changing the steering bridge casting on an HT-20

[ribertgropius]

Does anyone know if this can be done without removing major components (i.e. the engine!). Mine has two bolts on the left side cracked off...I found a casting at Sonny's bolens, but someone in the bolens club suggested it might be necessary to pull the engine to lift the old casting out and fit the new one in.

I was planning on pulling the steering wheel shaft, wheel and all, and I know I have to undo the hydraulic cylinder, but I was hoping I could just tilt the casting to slip it out between the frame rails. Am I mistaken?

If I am, I will live with what is there until a third one breaks, or, better yet, rig some other support to span over the casting (steel bar perhaps) on that side and bolt it through the frame holes to sort of hold that end in place.

The right thing to do, of course, would be to change the casting, but if I have to pull the engine I am not up to that at this point.

Thanks.

[sixchows]

I'm not sure you would have to remove the engine. Can you loosen the mounts and tilt it or pry it up enough to get the part out?

[AEGT5000]

ribertgropius,

If you are talking about the casting that supports the front axle
and the front PTO shaft, you should be able to replace it without
removing the engine. There are 4 bolts (2 on each side) holding
the casting to the chassis rails. With the bolts removed, the casting
should slide out toward the front of the tractor.

If the problem is limited to broken bolts, you may be able to drill
them out without removing the casting from the tractor. Even if
you kill the holes, you could oversize them and install threaded
inserts.

[ribertgropius]

The part to which I am referring is the cast iron "plate" that holds the steering wheel shaft, the pinion gear, and also one end of the lift cylinder. In my case, it isn't that the holes stripped; they actually cracked off.

I could try to drill through the steel and casting and thread new ones, but I think I would be at it for a long time, and even then the iron was thickened at the mounting points for strength.

At the moment, I am living with just the two bolts on one side; but I have the replacement bridge ready to install. When one more bolt fails (cracks off), or if I have to do some other repairs, I will try to tilt the old bridge out and replace it. Someone had told me I may need to move the engine to slide it out, but I am hoping they are incorrect; it seems to me there should be enough clearance.