THIS! This is how to make an instruction video!!! No fluff! No BS! Edited perfectly to give clear instructions that are perfectly to the point! Thank you Phill Crocket!
This has got to be the best video for the average person. Although at the moment I am not having any issues with my steering. I am going to save this video.
Just got this beauty today, that's 14 years after came out: has 400 operating hours & i paid a ridiculous low amount. The previous owner gave up on her due to small aggravations such as this steering play issue...thanks.for the tutorial, I am committed to bring her back.
I just did my 2006, 155c, 48" deck that had original steering at 705 hrs. used on the farm with lots of stuff to steer around. Mine is the same as this video and you don't neeed to remove that plate. Open end wrench holds the nut and you can get your hand up there to get nut started back on. I also removed battery to replace upper bushing which you knock out with any dowel from below. I also removed the K-46 Tuff-Torq hydro and changed the oil and filter at the same time. Hydro and steering work like new again. Several videos on servicing the hydro but you need to have better mechanical skills or you can turn the mower into junk. You at least need to blow the mower off if not power wash it so it's clean to work on. I bought this mower new. Great mower, just normal belts, pulleys, etc. till now.
Our 13 yr old LA130 just quit steering to the left when my wife was mowing yesterday. my first thought was to look it up. I did, and found your very comprehensive, easy to follow video. Tomorrow, I'll check with our local JD dealer for the parts and get this good ol' workhorse up and going. Thank you very much, Phil!
In the middle of some work under my LA130, needed to see how a the plate removed to make sure I wasn’t fighting something I couldn’t see. You explained and showed what I needed. DIY guys rule!! Thank you!!
I couldn’t have fixed my steering without your video thank you so much for making it. You did a really good job putting it together and making it quick and to the point
This is the best video I found for this JD steering repair. I watched 3 times and took notes before attempting replacement of sector and pinion gears. All went exactly as described in your video. No surprises and now my LA120 steers like new. Thanks a million.
Phil, I cannot thank you enough. I just finished my steering repair after watching your video. You probably saved me about $200+ up here in Canada, and not to mention the hassle and wait time to get it to a shop.
I just noticed this was published 5 days before my John Deere LA135 steering did the same thing. Lucky me. This video is the only one I could find that actually showed the work in steps being done. Also, if I had not found this tutorial, I would have wasted hours doing it the wrong way, and maybe could not have finished. Thanks!! Saved me $200-$300 in labor i bet.
Anthony, your comment made my whole day! So glad my video helped you out. Please share it with your friends and family that might need this too. Thanks for the feedback!
PERFECT. This is the only video I watched. I just completed the installation. Everything went smoothly. I would never have thought of the bungee cord, and I appreciate the tips with the screwdriver and hammer. Thank you Phil!!
This is a great tutorial. Thanks! I'm getting ready to do this on a JD LA145. The pinion nut on the end of the steering shaft is 19mm (3/4" will work) the four nuts holding the steering plate to the frame are 10mm, the bolt and nut with the bushing that holds the connector gear to the plate is 15mm for the bolt head and 15mm for the inner nut. The steering kit should have come with a new bolt, nut and bushing, however, it doesn't come with a metal washer that is shown in the parts explosion so I bought one at the JD dealer.. The bolt that fits in the center slot on the sector gear is 15mm for the bolt and 13mm for the inner nut. My steering kit did not come with a new one so I had to go to the dealer to replace the bolt and nut since it was in bad shape. The steering arms are held with a 13mm wrench while removing/replacing the 17mm nut. Update: Wow, that pinion gear is a beeatch to get off. I've tried PB Blaster, a puller, a propane torch and a BFH and it still hasn't moved. I'm going to let it soak overnight. The next day I was finally able to remove it with the puller (Performance tools W140) while heating it again with a propane torch. You have to thread the nut partially back on to hold the puller bolt since it has a tapered end. There is a second bushing higher up on the steering shaft that should be replaced as well. My steering kit came with the extra bushing (both are same part number) I removed it by removing the battery and the U bracket under it. You can get to the upper bushing after lifting the steering shaft out and setting it to the side. I used some big needle nose pliers to remove it and put the new one in with a 15mm deep socket and 10" extension by tapping it lightly with a plastic deadblow hammer. Do yourself a favor and put anti-seize on the steering shaft before installing the new pinion gear. It will go on easily and, more importantly, will come off easier if you have to do this again! I also removed the steering wheel to make wheel alignment a little easier. I slapped a little anti-seize on that end of the steering shaft as well since the splines were a little rusty. It drives and steers like a dream now! I hope this helps others who need to do this.
After about 3hrs I did get everything off, that pinion was a pain as well as a washer stuck between frame and gears. finally lifted up on steering it came right off. Those OLD BOLTS were a pain. I also need a tie rod. Right now I'm price hunting. Once. again this has to be the best VID I've seen displayed step by step , GOOD JOB!!!!
As everyone else has noted, excellent tutorial - without watching this I would have taken it to John Deere and paid them to do it. These projects never go well for me - but with the step by step you provided, I got it done in reasonable time - with getting the pinion gear off the longest part of the project. This was a 2003 L130 and I think this was the original equipment (my dad purchased this from John Deere dealership new), so not surprising that it was stubborn. One note is that on these older models, I found that it did not have the replaceable plastic bushing but a permanent metal bushing. Also the pinion gear nut that John Deer gave me would not thread on - it felt and looked like it was cross threading, but the nut that was on it went right back on with no problem.
Just wanted to add my thanks along with all the other posters for this video. Followed your guidance and got the job on my LA135 knocked out in about an hour. So many great tips and clear, concise explanations.
Excellent video! Very well shot, narrated, and performed! A+ Watch out for that small, thin washer at approximately 3:32. Also, make sure your steering wheel is properly aligned when you put the pinion gear back on or your steering wheel will seem "crooked". It is an easy fix either by re-doing the pinion gear or re-aligning the steering wheel up above but it's easiest just to make sure that the "spokes" of the steering wheel are level when you put the pinion gear back on.
Fantastic video! I performed this repair over the weekend, everything went very well. Also changed out the transmission belt and idler pulleys while I was up in there. Thanks so much for the detailed steps and advice!
Super video! Thank you very much for taking the time to create a video with such a complete explanation of the job! I just fixed my LA145 this afternoon, thanks to you!
My steering just went out on my LA145 today right when I was almost done. I just replaced the deck spindles a few weeks ago. I knew this was coming eventually. My steering gear and pinion are stripped really bad. This is a great video and I'll go back to this when my parts come in and I can work on it. Thanks for the very informative video
Brady, thank you for the positive comment! You are the reason I keep making videos like this, and I appreciate you! You should have no problem fixing this mower on your own. It's all about remembering the order of things as you take it apart. Thanks again for the feedback!
Thank you sir showing this. This will make things much easier in the coming week .The LA and D have a very similar set-up. Just lost the gears on my D-170 last night. Order my new parts about an hour ago.
