1971 1020 Steering Box Leaking from Shaft

3153 Views 15 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Zebrafive, Jun 4, 2021

77Justin

Discussion Starter · May 27, 2021

I have a persistent hydraulic leak dripping from the bottom of the clutch bellhousing. I can follow the leak up the side of the bellhousing and it appears to be leaking from the seal around the shaft the steering arm is connected to. I just replaced this seal in an attempt to fix the leak. I did clean up the surface of the shaft when it was out. I'm planning to replace the seal again this time applying some permatex to the outside of the seal, but I'm wondering if the fluid reservoir return to the rear end is partially blocked and allowing the reservoir to pressurize enough to push fluid out the seal? I don't think it's leaking enough that it's draining the steering reservoir - eventually it stops. Relieving pressure would explain that. I've cleaned out the reservoir including the drain passage on the right side that was completely blocked and can't find where the fluid returns to the rear end of the tractor. The technical manual describes the return being near the top of the reservoir but I couldn't find it through the cover on the right side. Do I need to remove the column to access it? I want to verify it's clear before replacing this seal again.

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Gumbi

· #8 · Jun 2, 2021

Tx Jim said:
If your 1020 has power steering the hyd oil return galley in steering housing is on far left of photo(key 16). This galley allows return power steering oil a route back to oil reservoir(trans case). IIRC galley opening in top of clutch housing is closest to gear shift levers. To access this oil galley one must remove PS housing.
Blowing air into drain hole on plate on RH side of clutch housing DOES NOT connect to PS return oil galley. Another possibility for oil to leak into the area where you replaced the seal is failed shaft seal at the lower end of power steering housing

Tx Jim, I got a question for you concerning what Flyweight stated above. When I was going through my '66 1020 last summer I found that exact hole in the clutch housing that Flyweight pointed out. It goes through the clutch housing to where the steering column mounts. My tractor did not come with power steering from factory, (yes i know that if mine did it would use the open center setup on the timing cover). It really does appear that this hole in the clutch housing matches up to where the return would be on a later style closed center power steering column would be. It appears so close that I almost want to find me a p-steering column and associated lines to swap onto my tractor. See the pictures below.

Hole in clutch housing:

View from above the clutch housing where steering column mounts. (circled in blue) The smaller hole on the left is the one that goes through housing to trans sump. The larger one in the middle matches up with the return galley that is drilled into the side of the clutch housing for return oil from an open center power steering set up.

View from side of clutch housing behind the steering gear cover. Hole circled in blue matches up with the larger hole in center of above photo. Should be the return galley for open center power steering.

I don't have me a P-steering column to match up and study, but does this not appear to be the return galley for a factory closed center p-steering column? It certainly matches up with the shape of the gasket, as well as photos i've seen of the p-steering columns.

Let me know your thoughts, thanks

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Gumbi

· #11 · Jun 3, 2021

Zebrafive said:
TxJim, second picture, red arrow is on the "wet" side of the clutch housing. The larger picture Gumbi posted shows the mount for the transmission pump and the front support bearing for the PTO shaft. Gumbi also stated the other end of this passage is where the steering column mounts.

Correct. My first photo is on the wet side of the clutch housing and the hole is immediately behind the transmission oil pump. I'd have to double check on the housing number later this week, but going through my old photos i believe this is it T21600T

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Gumbi

· #13 · Jun 3, 2021

Zebrafive said:
Gumbi, you said your tractor did NOT come with power steering.
Do you need/want it?
It think it would be expensive to add, but think it could be done.
My 2030 has power steering. It is a MUST with a loader

It does NOT have power steering. Do I "need" it, well i've been able to get by fine without it for 2 years now since I bought the tractor. I recently added a fat stack of slab weights to the front, and this has made a noticeable difference on the effort it takes to turn. I needed the weights though. When ever i hooked up the 3pt blade i have, the front end damn near bounced it was so light. This more comes down to it's something that I'd like to add eventually if it is possible, and I would prefer to use a stock closed center setup.

I've been contemplating if this was possible for a while. I have read different stories if the clutch housing was the same between the two and if the return galley was present. I've seen TxJim's post on the subject in the past and the way he has stated it sounded like the return galley was something that was cast into the housing, vs what I saw which is a drilled hole.

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