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I viewed the linked YouTube info and looked around here - so this is more of a clarification than lots new.





The white stuff is white Lithium spray I initially used to loosen things up.

Then I read the links and posts here and recognized the problem.

If I understand correctly I need to find a way to insert a bushing where the shaft passes through the soft metal to keep the gear from moving?

Or, could I add a spring to pull the gear toward the teeth?

There should be a bushing under that gear portion of the steering shaft. It is less than a 1/4 in thick.

There is but the where the shaft passes through the floor it wobbles - a bad design flaw seen in some of the YouTube clips posted in other threads.

The cure is to prevent that wobble (allowing the teeth to disengage or slip).

I'm hoping someone has a solution before I need to invent my own.

handygeek said:

There is but the where the shaft passes through the floor it wobbles - a bad design flaw seen in some of the YouTube clips posted in other threads.

The cure is to prevent that wobble (allowing the teeth to disengage or slip).

I'm hoping someone has a solution before I need to invent my own.

Click to expand...

There is a solution. Replace parts that are worn out. Pinion gear, sector gear and the mentioned bushing that keeps the pinion gear in mesh with the sector gear.

The tractor is only a year old and the original materials have already failed.

Has anyone found better quality materials that will not wear quite as quickly.

Sure don't want to be tearing this down annually.

Thanks

The age of a lawn tractor is irrelevant. What matters is the hours of neglected operation. In this instance the bushing has never been oiled and the gear teeth have never been greased because the manufacturer didn't provide a means to do so and didn't suggest it in the operator's manual. We have to determine on our own how to do those two maintenance items before our mowers look like they just came back from combat duty.

You are correct - keeping the area clean (cheap construction = no boot or other protection) - and greased would have been good.

I never even looked there as it never occurred to me they'd sell something so badly implemented.

Anyhow ...

I'm going to have to repair the "floor" as it's allowing the shaft to wobble - which won't change even after all of the other pieces are replaced.

It may appear tight-enough at first but it will inevitably destroy the new parts.

I've never owned a lawn tractor different than that and probably never will. To get a closed steering system I won't spend that kind of money just to mow grass and weeds. But I do oil the shaft bushing and grease the gear teeth and they last for several seasons.

How often do you clear that area of debris and what do you use, please?

Air, water, brush?

I don't clean it. I allow the dust accumulation act as a wick. I oil the bushing with most anything handy from 3-in one oil to bar and chain oil. Gun grease on the teeth of the gears.

If I had yours I would remove the nut that holds the sector gear assembly on and oil all that metal to metal moving section and pivot point.

Here's what I found when I disassembled things.

Looks more like damp shredded weeds than dust/sand in there.

I'm not seeing a lot of wobble in the deck hole after all.

I'm wondering if the sector gear assembly moved a little and it needs to be adjusted.

WDYT?

Thanks ...

The parts you need to rebuild it are quite cheap. From what I can see in your pics you need the 5/8" steering shaft for sure. The gear at the end of it (middle of the teeth) is worn out. Make a habit of lubricating these parts with bearing grease and just brush it on. Try keep it clean of dirt. Dirt attracts and retains water corroding metal parts. Don't use that lithium grease. Use petroleum based grease.


BTW, and I don't wanna sound like you Mother but...for a one y/o Pony it looks pretty beat up!

It was run real hard on our 5 acres, mostly driven by our 6'4" 280lb son, across uneven terrain with lots of weeds.

It's been outdoors, despite plans to the contrary, and he never cleaned any part of it.

I'm surprised it runs at all but intend to provide better maintenance from here-on and have cleared 1/2 of the garage to do mower and vehicle maintenance in a climate-controlled environment.

The percentage of the 5ac being mowed has been reduced considerably - which saves both time and stress on the mower.

Where is the best source (cost and quality) for the parts I need, please?

handygeek said:

It was run real hard on our 5 acres, mostly driven by our 6'4" 280lb son, across uneven terrain with lots of weeds.

It's been outdoors, despite plans to the contrary, and he never cleaned any part of it.

I'm surprised it runs at all but intend to provide better maintenance from here-on and have cleared 1/2 of the garage to do mower and vehicle maintenance in a climate-controlled environment.