I have an old, 2007, JD X300. After nearly 700 hours of mowing the front wheels wouldn't turn just like you showed. I saw the center portion of the span of sector gear teeth were worn down to the point they no longer engaged with the pinion gear. The pinion gear was fine which was a good thing as it's welded on the bottom of the steering column. The whole steering column would have to be replaced for $165. I ordered a replacement X300 sector gear but when it arrived I couldn't install it. It was too dissimilar to fit my mower. My internet search didn't show a sector gear that looked like mine so I was left no alternative to repairing my gear. This was easier than I thought it would be. I used my MIG welder to add steel to the bunged-up gear teeth and ground the welds away until they looked like the original teeth. When I put it back together it worked pretty well.
This was a very helpful video thank you. I decided to try to do this without taking the deck off as suggested in the comments,. I was able to swap the gears out after taking the right side steering linkage loose at the tire, allowing more space to work. I was successful in the swap out of the gears without taking the deck off and it took me about 45 minutes to complete the job.
It's always nice to find a 'work-around'. My deck is so easy to take off, and I love room to work. I will admit.... one of the biggest reasons I had to do it, was to get my camera shots that I needed! HA! Anyway. glad my video helped you out. Thanks for the great feedback, Douglas!
Very descriptive how to video showing me exactly what I needed to know and how to do it. Thanks for making my life a bit easier. Parts are ordered and hopefully get it back together in a day or 2.
Yea.. IDID IT!!!!After watching your step by step video I changed my Steering Sector & Pinion Gear on my John Deere L118. While my L118 was every so slightly different, I could've and wouldn't have taken on the project without your video, showing the step by step guide. So, Again thank you. I also changed the belt and blades and lubed her up while I had the deck off. Deferred maintenance....Time taken 4 hours for everything
I thank you very much for this video. I was able to get parts on Amazon for $45. I checked with the local John Deere dealership to do the repairs. They wanted over $500 to do. I was able to do myself. It was very easy. Again, Thanks.
YES! Good to hear that my vid saved you money, Greg! The labor on these things are insane! The hourly rate that JD shops charge on some of this stuff is like big-city-lawyer fees. This job probably took me 2 to 3 hours to do......average would be $200 per hour at that rate. Cons!
Great video. I’ve replaced my gears three times. If I can add, when you have everything apart, check the plate itself where the sector gear mounts/pivots. The hole on my plate became an oval and caused everything to misalign. The gears were too far apart to mesh as a result. I replace the plate ($45-$50) and the steering is great now.
Thanks so much. I followed your video to the letter and I was able to complete a repair that I never thought myself capable of. Your vid was easy to understand and paused in stages that made following along easy.
Thanks Phil! While my model is a little different (S240), with the help of your video, I was able to get the steering fixed! Without this video I never would’ve even attempted it and I would have had to pay someone to do it. Excellent video! Quick and to the point!
Heya Phil, just wanted to add my thanks to the list you already have going. I'm nowhere near mechanically inclined, and your instructions were clear and concise. The only improvement I would suggest is identifying what size sockets and wrenches you used. Nevertheless, I figured it out and had the job done in 3.5 hours (with beer, tipping one back for you). THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!
Thanks for the GREAT feedback! I love it! Always feels good to do-it-yourself........ and of course save money. I appreciate your kinds words, my friend!
This is an extremely informational and professional video. If you have a LA 145 with steering problems this is the video you need. Thanks so much to Phil Crockett.
This 53 year old woman just replaced her very 1st rack and pinion on my John Deere mower...my 74 yr old mom handed me tools so I didnt have to climb back out from under the darn thing every 5 minutes. Hell yeah. Thank you!!!!!!!
my bf did it last time.Boy was he happy to have it all done when he got home from work. Now he thinks I can fix/replace the fuel filler neck on the car...and I might!!!! ha ha
Really useful. Would not have been able to replace the steering gear on my x140 without the clear instructions in the video without this even if getting the brake rod back in place turned out to be a bit of a mission! Thanks and greetings from South Africa
This video helped me tackle a job I otherwise would have left to the pros. Thanks again! You really made it easy to follow. I would also note that the plastic bushing which you removed after removing the gear piece, wasn't on mine. Well, it was but it wasn't the same. I finally figured out that the bushing wasn't plastic at all, but solid steel! I must have gotten lucky and maybe the manufacturer realized the plastic bushing was crap, so gave me a solid steel one to begin with. No complaints, as that's actually what I thought it should have been when i first learned that a plastic bushing was the most common. Wonder why they ever used plastic to begin with, but oh well, I'm mowing once more : )
Thank you very much for your help. I got stuck in the middle of mowing this weekend. I found the parts on Amazon. Thanks to you, my yard will be back in shape in no time!
Mike, if you have any other questions, please let me know. This is a very easy fix for sure. The hardest part is to find a way to hoist the front end up and secure it. I'm going to weld a nice hoist/cherry picker, maybe this fall. I'm always needing to hoist something......especially during deer season! Good luck. I'm glad you liked my video. Please share it with your friends and family.... if they don't have this steering issue now, they will at some point. God bless you my friend!
Thank you for this tutorial! Took me a while, but i did it! I have the d125, and it was just slightly different. Only one steering arm thing attached to the steering sector. Two trips to the hardware store and a nasty gash on my forearm that probably could have used stitches. I had one 15mm socket but needed two (or a wrench) and tried to cheat w a 5/8(?). That thing held real well til I started cranking on it hard then...bam!! It cut loose and my forearm met the steering sector at full speed. If anyone is going to attempt this, everything is metric...and don’t try to cheat!
wow! thanks for the tip, E Fleming! So sorry to hear about the wound. make sure you soak the cut in an antiseptic like iodine or the like. I have a whole cabinet of medicines that I need after certain projects. Glad my video helped you out. Flesh wounds heal way quicker than financial wounds. Good job on saving money. sorry you had to learn a crappy lesson, but I bet you will use the right size on the next project! Thanks again for watching and commenting, my friend!
Thanks for the great "how to" video. Had the parts but was confused how to begin. You really helped me out. Ready to go out there and make the repair with confidence.
Liz, glad this video helped you! When I posted this video, I had no idea how popular this video would be. Apparently it's a pretty common problem with these big-box mowers. It's also a very easy fix if you have the proper tools. Just be careful with the way you stabilize the mower when hoisting it up. I'd hate it if you got hurt. Enjoy doing it yourself and saving money! Please share my video with others that might need a helping hand. THANKS for the positive feedback, Liz! it really made my day!
Great info. I tried to get away cheap last year and just did the small gear, Guess it's time to go back and get a plate gear, bushing and new small gear. Only thing I saw you leave out was making sure the steering wheel was where it belongs ( as far as level) before installing the small gear.
Very nice. And thanks for not drowning yourself out with music soundtrack! I love music, but right now, I'm happier hearing what you are saying. Nice comments. Nice visuals. I've done this job once before, but nice to have such a clear reminder.
