Steering Problem

I work for a vegetable grower with a JD 2840. It steers but there is a lot of play in the system which causes the tractor to wobble when you are trying to travel in a straight line. I have checked all bushings and tie rod ends and the problem appears to be in the steering motor. I can turn the steering wheel 180 degrees or more before the main arm starts to move. The local John Deere dealer is of no help. They say they can not fix it. They told me to buy a new tractor. I purchased a reconditioned unit from All States, but it does the same thing. I know this problem has been on here before. Just trying again. Thanks for any advice and help.

Check the level of fluid in porer steering. My MF does strange things when low.

Might post on Deere board. Alot of smart
guys over there!

I would check out the crank arm (9) and the bushing (2) it has in the housing (1). The crank arm (9) can also be lose on the steering shaft (7). The pin (4) that attaches the steering cylinder arm to the steering shaft(7) can also be worn. Look at this from the bottom and have someone wiggle the steering wheel back and forth with the tractor running. YOu can see if you have worn bushings here or not. If things look good there then look at the front axle.

(second picture) The front axle support as a pivot arm (2) that the drag link hooks too and then the it powers the tie rods. This pivot arm (2) has a shaft that goes down through the axle support. There are two needle bearings (10) in the support that the pivot arm turns in. These needle bearings go bad and also wear the pin on the pivot arm. When this happens the tractor steering will be erratic. It also will allow the front wheels to flop around when going down the road a higher speeds. I have seen the needle bearings get bad enough that they fall out and then the shaft wears the axle support housing. If the bearing hole is worn oblong new bearing will not last long. I then remove the axle support and have a machine shop bush the support so that it is round again.

"Check the level of fluid in porer steering. My MF does strange things when low."

THANKFULLY that GREEN one only has two places to keep full of oil, the engine and the transmission/hydraulic system.

Of course, if MFWD, there'd be three more!

Cousin had a 2840 he bought brand new, with a loader. A bolt in the steering arm, kind of in the belly of the tractor, was always coming loose. I don't know why no one ever thought of putting some thread locker on it.

I recall going to a farm show and seeing a 2950, or 2955, and they had fixed it by going to full hydrostatic steering, with a cylinder on each end of the axle, if I'm remembering correctly. I pointed that out to my cousin and picked on him to trade(which he often did). He fixed all that by trading for a 4240, his first cab tractor. He retired years ago. Many have been after him, but he won't sell the 4240. It will be up to his heirs to take care of it!