ford 4000 power steering control valve

Kevfulltilt

New User
I bought what I think is a 1963 Ford 4000 Industrial with a 735 loader. When I bought the tractor the power steering didn't work. It didn't have a filter in the pump so I bought one and put one in. I bought 2 new power steering cylinders, one for each side. I now have the power steering control valve apart. I have bought new bearings for top and bottom and a new "spring washer" for under the nut. Also am replacing one of the springs in the valve (one of the springs looked a little different). There are 6 plungers and 3 springs. There is also 2 horned plungers and there was only 1 bearing between them. By reading here there is supposed to be 2. Can someone please explain the where the horned plungers go and there is a center spool on the block with a groove at one end, does this groove go on the top or bottom? I have been through all over web and through forums and are getting different answers.
 
Notice the extra fitting on the right at the
top of the block. This goes to the right
side of the column.
Those balls are 1/4" dia. Just go to any
good hardware store and they will have them
in those boxes of misc hardware.
The horned plungers and balls go in the port
marked by the pencil.
The ring inside the spool goes to the
bottom.
100_05731.jpg
 

I stopped by a survival store this week end they sold slingshots and had plenty of 1/4 and other size steel balls for them packaged as slingshot amo. I would have never thought to look in that direction for a steel ball.
 
That helps a lot. going to try to put this back together tomorrow afternoon. This is going to sound crazy but when I put the filter in the pump it cut down the splashing around of fluid and wasn't as much air in the fluid. Before it looked foamy. Also I had power when turning left but no power turning right after installing the filter. I have read about this also in forums but no one has seem to post a solution. I have also swapped to Lucas power steering fluid. Someone told me this was synthetic and would not foam, but it is thick. I'll let you know how it turns out. I appreciate all the help.
 
The extra fitting on the top right I am assuming is the return back to the pump? This has the check valve behind the fitting. The other one to the left is supply coming from the pump with no check valve?
 
UPDATE
Put the control valve back on and added ps fluid. The ends to the cylinders have not come in yet so I zip tied them up. May still need to add more fluid (ran out) but this is what happens. Left cylinder looks likes it works moving in and out. Right cylinder moves in opposite direction but real slow. Really slow! I will add more fluid tomorrow and try again. Ball joints for cylinder ends not going to be here till next week. Another thing I noticed, when I put steering shaft back on then control valve, I had no threads for the nut. I had to turn shaft till valve started lifting then had threads for nut. Brought nut down to washer then 1/6 turn and staked. Kinda seemed odd.
 
Hmmm,
Try this:
Put the steering wheel on and with the tractor not running turn the wheel slightly one way and then the other. Look closely just below the wheel as you turn. The entire shaft and wheel should rise and fall about 3/32" when you turn it side to side. It should be the same amount up as down.
This is how the center spool gets activated and sends the oil to the cylinders.
Did you go through the bottom end of the steering box? Pull the steering arms, side caps, pull the sector shafts, remove the steering shaft, etc? Dump out the old oil and clean the sludge out of the bottom.
The bottom end of those use 90w oil but it rarely gets serviced and water can get down in the bottom.
Down in the very bottom of the box is a roller bearing.
I worked with a guy here once who was having a similar problem - only worked one way. After a lot of hair pulling, emails, phone calls, etc we had him disassemble the bottom end of the steering box. He discovered that that lower bearing was badly rusted up and not allowing the shaft to rise and fall properly.
A new lower bearing and voila, it worked again.
If you go into box deeper make SURE you replace the seals in there. They are known to fail (every 40 years) and you will cuss and cry if you have to go back in there. I would replace them regardless.
You want to replace the upper and lower seals - #44 and #28, both Orings #32 and I would replace the sector seals #18. I generally just buy them from the CNH Dealer but any good bearing house can match them up too.
Keep us updated but if this thread gets off the first page start a new thread as many of us won't see it.
Sorry this got so long.
861powersteering.jpg
 
I did pull the steering shaft out. Also replaced the seals and o-ring. Wasn't much oil in there at all but put finger down at bottom and felt the bearing in the bottom and it felt fine. Read somewhere where bearing fell apart and was broken on bottom not letting shaft down all way. Was hoping that was the problem. I also checked steering wheel shaft going up and down. It looks to be working. Going to get more fluid and get new cylinder hoses to valve for that right side this afternoon. See how that works. The control valve was badly pitted and wondering if that could be problem. Ball joint ends should be here by Weds I'll follow up with update in new thread. Thx for everyone's help.
 

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