Phil: thank you so much for the thorough tutorial on how to complete this job. I could not have done it without watching this video. I truly appreciate the time you put into recording and editing this video. Thanks again.
+Tim Creef Ya, it's not a fun repair, but it's not hard either. Bet u could do it with your eyes shut next time. Hopefully, there won't be a next time!
No, No, No, Phil made it much harder than needed. You do NOT need to do the hassle of removing the plate. Remove the steering shaft pinion gear from shaft and lift up steering wheel which is needed to replace the both shaft bushings he neglected to show you. You have to remove battery and battery support to easily access upper nylon bushing. With steering shaft lifted up you can easily reach both bolt nuts with an open end wrench to take sector gear off from plate. Once sector gear drops down you can easily take steering linkage off. Then reverse process. You can easily get your hand above plate to put nut back on the 2 bolts. Drop steering shaft down through the 2 new Nylon bushings. Have wheels pointed forward and have steering wheel in correct position then place pinion gear on steering shaft so everything is correctly aligned. Really helps if you first use air to blow top of plate off so you can see what you are doing. Done this on my 155c and LA150 which is exactly the same and uses exact same parts. Good luck. 720 hrs. on my 155c because I don't abuse it and 510hrs. on LA150 as previous owner reefed on steering.
Hi Phil... just wanted to say many thanks for this video... the only one of its kind that I could find that clearly laid out the procedure for success in this rebuild. I have an L120 instead of the LA145... but they are so similar that the video worked great for me. The pinion gear on my mower was badly worn... the sector gear, however, was still in pretty good shape but I replaced it any way and now hopefully will never have to make this repair again. If you ever update the video... one thing I would suggest would be to point out that the main bracket that is held to the frame with the four bolts has cutouts that "go around" the operating rods for the brake and the drive pedals. You can't see the cutouts until you take it apart... and not realizing the cutouts are there had me thinking the repair would require much more disassembly than it did. Minor point though.... and again your video is great!! Best regards.... Tom
Glad my vid helped you out, Tom! Also.... thanks for the great tip. Maybe it will help someone else out. I would love that. Take care, my friend. Hope you like my other vids.
I just completed this step by step...I had to perform a few out of order but was still able to complete the task. Thanks for uploading. I'm not sure I could have done this W/O this video. Cheers !!!
THANK you for this! I watched the video a few times, took notes and went out and got 'er DUN! I had a bit of a hard time getting the pivot bolt off - it was ON there - took me 45 minutes before I went and asked for help. Another 45 minutes later we finally had it off. Other than that, it WAS easy - thanks for the very good tutorial!
so glad my video helped you out! It makes my day knowing that you were successful with this project from watching this. Thanks for the great feedback, Rita!
You'll be surprised how easy it is. BTW: I didn't have this in the video, but all moving parts should be greased. That's what the pro's are suggesting. Thanks for the positive feedback! Let me know how it went!
Thank you for taking the time to make and share your excellent video on how to change the steering gear and pinion. My gears just gave in today and I found your very informative step by step guide.
good video! right to the point and got the job done. Sorta skipped over the deck removal a litle quickly though. I never took one totally off before but hopefully it's self explanatory as you go.
Thanks Phil! This video was a big money saver for me! I have a D140 and this showed EXACTLY how to do it. Works great now - thanks for saving me a trip to the dealer!
I absolutely LOVE getting comments like yours. So glad you didn't have to shell out a ton of money on that yard jalopy! Thanks for taking the time to give positive feedback!
I bet John 🦌 and the other companies hate you, but we don't, all of us backyard mechanics love you, your tutorial was excellent, you made what seemed hard, easy. Thank you!
HA! I imagine JD is enjoying the prosperity of selling higher quality replacement parts for their sub-par box store mowers. Glad I can help you out, my friend! My LA 145 gave up it's transmission a year ago. I'm down to one L130, which is actually a pretty high quality JD. Back when they made better products. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
@@PhilCrockett I'm sure they are, hey, I have an older L130, 16yrs now, runs good still got good power, not quite like new but nonetheless good. Parts are wearing out naturally. Toe out is not good, deck still solid but a break in the meatal where grass comes out, just need some weld, blades on the little transmission fan are almost all gone. Went through bunch of deck belts, jd cost around 4o$ or more, they never wore out, they just break. I'm buying 15$ belts online now, quality not too good, lasting bout a year, cutting a good 3 acres. Besides all that I can't keep the batt. charged and go thru one about every 2 yrs or less. That being said do you have any info that can help me on those problems, also how do you check the oil or fluid in the transmission. Appreciate some advice 😊
You sound like you're in the same situation I'm in. I mow about 3 acres as well. No..... I've never messed with the transmission. That L130 just refuses to die. How I wish JD made products like that again. My dad bought a new Z series a few years ago. He had problems with it from the start. He finally traded it in for an Xmark zero turn. Now THAT'S an amazing mower. I hate to say it, but I'm done with JD. They have tanked badly over the years in quality.
Thanks for the excellent instructions and video, Phil. I had that exact problem with an LA145. I did notice that the pinion gear was stripped and took it off, then I found your video and was able to do the rest. Thanks again.
Glad my video helped you out. This LA145 gets worked on every year. right now, it has a transmission problem. won't go up hill. I'm thinking I'm done with it. My L130 has out lasted this thing. Once you get that mower fixed, get rid of it. I've been so disappointed with JD products. However, I sure have learned how to fix a lot of issues thanks to owning one.
Great video! I just did this job and must have watched this video 30 times while doing it, so great that you put it back together and didn't just say reverse it, that was helpful. I had a repair shop do this job 3 years ago and it was already stripped again, I just found out that was because the guy used the wrong bushing that was too loose for the steering shaft and installed the sector gear upside down, to add insult to injury he had the steering wheel on upside down, which drove me nuts lol. The guy kept my tractor for 6 weeks after saying it would be 14 days and charged me $300. I just did this job in 2 hours and $35 got the stuff off amazon and I'm a barely handy sort of guy. Thanks to your video I am back in action just in time for leaves! Really appreciate it! My tractor is a John Deere L110 and it was all the same procedure, I just double checked the internet to get the right parts for my model. Time for a cold one! Thanks!
Awesome video. I would mention keeping the wheel straight when attaching the pinion. Also, when you mention taking nuts and bolts off, it would be super informative to know the size of the socket used. I had to keep jumping back and forth in sockets. But it's a super informative video. Thank you
Thanks for adding the tips, Kelly! Maybe it will help someone else out. I love it that we can all help each other out on projects like this. Thanks for watching and commenting. Hope you find my other videos helpful too.
Helpful Video and I wish my attempt to repair steering went as smooth. Break Lever would not go back in place with steering arm assembled to plate and then 364B169 lever fell out and after several attempts I got that back in correctly. I took the plate on and off several times but finally got the work done. Next time it will be much easier but I hope the repair goes for years of use.
thankyou for showing me the right way to put it together! if it wasnt for this video i wouldnt have figured out where i went wrong on the installation on my rider.
