OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Greenfield Ride On Mower Frames Greenfield 34 in Mower Extremely Hard Steering

Hello to All, Have a 2010 model greenfield 34 in fastcut r/o mower, which has suddenly developed very stiff steering - system actually emits a sqealing noise when a turn is attempted. Machine has only 200 hours up. I can see no binding rubbish caught up anywhere in the steering mechanism and all greasing points are regularly lubricated. Wheel alignment/tyre inflation pressures are not issues. Failed tie-rod ends? Any help acknowledged and appreciated. Thanks - mustang

Have you jacked it up and turned the steering to try and isolate the squealing component? Also try disconnecting one side tie rod and see if it helps identify the fault. My Cox was like that and it turned out the grease nipples on the pivot posts were blocked and it was running dry inside them.

It sounds as if you have missed one or more of the lubrication points along the way. The lubrication needs of ride-on mowers' steering systems are extensive, and are not covered by grease nipples: most of the crucial points need to be can-oiled. In general I would suggest you start with the steering column bearings, then the king-pins, then the steering crank if it has that type of steering. However if your king-pins are the grease nipple type and you have kept them greased, the most likely spots seem to be the steering crank (which I think is can-oiled, though I think Greenfield should have considered it a good place for a grease nipple) and the steering column bearings. The tie rod ends are the least likely culprits, but need to be checked of course.

My thanks to grumpy and aussietrev for your rapid responses. I disconnected the steering crank ends of the two tie rods and the squeak ceased. Operating both the steering wheel and the king pins produces no noise and they move quite freely. The inner tie rod end of the LH tie rod appears seized, and is difficult to move by hand. Problem solved, I think. OK. Should tie rod ends be replaced in pairs/should I replace all the tie rod ends in the system/or what? From your reply, I will be off to buy some tie rod end/s it seems. Many thanks for your help. Regards, mustang

If you have access to heat like an oxy or lpg torch you can probably heat the tie rod end a little and spray some penetrating oil, after you've turned off the flame of course. It is possible they are just a bit rusty inside and will come good. Of course some have nylon inserts but if they are seized yours probably don't.

I agree both with the specifics and the underlying approach that aussietrev has laid out, mustang. With an aging ride-on if you plan to use it rather than restore it, you clean it up, check for wear and cracks, replace worn bits and weld cracks, lubricate everything that moves, and put it back to work. You don't need to replace things that still work properly, and in this case you can probably recover the seized tie rod end. See what you can do about lubricating all of the tie rod ends, if they are of the metal-on-metal type rather than the type with nylon seats.

If you are restoring, of course, the process is different. There you are insisting on it looking and feeling like a new one, and the sky is the limit when it comes to replacing parts.

Again thanks to grumpy and aussietrev for assistance. I do not have access to oxy acetylene heating, so i will replace the dud tie rod end - i use the machine on a regular basis, as does my wife - so the machine has got to run well and be easy to handle. Regards. mustang

There's nothing wrong with your decision of course, mustang, and if you couldn't fix the old tie rod end to be pretty much as good as new, it wouldn't be worth doing. Furthermore the replacement might have a nylon seat, which would make it maintenance-free in future.

I'll close this thread.