White Outdoor LT-5 Service Manual page 28

700 SERIES LAWN TRACTORS
14.13. Replace any single-use fasteners (push-on caps
and cotter pins) with new ones on reassembly.
14.14. Lubricate all friction surfaces with grease such
as MTD P/N 737-0300A upon reassembly.
14.15. Tighten the steering arm clamp bolt to a torque
of 200-260 in-lb. (22.6 Nm-29.4 Nm). Replace
the nylon ring lock nut if it has lost its retaining
capabilities.
14.16. The drag link should be adjusted so that when
the steering wheel is positioned straight-ahead,
the front wheels also point straight ahead, and
the steering gear is centered.
NOTE: It is possible to remove the steering
wheel from the steering shaft, shift it one or two
splines over to align it with the front wheels, and
reinstall it. This may leave the steering gear off-
center, giving the tractor a turning radius that is
biased in one direction.
14.17. To center the steering gear: See Figure 14.17.
Front of tractor
Segment gear stabilizer
(visible through hole)
Edge of slot in steering
(segment) gear
Figure 14.17
• Locate the 5/16" (7.9mm) hole in the frame,
beneath the gear, toward the front of the circular
embossment that supports the steering gear.
• Turn the steering wheel to position the end of the
curved slot in the steering gear in alignments
with the hole, so that a dowel pin passed through
the hole passes through the slot, but rests
against the end of the slot.
• viewing the steering gear from above: 12 teeth
of the steering gear should be on each side of
the pinion gear tooth that most deeply engages
the steering gear.
5/16" (7.9mm)
dowel used as stop
14.18. To adjust the drag link, it is necessary to
loosen the jam nut that locks the ball joint in
position. Hold the ball joint using a 1/2" wrench,
and loosen the nut using an 11/16" wrench.
See Figure 14.18.
Drag link
Jam nut
Ball joint
14.19. After the jam nut is loosened, remove the steer-
ing arm from the axle as described in the axle
bushing replacement procedure.
NOTE: This is preferable to separating the ball
joint from the steering arm because the center-
locking nut that secures the ball joint to the
steering arm distorts the threads on installation.
14.20. Rotate the steering arm and ball joint to thread
them up or down the drag link threads as neces-
sary to align the steering wheel.
14.21. Test-fit the steering arm to confirm alignment.
14.22. Once positioned:
• Tighten the steering arm clamp bolt to a torque
of 200-260 in-lb. (22.6 Nm-29.4 Nm). Replace
the nylon ring lock nut if it has lost its retaining
capabilities.
• Center the ball joint in its travel, so it does not
bind, and tighten the jam nut that secures it.
• Thoroughly test the operation of the steering
gear before returning the tractor to service.
24
Figure 14.18