Thanks, I had the same problem your video helped me tremendous I was going about it all wrong until I watched your video. Appreciate you taking the time
A couple of quick notes. At 1:55 it is not the brake lever but instead it’s the forward/reverse travel pedal lever. Also, save yourself some time at the end and put that lever back in place before you reinstall the pinion gear. That gives you enough clearance to do it easier than if you install the gear first.
Are u saying just the replace the lever before the pinion gear or do u think it should be done before the steering plate is put back on also? I'm getting ready to do mine, I don't see from video how the pinion gear is in the way by itself,
Great tutorial video Mr Crockett...Albeit, this job's "more involved" than what it appears to be on the surface! I'm sure most other pinion gears didn't come off, with the "simple twist" of the ol'screwdriver though?!? That was the toughest part, but nothing a little heat from a blowtorch and some PB Blaster couldn't take care of...Overall, several hours involved in the entire process, start to finish. This video was the "BEST" by far, over any of the others here on YT, when it comes to tackling steering rebuild of a JD LA145!
Thanks for the great comment! I didn't have any major issues with sticking parts on this particular project, but I have indeed experienced some horrible sticky parts in past projects. Thanks again for the positive feedback!
There is a 2nd bushing about 4 inchs up from the lower bushing in the frame too, I am in the middle of the job so not sure how important it is to replace the upper bushing but I bought a 4 pack so it will get replaced as well, I will put a micrometer on both bushings to gauge wear amounts, guessing the upper one doesn't take that much bearing load. Also, this is my 2nd go round in a short time because i thought i could get away with just replacing the pinion gear and lower bushing...that fix only lasted 2 mows! I was able to find a set that had pinion and sector gear only for under $25(October 2019). Also, in my hindsight I realized that both front tires had low pressure. ...good for traction but probably put more load on the steering system and prematurely aged my poor old gears. Overall, a good video and things shown the right sequence, only thing that might make it a little better would be to call out the nut/socket sizes more clearly but I was able to read the sizes on the side of Phil's sockets in the video, so all good. Also not at all related to this video as Phil clearly calls out its for a LA145 but there is one other size set of gears for other similar tractors, if your not sure you can count the teeth to make sure you get the right set, the set shown in this video for a LA145 is the same one used on mine which is a LA125 Automatic.
I really have a bad habit of not calling out the socket sizes. I just assume everyone goes about it like me. I never look at the sizes. I just pick the ones that fit and use them. That's how I've done it for years. You've got me wondering now, if that's an unusual thing. Hmmmmmmmmmm
FWIW, I am about to do mine, picked up all the parts through JD for just under $50 after reading some of the negative comments on the aftermarket parts wearing out after a few hours. In any case, JD parts have had a pretty good price drop in the past few years. I did confirm the second bushing is behind the battery box. Also, since I have so much slop at the steering wheel, I was looking for a way to repurpose one of the old bushings up higher. That was when I noticed the plate all the way near the top held in with 3 10mm screws was loose and floating all around. Snugged that up and the top end slop is gone. Just a hint, DO NOT overtighten the 3 screws. They are just molded into plastic standoffs and will not take a lot of punishment. Learned that on my Harley fairing! Oh, also picked up the press nut for about a quarter rather than waste time and patience trying to salvage the old one.
Great tip, Rags! indeed the JD replacement parts are WAY better quality than the aftermarket, and are WAY better than the parts they put on their own stuff for Big Box stores. You ought to see the different between the drag-links they sell as replacements compared to the garbage they install in the factory. If JD put their replacement parts on the mowers to begin with, these $2K mowers would cost $8K...... Sooooo..... I do understand why they do it. Most people that have these probably mow in-town size lots. I mow 3 acres of rough country ground that jars my teeth out once a week. Anyways.... Thanks again for the tips!
@@PhilCrockett My thanks to you.. This was the most helpful video on the net! I have spun some wrenches in my 73 years, but the tip about dropping the plate and putting the rods back in before replacing it saved a LOT time. That said, I only had 2 real fights. First one was trying to remove the big pivot bolt and nut. I swear at one point I was checking to see if they were welded in place. Finally put the nut in a big vise and turned the plate to break that loose. From that point on, it was clear sailing until the new small gear refused to go on the shaft. The old one was snug coming off , but the new one fought me all the way in spite of verifying the angles were right. Lube,gentle tapping, nothing worked. Finally cut a block of wood and went from the floor to the bottom of the gear, then tapped the top end of the shaft until I could get the nut to thread on. Next time that comes off, I'll buy a zero turn! LOL. Again, thanks much for an excellent video.
HA!! Yes!! Sounds like your experience is the same story I have on 99% of everything I work on. Last weekend I couldn't get a bolt to turn on my rear brake calipers on my truck. I stripped the head of it trying, and then put a pipe wrench on the rounded head with a cheater bar. Jumped around on it and called it names for about an hour. Long story short..... I paid $425 to have a mechanic in town do the job. OUCH!
What perfect timing! I'm getting ready to put spindles on my 45 year old Dynamark. My rack and pinion only slips when turned all the way right or left. It's got a bit of time left but, if Amazon has the piece, this is the time.
great video. if in a bind, if the pinion is the only gear stripped, you may be able to flip it over and reinstall - to get back mowing until the new one comes in.
@@PhilCrockett i have to eat my words. upon reassembly on mine, i just found that there is a collar made into the gear, so that it cannot be reversed. it is likely there to keep the gear stationary up the length of the shaft.
Excellent video, If you get a kit it will probably give you two bushings, look up the steering rod 6 to 8 inches from where the gear was and you'll see the second bushing I had to take my tie rods completely off because my bolts were not coming off easily, if at all possible and if needed replace all you can under there while you have everything off you will thank yourself later :)
Indeed. I didn't change mine, because it wasn't worn. In fact..... my mower's transmission went out about a year some time after I did this video. bummer
Probably because you don't need to remove the plate. Just use an open end wrench to hold the sector nuts and impact the bolts from below. The sector drops down so you can access the drag link nuts.
Glad this helped u out! It really isn't too difficult if u have the proper tools. It always feels good when I save the cost of labor. Thanks for the positive comment!
I knocked it out - twice. I installed the large bolt on the sector gear backwards, which left too much play in the steering. I'm glad I did it and definitely don't want to do it again. Thanks for your help.
David, that's great! It would be good to grease the moving parts too. You just saved yourself a lot of moo-lah. Thanks for the feedback, it makes my day. Please share my video with your friends. It's fun to help others, and I love the hits!
Thanks for the excellent tutorial. This seems to be a very common and frequent problem; enough that JD should have picked up on it and changed the materials for these gears by now.
I was told by a JD repairman that the parts are cheap in order to sell these at big box stores for an affordable price. If they put better parts in them, no one could afford one.