The percentage of the 5ac being mowed has been reduced considerably - which saves both time and stress on the mower.

Where is the best source (cost and quality) for the parts I need, please?

Click to expand...

IMO it looks like a new hex headed bushing and washer would take care of the wobble. The center of it has all the wear...again IMO... How is the deck worn, in your opinion?
never mind, I see you changed your mind about the deck.
As far as parts...mechanic mark says...use only OEM
There is also ereplacementparts.com and repairclinic.com, and ebay...
specific parts probably the first 3 I mentioned.

TroyBilt Parts

Steering Shaft #738-0919A $33.07
Flange is #941-04124 $2.90
Subtotal
$35.97
Shipping
$2.99
Tax
$0.00
Order Total
$38.96

Click to expand...

JacksSmallEngines

Steering Shaft 7380919A $28.56
Hex Flange Bearing 94104124 $2.48

Estimated Shipping(Lower 48 states): $8.95
Estimated Total: $39.99

Click to expand...

Not a big difference

http://http://www.troybiltpartsonline.com/


BTW, I don't think that you Pony is unable to handle 5 acres. The real difference between commercial quality and your mower is that with commercial you'd only need to spent two hours a season to maintain it properly. In your case could take eight..or more hours. Just don't be running it at its full forward speed while mowing. Change oil and lube more often then recommended. Learn the sounds it makes and don't ignore if something "squeaks". Address it right-away properly and she'll run for a long time.

Hole in the floor has a wobble huh? Looks like the folks on here did know what they were speaking of and MTD does know how to keep customers from wobbling out the floor with those cheap parts and a worthless design. Amazing what a little lube does. Five acres over rough terrain with no lube for one year setting outside with a large person running it. I think rather than a poor design it was a quite a unit.

As noted it is no longer mowing all 5 acres & I will will be doing the mowing and maintenance myself now.

My perspective was informed by several YouTube clips which stated a wobble problem caused by soft metal & poor design.

My neighbor has a different model which suffers the chronic failure of a pulley due to cheap Chinese bearings - now on # 3
in about a year he plans to retrofit a US part with properly manufactured (tempered) bearings.

Tearing it down doesn't indicate that floor-metal weakness was the primary source of the problem - in this case - but it's
odd that a critical joint is so poorly protected.

In reality I see you being fortunate the sector gear didn't need replacing. Usually the most teeth used with left turns wear to a point as the pinion gear fails.

With the new pinion gear and the sector gear pivot bolt removed and greased along with the sliding parts and the king pins on the axle you'll swear someone added power steering.

These things sell for a 1k at the store...what do you expect? Sure is gonna need tweaking, sure is gonna need more maintenance. Everything else aside, picture going over a rough terrain, holes, rocks, tree roots...front end taking all the beating. I always thought about putting a shock absorber on a draw-bar of a rider. You know, like the ones they put on pick up trucks or SUVs. Essentially, one end of the absorber bolts onto the frame and the other side u-bolts to the draw-bar. It should work and help protect steering components...don't it?

Replacement spline and sleeve arrived late yesterday but we had company.

I just went to remove the old spline and it was suddenly clear that removal & replacement aren't so clear ...

How much of this thing to I have to disassemble to get this done, please?

Thanks ...

Jack17 said:

Make a habit of lubricating these parts with bearing grease and just brush it on. Don't use that lithium grease. Use petroleum based grease.:

Click to expand...

Why prefer petroleum-based grease over lithium, please?

Just curious.

What about Sta-Lube Multi-Purpose Marine Grease?

It uses "heavy" mineral oil, aluminum benzoate, etc.

It's all reassembled and working - thanks for the assist!

I found that disconnecting the shelf for the fuel tank & setting it aside on the front tire (no need to disconnect or drain),
disconnecting the shelf/spline above that (though which the steering shaft passes) & bending that some,
I was able to slide the shaft/spline out and the new one in at an angle.

While the shaft/spline was disconnected I made sure that the front wheel assembly turned freely, spraying "dry"
lubricant (molybendum/teflon) into the joints.

BTW: I used vice grips on the shaft/spline screw at the bottom.

Steering is nice and smooth & I was able to get a bunch of mowing done until a t-storm arrived.