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I recently acquired a 1995 John Deere 325. There is a LOT of play in the steering. This model has manual steering. The shaft goes into a sealed gear box. The gear box has a threaded plug toward the top so I'm assuming it's filled with fluid/lubricant.

Before I start taking things apart looking for worn internal parts, are there any adjustment points that I should know about? Any other suggestions?

Figured out my problem. Found the adjustment screw and nut on the side. Took the play out and made a huge improvement. Still steers poorly though, just sloppy. Very hard to keep it in a straight line, a little bump one way or the other and it wants to keep drifting in that direction instead of straightening itself out. Suggestions?

Check the whole front axle out, check the front spindle bushings, check the front pivot bushing/bolt, check the stops for wear.

There is a bolt that secures the front axle to the frame, there is a castle nut securing that bolt on the front of the frame behind the muffler. There was a pin in the castle nut but a lot of play in the bolt. I took the pin out and could easily tighten it three more spaces on the castle nut just to get it snug. Not sure if I was supposed to or not. Should there have been that much play, should it be snug or should it be crazy tight?

Unfortunately I can't drive it to see if it made any difference because I have the head off waiting to pick up a new head gasket tomorrow.

All of the other bushings, bearings and linkages look okay, I do not notice any significant play.

You want it just snug, Hopefully when you check for play, yo did try a twist rotation of the axle, That is how you check for play on the pivot/castle.

Not sure really, I may have but may not have known it was called twist rotation. I really don't know the proper way to adjust it. I just knew that it was pretty loose so i snuggled it up, it was about 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn. Doesn't sound like much but that's a large bolt.

Did you actually pull and look at the bolt?

I did not remove the castle nut, I just snuggled it up and put the pin back in. Not really sure what I would have been looking for.

i had play in my 320. i removed the front axle and found wear on the pivot pin. i replaced the pin, nut, and the bushings on each end of the axle. helped a lot.

Gouging just below the head of the bolt and further down the shaft, again wear the frame rides on the bolt

i have never understood why JD never put a grease zerk in the middle of the front axle. i guess a penny saved is a headache for the owner!