@@PhilCrockett I'm just talking about the two gears since they seem to be an early point of failure. That line could have been fed to that technician by his manager. We don't know.
I had a drag link break one time at the pivot end. I went to JD to order a new one. I took the new one out of the box to look at it before I paid for it. To my surprise, it was WAY beefier and better quality than the factory one. I even accused the salesman of getting the wrong one for my mower. He gave me the same story as my repairman friend did. I'm a believer now. However, I will say that the replacement gears didn't seem that much different than the factory ones. maybe it's just certain parts. idk.
Did this repair, as the old one was all caked in dirt. Now i have the full range of steering but it still seems stiff. Ive greased both wheel fittings and made sure their was sufficient air pressure in tires. I feel im missing something.
THIS! This is how to make an instruction video!!! No fluff! No BS! Edited perfectly to give clear instructions that are perfectly to the point! Thank you Phill Crocket!
Glad it helped!
This has got to be the best video for the average person. Although at the moment I am not having any issues with my steering. I am going to save this video.
That's a great idea!
Just got this beauty today, that's 14 years after came out: has 400 operating hours & i paid a ridiculous low amount. The previous owner gave up on her due to small aggravations such as this steering play issue...thanks.for the tutorial, I am committed to bring her back.
let me know how it went!
I just did my 2006, 155c, 48" deck that had original steering at 705 hrs. used on the farm with lots of stuff to steer around. Mine is the same as this video and you don't neeed to remove that plate. Open end wrench holds the nut and you can get your hand up there to get nut started back on. I also removed battery to replace upper bushing which you knock out with any dowel from below. I also removed the K-46 Tuff-Torq hydro and changed the oil and filter at the same time. Hydro and steering work like new again. Several videos on servicing the hydro but you need to have better mechanical skills or you can turn the mower into junk. You at least need to blow the mower off if not power wash it so it's clean to work on. I bought this mower new. Great mower, just normal belts, pulleys, etc. till now.
Our 13 yr old LA130 just quit steering to the left when my wife was mowing yesterday. my first thought was to look it up. I did, and found your very comprehensive, easy to follow video. Tomorrow, I'll check with our local JD dealer for the parts and get this good ol' workhorse up and going. Thank you very much, Phil!
You’re welcome, Sidney! Please let me know how it works out!
In the middle of some work under my LA130, needed to see how a the plate removed to make sure I wasn’t fighting something I couldn’t see. You explained and showed what I needed. DIY guys rule!! Thank you!!
So glad to hear my video helped you out! Hope my other videos are just as useful to you. Thanks for the nice feedback!
Excellent instructional video. No blather, no music, straight to the point. Well done. I've saved it too for later.
I try to make all my videos (to-the-point)
I couldn’t have fixed my steering without your video thank you so much for making it. You did a really good job putting it together and making it quick and to the point
Glad it helped!
This is the best video I found for this JD steering repair. I watched 3 times and took notes before attempting replacement of sector and pinion gears. All went exactly as described in your video. No surprises and now my LA120 steers like new. Thanks a million.
You're welcome!
Phil, I cannot thank you enough. I just finished my steering repair after watching your video. You probably saved me about $200+ up here in Canada, and not to mention the hassle and wait time to get it to a shop.
So glad I could help you out, my Canadian friend! I hope my other videos help you out as well!
I just noticed this was published 5 days before my John Deere LA135 steering did the same thing. Lucky me. This video is the only one I could find that actually showed the work in steps being done. Also, if I had not found this tutorial, I would have wasted hours doing it the wrong way, and maybe could not have finished. Thanks!! Saved me $200-$300 in labor i bet.
Anthony, your comment made my whole day! So glad my video helped you out. Please share it with your friends and family that might need this too. Thanks for the feedback!
PERFECT. This is the only video I watched. I just completed the installation. Everything went smoothly. I would never have thought of the bungee cord, and I appreciate the tips with the screwdriver and hammer. Thank you Phil!!
You're welcome!
this is one of the clearest video lawn mower repair videos on TH-cam!!! Thanks!!!
Glad it was helpful!
This is a great tutorial. Thanks! I'm getting ready to do this on a JD LA145. The pinion nut on the end of the steering shaft is 19mm (3/4" will work) the four nuts holding the steering plate to the frame are 10mm, the bolt and nut with the bushing that holds the connector gear to the plate is 15mm for the bolt head and 15mm for the inner nut. The steering kit should have come with a new bolt, nut and bushing, however, it doesn't come with a metal washer that is shown in the parts explosion so I bought one at the JD dealer.. The bolt that fits in the center slot on the sector gear is 15mm for the bolt and 13mm for the inner nut. My steering kit did not come with a new one so I had to go to the dealer to replace the bolt and nut since it was in bad shape. The steering arms are held with a 13mm wrench while removing/replacing the 17mm nut.
Update: Wow, that pinion gear is a beeatch to get off. I've tried PB Blaster, a puller, a propane torch and a BFH and it still hasn't moved. I'm going to let it soak overnight. The next day I was finally able to remove it with the puller (Performance tools W140) while heating it again with a propane torch. You have to thread the nut partially back on to hold the puller bolt since it has a tapered end.
There is a second bushing higher up on the steering shaft that should be replaced as well. My steering kit came with the extra bushing (both are same part number) I removed it by removing the battery and the U bracket under it. You can get to the upper bushing after lifting the steering shaft out and setting it to the side. I used some big needle nose pliers to remove it and put the new one in with a 15mm deep socket and 10" extension by tapping it lightly with a plastic deadblow hammer.
Do yourself a favor and put anti-seize on the steering shaft before installing the new pinion gear. It will go on easily and, more importantly, will come off easier if you have to do this again! I also removed the steering wheel to make wheel alignment a little easier. I slapped a little anti-seize on that end of the steering shaft as well since the splines were a little rusty.
It drives and steers like a dream now! I hope this helps others who need to do this.
Thanks for posting that! Hopefully it will help someone else out.
After about 3hrs I did get everything off, that pinion was a pain as well as a washer stuck between frame and gears. finally lifted up on steering it came right off. Those OLD BOLTS were a pain. I also need a tie rod. Right now I'm price hunting. Once. again this has to be the best VID I've seen displayed step by step , GOOD JOB!!!!
Rodrick, You made my day with your comment! SO glad I could help you out with my video. Thanks for taking the time to give positive feedback!!!
Clear and precise instructions - I would think this would be the same on my LX 255
Very good video - Thank You
you're welcome!
As everyone else has noted, excellent tutorial - without watching this I would have taken it to John Deere and paid them to do it. These projects never go well for me - but with the step by step you provided, I got it done in reasonable time - with getting the pinion gear off the longest part of the project. This was a 2003 L130 and I think this was the original equipment (my dad purchased this from John Deere dealership new), so not surprising that it was stubborn. One note is that on these older models, I found that it did not have the replaceable plastic bushing but a permanent metal bushing. Also the pinion gear nut that John Deer gave me would not thread on - it felt and looked like it was cross threading, but the nut that was on it went right back on with no problem.
very glad that my video helped you out, Jimmy! Thanks for watching and commenting. Hope you like my other videos too.
