4wd Front Axle/ Steering Issue - 1401D

[1938Case]

I bought a YM1401d last week (with Koyker 80 loader and Yanmar tiller). It is difficult to steer going forwards and almost impossible to steer when backing up. Zerks take grease and steering is decently tight. Axle has oil at the shaft level and looks normal (not milky). It looks to me like the housing that rotates at the wheel is rubbing (tipped out) on the wheel side as though the bearings are out (along the king pin). I have not taken it apart yet, but plan on it this winter. Do I just replace all the bearings and seals (vertical and horizontal) while I'm in there?

I've been going through this <https://www.hoyetractor.com/CTGY/14014WDEXTERNAL.htm> diagram looking at all the bearings, bushings, seals, etc. Lots of stuff packed into a small space!
Thanks,
Paul

[winston]

I would recommend taking it apart for inspection, then order parts needed.

[1938Case]

So I just got done taking apart and rebuilding. (part numbers for reference: https://www.hoyetractor.com/CTGY/14014WDEXTERNAL.htm)
Replaced: large seal 38, bearings 54 & 57, and upper seal 56. I made a few 'improvements' to the design after studying the load path. The upper bearing #54 is where the vertical load is transferred from lower housing into the upper housing via thrust load thru the bearing. Deep groove ball bearings are not rated for thrust load (only radial) so I replace with a same size angular contact ball bearing (7205: 10,000-lb combined static load capacity). Also, that bearing is above the level of case oil so I drilled and tapped a grease zerk into the housing filling the space around the spacer. The lower ball bearing I left sealed on the top to keep the grease and oil separate (bottom seal removed and exposed to case oil). I also put a couple of small holes in the upper seal to relieve pressure from the new greased area (if kept greased, should keep water out). Wheels re-aligned for slight toe in. I can upload progress pictures and elaborate further if anyone is interested.

It does steer a little better, but the bottom housing is still tipping out and it's still hard to steer even with an empty bucket. It looks to me like the pin is probably undersized and just deflecting that much under load. Maybe I need to custom fab a bracket to connect the lower housing to the upper part of the pin to create a double shear condition? That's what the later models and JD's have. This model just isn't meant for a loader I guess... Works will without the loader. FYI, the 135d and 155d (late models) have the same style axles which helped enormously for disassembly/ assembly and parts. Anybody else have this issue (1401d, 135d or 155d)?

[winston]

Very interesting. I opted to use a sealed bearing on top because of the bearing above oil level. Don't know why you still have tilting out. Something just doesn't sound right about that but I have no answer.