better look now and the uj into the steering box seems iffy and the steering box was loose so hopefully get that sorted and should be good.

 

[Speedstar]

Had a better look now and the uj into the steering box seems iffy and the steering box was loose so hopefully get that sorted and should be good.

The steering linkage & joints need a lot of grease , every 200 hours or so same as all the UJ on the drive shafts

 

[John Deere 8530]

Tightened the steering box as it was loose and greased all the UJs as suggested and now it all runs smoothly. A new boost button at £110 has cured the power issue. Just wondering how heavy the steering should be, it is significantly heavier than any other tractors on the job, presume this is normal for fastracs? Or can the pressure be increased?

 

[Matthew Britton]

I only have a 2155 and am a bit new to it but I think heavier steering is normal

 

[Agriimark]

Heavier steering is normal for them. Not that bad on road but land work i always had aching arms by the end of the day

 

[John Deere 8530]

Okay thanks, will have to get used to it

 

[Robt]

Okay thanks, will have to get used to it

Yes steering is heavy due to the mechanical linkage backed up by hyd power assistance.

 

[John Deere 8530]

Yes steering is heavy due to the mechanical linkage backed up by hyd power assistance.

Just wondered if there was any way to up the pressure on the power assistance to make it lighter?

 

[s~~t shoveller]

On older ones you can s him the relief valve to do this with washers if you can find thin enough washers,but not sure on a newer tractor like yours

 

[s~~t shoveller]

Have you serviced the transmission oil,again,on older machines,when the transsmission needs a service the steering is a bit stiff.

 

[John Deere 8530]

On older ones you can s him the relief valve to do this with washers if you can find thin enough washers,but not sure on a newer tractor like yours

Okay thanks I'll have a look, the relief valve near the steering box?

 

[John Deere 8530]

Have you serviced the transmission oil,again,on older machines,when the transsmission needs a service the steering is a bit stiff.

Yeah changed every single oil and filter when we got it a couple of weeks back

 

[s~~t shoveller]

On the engine mounted pump,mounted in tandem with the compressor on older machines....never had much to do with an extra though and prob different as it's maybe not cummins...two thin bolt heads,about 22 24 ish one pints up and one down on cummins ones.the awkward one underneath and everything dr ops out ....put a very thin shim in but probably want to take better advice as it wasn't easy.did sort one of ours that way but tried it on another and didn't work.proved to be a worn pump.also if tyres are worn quite low,or soft can make a big difference.should be harder than rear ones too ideally....

 

[John Deere 8530]

On the engine mounted pump,mounted in tandem with the compressor on older machines....never had much to do with an extra though and prob different as it's maybe not cummins...two thin bolt heads,about 22 24 ish one pints up and one down on cummins ones.the awkward one underneath and everything dr ops out ....put a very thin shim in but probably want to take better advice as it wasn't easy.did sort one of ours that way but tried it on another and didn't work.proved to be a worn pump.also if tyres are worn quite low,or soft can make a big difference.should be harder than rear ones too ideally....

It's one of the very last with the Cummins. There isn't a pump on the compressor, but have got a pressure testing kit so could test pressures if I knew which ports and the pressures they should be. It's on 600s which have got 24 in the front and 35 in the back so like you said that probably won't be helping, will try upping them a bit.