Just wanted to add my thanks along with all the other posters for this video. Followed your guidance and got the job on my LA135 knocked out in about an hour. So many great tips and clear, concise explanations.
THANKS, JIM! I appreciate you taking the time to give me the positive feedback!
Excellent video! Very well shot, narrated, and performed! A+ Watch out for that small, thin washer at approximately 3:32. Also, make sure your steering wheel is properly aligned when you put the pinion gear back on or your steering wheel will seem "crooked". It is an easy fix either by re-doing the pinion gear or re-aligning the steering wheel up above but it's easiest just to make sure that the "spokes" of the steering wheel are level when you put the pinion gear back on.
Great tips, E5Bobby!
Fantastic video! I performed this repair over the weekend, everything went very well. Also changed out the transmission belt and idler pulleys while I was up in there. Thanks so much for the detailed steps and advice!
So glad you found my video helpful! It's smart to changed out all that other stuff when it's convenient for sure. Thanks for the positive feedback!
Super video! Thank you very much for taking the time to create a video with such a complete explanation of the job! I just fixed my LA145 this afternoon, thanks to you!
You're very welcome!
My steering just went out on my LA145 today right when I was almost done. I just replaced the deck spindles a few weeks ago. I knew this was coming eventually. My steering gear and pinion are stripped really bad. This is a great video and I'll go back to this when my parts come in and I can work on it. Thanks for the very informative video
Brady, thank you for the positive comment! You are the reason I keep making videos like this, and I appreciate you! You should have no problem fixing this mower on your own. It's all about remembering the order of things as you take it apart. Thanks again for the feedback!
Thank you sir showing this. This will make things much easier in the coming week .The LA and D have a very similar set-up. Just lost the gears on my D-170 last night. Order my new parts about an hour ago.
Let me know how it works out for you, Damoose!
This was the best tutorial I have ever watched, Very detailed and very knowledgeable, great job, 1000 thumbs up.
Glad it was helpful, David! I appreciate your kind words!
@@PhilCrockett Great tutorial! Thanks! I knew what I had to do, but have clear visualised instructions saved me time.
I agree. Normally I would just go at it and figure it out as I go. This excellent tutorial will save me hours.
With no
socket or wrench sizes mentioned.
I have an old, 2007, JD X300. After nearly 700 hours of mowing the front wheels wouldn't turn just like you showed. I saw the center portion of the span of sector gear teeth were worn down to the point they no longer engaged with the pinion gear. The pinion gear was fine which was a good thing as it's welded on the bottom of the steering column. The whole steering column would have to be replaced for $165. I ordered a replacement X300 sector gear but when it arrived I couldn't install it. It was too dissimilar to fit my mower. My internet search didn't show a sector gear that looked like mine so I was left no alternative to repairing my gear. This was easier than I thought it would be. I used my MIG welder to add steel to the bunged-up gear teeth and ground the welds away until they looked like the original teeth. When I put it back together it worked pretty well.
I love the fabrication that you did. good job. must have taken a while, but at least you got the job done!
Thanks Phil. I did this to my LA125 today. Your clip gave me the knowledge and confidence to give it a go. Thanks for your help.
Glad it helped, Craig! Hope my other videos are just as useful.
This was a very helpful video thank you. I decided to try to do this without taking the deck off as suggested in the comments,. I was able to swap the gears out after taking the right side steering linkage loose at the tire, allowing more space to work. I was successful in the swap out of the gears without taking the deck off and it took me about 45 minutes to complete the job.
It's always nice to find a 'work-around'. My deck is so easy to take off, and I love room to work. I will admit.... one of the biggest reasons I had to do it, was to get my camera shots that I needed! HA! Anyway. glad my video helped you out. Thanks for the great feedback, Douglas!
Very descriptive how to video showing me exactly what I needed to know and how to do it. Thanks for making my life a bit easier. Parts are ordered and hopefully get it back together in a day or 2.
Let me know how it worked out
Yea.. IDID IT!!!!After watching your step by step video I changed my Steering Sector & Pinion Gear on my John Deere L118. While my L118 was every so slightly different, I could've and wouldn't have taken on the project without your video, showing the step by step guide. So, Again thank you. I also changed the belt and blades and lubed her up while I had the deck off. Deferred maintenance....Time taken 4 hours for everything
David, your comment made my whole day! So glad my video helped you out, brother!
I thank you very much for this video. I was able to get parts on Amazon for $45. I checked with the local John Deere dealership to do the repairs. They wanted over $500 to do. I was able to do myself. It was very easy. Again, Thanks.
YES! Good to hear that my vid saved you money, Greg! The labor on these things are insane! The hourly rate that JD shops charge on some of this stuff is like big-city-lawyer fees. This job probably took me 2 to 3 hours to do......average would be $200 per hour at that rate. Cons!
Wish all DIY fix it videos were this clear , concise and WELL DONE! Thanks
Thanks, Coleman!
Great video. I’ve replaced my gears three times. If I can add, when you have everything apart, check the plate itself where the sector gear mounts/pivots. The hole on my plate became an oval and caused everything to misalign. The gears were too far apart to mesh as a result. I replace the plate ($45-$50) and the steering is great now.
Thanks for the info, Steve!
Excellent point
This has got to be THE BEST instructional video I have ever seen. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! I now have confidence to tackle this job.
THANKS!
Thanks so much. I followed your video to the letter and I was able to complete a repair that I never thought myself capable of. Your vid was easy to understand and paused in stages that made following along easy.
This is the kind of comment that keeps me making videos! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Myles! Hope you like my other vids as well!
Thanks Phil! While my model is a little different (S240), with the help of your video, I was able to get the steering fixed! Without this video I never would’ve even attempted it and I would have had to pay someone to do it. Excellent video! Quick and to the point!
Glad it helped!
I also have an S240. Was there anything different about fixing your S240 vs the model in the video?
Heya Phil, just wanted to add my thanks to the list you already have going. I'm nowhere near mechanically inclined, and your instructions were clear and concise. The only improvement I would suggest is identifying what size sockets and wrenches you used. Nevertheless, I figured it out and had the job done in 3.5 hours (with beer, tipping one back for you). THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!
Thanks for the GREAT feedback! I love it! Always feels good to do-it-yourself........ and of course save money. I appreciate your kinds words, my friend!
This is an extremely informational and professional video. If you have a LA 145 with steering problems this is the video you need. Thanks so much to Phil Crockett.
THANKS! Your comment makes my day!
This 53 year old woman just replaced her very 1st rack and pinion on my John Deere mower...my 74 yr old mom handed me tools so I didnt have to climb back out from under the darn thing every 5 minutes. Hell yeah. Thank you!!!!!!!
