I will be watching. I remember the factory power steering on one of the WD45's  when I was a kid on Dad's farm. It was a joy to drive, compared to the std steering! I probably should have spent more money and found a unit for my NF 45. Oh well. 

Always good to have several projects waiting to be done. 

Looks like you do have a good start. How do you plan to get the old wheel off? That hub to shaft connection can be a bugger!

Looking forward to your updates.

 Regards,

 Chris

Unit3, thanks. Chris, guys, the old wheel is already off the shaft, heated it up with the rosebud and removed with a hammer.

Really going to try to resist the temptation to hurry this. I want to get everything stripped down and painted if possible. This tractor has became my 'pet'. I don't like having it inoperable!

I'll try to keep this updated with pictures. If I get all these things done there is the '57 with factory PS sitting over in a corner.......

 I see! A pet tractor! I guess I have several too. But that 45 I finished last year is still my favorite of the bunch.

Good to take your time. 

I like the fact your going to paint it too. They always feel so much fresher with clean clothes on!:) But painting them is another big project. At least it has been for me.

Regards,

 Chris

Dennis J OPKs wrote: I think I  misspoke, probably only the throttle rod is a problem since the hydraulic rod doesn't go down that far.  I don't have a good drawing/picture to look at.  As I recall it was a fairly neat appearing installation and the power steering was a real plus as it was a loader tractor.  On the other hand, I have a WD 45 wide front without PS and unless it has some weight on the front-it steers fairly easy as long as you're moving.

Dennis, the fact that it drives and turns good while moving has kept this project on the back burner for quite a while. However, I have a set of four stack weights I want to get put on this machine and when they are on it steering takes some effort!

HudCo, I'll try to get pictures of how things get mounted. Some time back there was a thread on here where the poster, (can't remember who) brazed a hydraulic dipstick from a WD into the lid of the reservoir and cut a small hole in the hood for easy checking of fluid level. I hope to duplicate that.

Not much of an update but all I've got for now. This old spinner was on the steering wheel that the power steering came from. I've never seen one like it and think it's kind of cool, will be going on when this is complete. I guess if I don't like it the one that was on it can go back on.

Had to do a little repair work to make it work. It was worn enough that it might pinch. Took it to town and found a stripper bolt in my inventory the right length, yes! When I screwed it in the threads came right out! Installed a helicoil and shimmed the new bolt and good as new, I think.

Progress has been slow, should have time to get some work done on this today. Got the steering shaft cleaned up and ready to weld. Lon, if I had a stick of new CRS I would just make a new one but alas... Hopefully get the torque-generator mounted today and get some measurements so I can get the shaft cut.

Some pics of the portable red workbench, (note that it can be accessorized) and the throttle set-up on the NF. I hope to refine this a little, it works good.

Sunday and I finally got some time to tinker with this a little. There are just too many things around a farm that need attention this time of year! Grass that needs mowing, Cub Cadets that need oil changes, varmints......

I welded up the shaft where it was worn going through the support and filed it back round. Used the quadrant for my gauge. That took a little time but not too bad. For some reason, I kind of like doing this.

Got the torque-generator loosely mounted for mock up purposes. Did some measuring and some ciphering and came up with one foot needed removed, quick measurement of the other two 45's in the shed and a trip to the power hacksaw and three pieces. Brought the two pieces to be used to town for a paint job and to fit the new steering wheel.

That's it for now. I did get most of the mowing caught up so I should have time to tinker with it some this week. 

If I recall correctly, I had this update done the day the site crashed. Got the lower steering rod and torque generator mounted and hooked together. Always a little trepidation when drilling for the roll pin, it's really easy to get off coarse and I did have to 'massage' the hole just a bit with a small file, not much but some. Also if you look closely you will see I changed the bolts holding the TG to the mount from hex-heads to socket-heads. Much easier to work with.

Hopefully I get the rest of the garden planted/taken care of today and I can concentrate on this this weekend.

HudCo, we are getting close to mounting the pump and reservoir. I'll get pics when I do. I installed the two grove pulley on the crank a few years back when the engine was out for a rear main seal job. The thing that keeps slowing me down is continuing to find things that need cleaned-up/painted as I go along. No better time to do it than now. Today the steering support and hydraulic, starter, and choke levers got removed for the paint process. Stopping there for now, I have a shifter in the basement that is going to get gone through and installed at some point in the future.

These components came from a WD I bought a few years ago, basically for the power steering. Compression was low on the engine so it turned into a parts machine.

Time for a quick update before I head for the farm to continue on this thing. I have been experiencing a lot of three steps forward and two back. Seems to no end of the small parts I see and think, now is the time to pain that. There is no real time-frame that I 'need' this tractor. Local antique power show in August has already been cancelled.