You ROCK! Made my day getting this comment from you! Thanks for the GREAT feedback!
my bf did it last time.Boy was he happy to have it all done when he got home from work. Now he thinks I can fix/replace the fuel filler neck on the car...and I might!!!! ha ha
Shawna, you can do anything any person can do.
Really useful. Would not have been able to replace the steering gear on my x140 without the clear instructions in the video without this even if getting the brake rod back in place turned out to be a bit of a mission! Thanks and greetings from South Africa
So glad my video helped you out, Theo!
This video helped me tackle a job I otherwise would have left to the pros. Thanks again! You really made it easy to follow. I would also note that the plastic bushing which you removed after removing the gear piece, wasn't on mine. Well, it was but it wasn't the same. I finally figured out that the bushing wasn't plastic at all, but solid steel! I must have gotten lucky and maybe the manufacturer realized the plastic bushing was crap, so gave me a solid steel one to begin with. No complaints, as that's actually what I thought it should have been when i first learned that a plastic bushing was the most common. Wonder why they ever used plastic to begin with, but oh well, I'm mowing once more : )
You're comment makes my day! Thanks for taking the time to give me such great feedback. I love knowing that I helped someone out!
Thank you very much for your help. I got stuck in the middle of mowing this weekend. I found the parts on Amazon. Thanks to you, my yard will be back in shape in no time!
Mike, if you have any other questions, please let me know. This is a very easy fix for sure. The hardest part is to find a way to hoist the front end up and secure it. I'm going to weld a nice hoist/cherry picker, maybe this fall. I'm always needing to hoist something......especially during deer season! Good luck. I'm glad you liked my video. Please share it with your friends and family.... if they don't have this steering issue now, they will at some point. God bless you my friend!
Thank you for this tutorial! Took me a while, but i did it! I have the d125, and it was just slightly different. Only one steering arm thing attached to the steering sector.
Two trips to the hardware store and a nasty gash on my forearm that probably could have used stitches. I had one 15mm socket but needed two (or a wrench) and tried to cheat w a 5/8(?). That thing held real well til I started cranking on it hard then...bam!! It cut loose and my forearm met the steering sector at full speed. If anyone is going to attempt this, everything is metric...and don’t try to cheat!
wow! thanks for the tip, E Fleming! So sorry to hear about the wound. make sure you soak the cut in an antiseptic like iodine or the like. I have a whole cabinet of medicines that I need after certain projects. Glad my video helped you out. Flesh wounds heal way quicker than financial wounds. Good job on saving money. sorry you had to learn a crappy lesson, but I bet you will use the right size on the next project! Thanks again for watching and commenting, my friend!
Thanks for the great "how to" video. Had the parts but was confused how to begin. You really helped me out. Ready to go out there and make the repair with confidence.
Liz, glad this video helped you! When I posted this video, I had no idea how popular this video would be. Apparently it's a pretty common problem with these big-box mowers. It's also a very easy fix if you have the proper tools. Just be careful with the way you stabilize the mower when hoisting it up. I'd hate it if you got hurt. Enjoy doing it yourself and saving money! Please share my video with others that might need a helping hand. THANKS for the positive feedback, Liz! it really made my day!
Thank you!! I watched several videos on this and yours was the easiest step by step and clearest professional feeling I saw.
THANKS, Shane!
Top notched tutorial! Best instructional video on TH-cam! Thank you Phil!
Wow, thanks, John!!!! Hope you find my other ones just as useful!
Great info. I tried to get away cheap last year and just did the small gear, Guess it's time to go back and get a plate gear, bushing and new small gear. Only thing I saw you leave out was making sure the steering wheel was where it belongs ( as far as level) before installing the small gear.
Right on!
Great how-to video, very easy to follow. I was able to get this done last night after work.
Excellent! glad my video helped you out. THANKS FOR SUBBING!!!!
Very nice. And thanks for not drowning yourself out with music soundtrack! I love music, but right now, I'm happier hearing what you are saying. Nice comments. Nice visuals. I've done this job once before, but nice to have such a clear reminder.
I appreciate that!
Phil: thank you so much for the thorough tutorial on how to complete this job. I could not have done it without watching this video. I truly appreciate the time you put into recording and editing this video. Thanks again.
Rick, Your comment makes my day! Thanks for the kind and encouraging words!
Thanks for making this video. Made the process much easier even thought the repair was more involved than I thought it would be. Kudos Phil!
+Tim Creef Ya, it's not a fun repair, but it's not hard either. Bet u could do it with your eyes shut next time. Hopefully, there won't be a next time!
No, No, No, Phil made it much harder than needed. You do NOT need to do the hassle of removing the plate. Remove the steering shaft pinion gear from shaft and lift up steering wheel which is needed to replace the both shaft bushings he neglected to show you. You have to remove battery and battery support to easily access upper nylon bushing. With steering shaft lifted up you can easily reach both bolt nuts with an open end wrench to take sector gear off from plate. Once sector gear drops down you can easily take steering linkage off. Then reverse process. You can easily get your hand above plate to put nut back on the 2 bolts. Drop steering shaft down through the 2 new Nylon bushings. Have wheels pointed forward and have steering wheel in correct position then place pinion gear on steering shaft so everything is correctly aligned. Really helps if you first use air to blow top of plate off so you can see what you are doing. Done this on my 155c and LA150 which is exactly the same and uses exact same parts. Good luck. 720 hrs. on my 155c because I don't abuse it and 510hrs. on LA150 as previous owner reefed on steering.
Thanks, It always makes it easier to have watch someone do it before attempting.
Indeed it does, Jo! thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi Phil... just wanted to say many thanks for this video... the only one of its kind that I could find that clearly laid out the procedure for success in this rebuild. I have an L120 instead of the LA145... but they are so similar that the video worked great for me. The pinion gear on my mower was badly worn... the sector gear, however, was still in pretty good shape but I replaced it any way and now hopefully will never have to make this repair again. If you ever update the video... one thing I would suggest would be to point out that the main bracket that is held to the frame with the four bolts has cutouts that "go around" the operating rods for the brake and the drive pedals. You can't see the cutouts until you take it apart... and not realizing the cutouts are there had me thinking the repair would require much more disassembly than it did. Minor point though.... and again your video is great!! Best regards.... Tom
Glad my vid helped you out, Tom! Also.... thanks for the great tip. Maybe it will help someone else out. I would love that. Take care, my friend. Hope you like my other vids.
I just completed this step by step...I had to perform a few out of order but was still able to complete the task. Thanks for uploading. I'm not sure I could have done this W/O this video. Cheers !!!
your post made my day! Glad my video helped you out. Thanks for the positive comment!
Really appreciate it, one of the best how to videos I've seen in a long time. I'm back in action. Thank you!!
NICE! I love it! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Joe!
This is probably the best DIY video I’ve seen on TH-cam. Bravo!