HudCo, that pump mount has fought valiantly! I 'think' I'm happy with it now, it took LOTS of massaging to get it right. I had painted it last year, by the time I was satisfied with the fit the paint was damaged pretty bad so I stripped it back to shiny and repainted it.

One little note about this mounting; the set-up came off a WD with the three inch head and is going on a 45. Not a lot of difference but not a direct swap either.

I thought since I'm painting, these lift links for a 50 series plow just as well get some too. They have been laying on the bench taking up space long enough need to get them on the plow and out of the way!

Couple of pics of my progress.

Spent quite a bit of time working on this on Friday, planning on the same today. This power-steering install has somehow turned into a quasi paint job. That wasn't my original intention but no time like the present. I would probably get this thing back together a lot faster if I would quit tearing it apart. I wasn't happy with the paint on the fuel tank, may have been in a hurry when I did the propane unconversion. So it came off for a little facelift.

How far do you go with something like this? I keep looking at things that could use a fresh coat of paint, like that starter. It may come out today for it's paint!

When getting ready to paint the reservoir, how do you suspend this silly thing? Answer, drill a 1/8" hole in one ear of the wingnut.

Let the reassembly begin! Finally got done cleaning and painting,(for now) and am getting things back together. Pump and reservoir are mounted, hope the belt is tight enough. I bought new hose for the returns and had a new pressure hose so all should be well there.

Bought enough hose that I can replace the sad ones on the other tractor also. I believe I have the leak in that system under control so will move the reservoir to the valve cover also.

Made a little progress today. Going back together slowly, mounted the alternator. Looking at it the belt alignment was not good. As fun as that belt is to change I thought I would tweak it a bit. Slotted one hole in my home-made alt. bracket and shimmed it forward a pinch, much better.

My OCD seams to be rearing it's head. Everything I look at needs fresh paint. Screws and washers for the gas tank band. Filed the burrs off, wire brushed and paint.

Light at the end of the tunnel, starting to look like a tractor again. More three steps forward, two back. Most aggravating part is the damage to the new paint! I may actually be able to drive this thing around this weekend, I hope!

For those of you that have been following, you note the change of habitat! Got her put together today, filled up the fluid and put some gas in. When first fired up I turned the wheel without thinking and thought WOW, that was easy! Did not see any leaks and the belt seems tight enough, a pinch more wouoldn't hurt but there is only about 1/8th inch clearance between the top radiator hose and the pump pulley. Now to get the hood painted and maybe pick up some decals in Amana this weekend. Stack weights are going to get a coat of paint and installed too.

This project will continue to 'evolve' as time moves forward. Got lots of things in mind but need to move  on to other things.

Dave

Thanks Dave. Now have power steering on 3 out of five WD's/45's. If I find another ps setup, the WD, Micha, will be next in line. 'Grandpa' will be fine without. Though he does wear a two row front mounted cultivator, not enough use to justify all the work/expense.

If I live long enough, the factory PS setup on the '57 has some pretty serious leaks that need addressed. As well as many other issues. That will be harder as I have only the one with factory setup. Nice to have a reference machine when working on something like this. Might have to get better about taking pics before tearing into it!

Cleaned up, painted, and installed the hood. Need to get a set of decals headed this way. Shiny new muffler in this photo too!

Dave

Not sure weather to wrap this thread up or keep going with it. The power steering is on and working and best of all, keeping it's oil where it belongs. Doing this got me motivated to freshen up the paint but I'm running out of time for that. Hopefully get back to it later this year.

One of the big motives for the PS was easier steering with the stack weights installed, put them on yesterday. I would have liked to paint them first....

I think it's ready for a plowday, now if we just had one to go to.

Dave

Ted, the weights are 300 lbs. I would think a front end loader would be more than that even empty? Anyway, they are all staying on there, don't want one getting lost or being a trip hazard.

Dave, I will try to get some video plowing with it. I might get the plow out in August. Then figuring out how to get the video on here.

I picked up a really nice pair of fenders at Lathrope this spring. They and a nice toolbox are next on the list for paint and install. Also started on a different shifter yesterday.

Maybe I should start a general refurbishment thread?

I'm gonna have to go out and look at mine and see how it was done?  It's all of 15 degrees here this am.  WHAT a change over a week ago!!  DANG,,,,,I'm getting to hate this cold any more.

Thanks for the update Mike!

Good to hear from you Ted.

Put the sheet-metal back on yesterday and plowed the garden.

Mine is very similar that I got from a tractor salvage yard.

Double crank pulley, steering shaft, pump everything for $400.

Pump wasn't any good and I told them about it and they bought me another.

I like it.