That means a lot to me! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
One of the best videos I've watched. Very thorough and easy to follow. Thank you so much
you're welcome!! thanks for watching. Hope my other videos are just as useful to you.
THANK you for this! I watched the video a few times, took notes and went out and got 'er DUN! I had a bit of a hard time getting the pivot bolt off - it was ON there - took me 45 minutes before I went and asked for help. Another 45 minutes later we finally had it off. Other than that, it WAS easy - thanks for the very good tutorial!
so glad my video helped you out! It makes my day knowing that you were successful with this project from watching this. Thanks for the great feedback, Rita!
Thanks for this. Glad I found this video. With a slight difference on the L100 (no brake bar), this was all I needed to get the job done.
Good to know! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, Ted!
Thanks for your effort. Your helping a whole crowd of us to steer clear of the dealers cashpoint.
Glad to help!
Nice video. My steering just crapped out today. You've given me the confidence to repair it myself.
You'll be surprised how easy it is. BTW: I didn't have this in the video, but all moving parts should be greased. That's what the pro's are suggesting. Thanks for the positive feedback! Let me know how it went!
Thank you for taking the time to make and share your excellent video on how to change the steering gear and pinion. My gears just gave in today and I found your very informative step by step guide.
david, glad you found my video! I would love it if you commented on your finished product. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for this video. I followed your excellent instructions and completed the job with relative ease! You made it happen!
That's great! I love the success story. I also appreciate you taking the time to give me the nice comment! Thanks, Taylor!
good video! right to the point and got the job done. Sorta skipped over the deck removal a litle quickly though. I never took one totally off before but hopefully it's self explanatory as you go.
This video was super helpful!! Thanks a million for sharing. Changed this on my LA115 and it works great now.
Excellent! Thanks for taking the time to comment
Thanks Phil! This video was a big money saver for me! I have a D140 and this showed EXACTLY how to do it. Works great now - thanks for saving me a trip to the dealer!
I absolutely LOVE getting comments like yours. So glad you didn't have to shell out a ton of money on that yard jalopy! Thanks for taking the time to give positive feedback!
$30 for parts, took me 2 hours. Local shop would have charged me $325. You’re awesome.
glad I can help!
I bet John 🦌 and the other companies hate you, but we don't, all of us backyard mechanics love you, your tutorial was excellent, you made what seemed hard, easy. Thank you!
HA! I imagine JD is enjoying the prosperity of selling higher quality replacement parts for their sub-par box store mowers. Glad I can help you out, my friend! My LA 145 gave up it's transmission a year ago. I'm down to one L130, which is actually a pretty high quality JD. Back when they made better products. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
@@PhilCrockett I'm sure they are, hey, I have an older L130, 16yrs now, runs good still got good power, not quite like new but nonetheless good. Parts are wearing out naturally. Toe out is not good, deck still solid but a break in the meatal where grass comes out, just need some weld, blades on the little transmission fan are almost all gone. Went through bunch of deck belts, jd cost around 4o$ or more, they never wore out, they just break. I'm buying 15$ belts online now, quality not too good, lasting bout a year, cutting a good 3 acres. Besides all that I can't keep the batt. charged and go thru one about every 2 yrs or less. That being said do you have any info that can help me on those problems, also how do you check the oil or fluid in the transmission. Appreciate some advice 😊
You sound like you're in the same situation I'm in. I mow about 3 acres as well.
No..... I've never messed with the transmission. That L130 just refuses to die. How I wish JD made products like that again. My dad bought a new Z series a few years ago. He had problems with it from the start. He finally traded it in for an Xmark zero turn. Now THAT'S an amazing mower. I hate to say it, but I'm done with JD. They have tanked badly over the years in quality.
Great step by step video! I was able to fix my John Deere LA 105 by watching this! Thank you!
Glad it helped, Alice!
Thanks for the excellent instructions and video, Phil. I had that exact problem with an LA145. I did notice that the pinion gear was stripped and took it off, then I found your video and was able to do the rest. Thanks again.
Glad my video helped you out. This LA145 gets worked on every year. right now, it has a transmission problem. won't go up hill. I'm thinking I'm done with it. My L130 has out lasted this thing. Once you get that mower fixed, get rid of it. I've been so disappointed with JD products. However, I sure have learned how to fix a lot of issues thanks to owning one.
Great video! I just did this job and must have watched this video 30 times while doing it, so great that you put it back together and didn't just say reverse it, that was helpful. I had a repair shop do this job 3 years ago and it was already stripped again, I just found out that was because the guy used the wrong bushing that was too loose for the steering shaft and installed the sector gear upside down, to add insult to injury he had the steering wheel on upside down, which drove me nuts lol. The guy kept my tractor for 6 weeks after saying it would be 14 days and charged me $300. I just did this job in 2 hours and $35 got the stuff off amazon and I'm a barely handy sort of guy. Thanks to your video I am back in action just in time for leaves! Really appreciate it! My tractor is a John Deere L110 and it was all the same procedure, I just double checked the internet to get the right parts for my model. Time for a cold one! Thanks!
You're comment made my whole day! Thank YOU so much for taking the time to write such positive feedback!
This deserves more likes. Awesome job explaining and pausing to point things out
It's definitely one of my more popular videos. I love knowing it is helped so many people out. Thank you for your nice comment.
been fighting mine for an hour... you just saved me a ton of time...thank you!!!
Glad I could help, Mike!
Awesome video. I would mention keeping the wheel straight when attaching the pinion. Also, when you mention taking nuts and bolts off, it would be super informative to know the size of the socket used. I had to keep jumping back and forth in sockets. But it's a super informative video. Thank you
Thanks for adding the tips, Kelly! Maybe it will help someone else out. I love it that we can all help each other out on projects like this. Thanks for watching and commenting. Hope you find my other videos helpful too.
Helpful Video and I wish my attempt to repair steering went as smooth. Break Lever would not go back in place with steering arm assembled to plate and then 364B169 lever fell out and after several attempts I got that back in correctly. I took the plate on and off several times but finally got the work done. Next time it will be much easier but I hope the repair goes for years of use.
so glad my video helped you out, Jean! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
thankyou for showing me the right way to put it together! if it wasnt for this video i wouldnt have figured out where i went wrong on the installation on my rider.
You bet! Thanks for watching and commenting, Travis!
Thanks, I had the same problem your video helped me tremendous I was going about it all wrong until I watched your video. Appreciate you taking the time
That's fantastic! I love hearing that my video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
A couple of quick notes. At 1:55 it is not the brake lever but instead it’s the forward/reverse travel pedal lever. Also, save yourself some time at the end and put that lever back in place before you reinstall the pinion gear. That gives you enough clearance to do it easier than if you install the gear first.
thanks for the tip., Steve
Are u saying just the replace the lever before the pinion gear or do u think it should be done before the steering plate is put back on also? I'm getting ready to do mine, I don't see from video how the pinion gear is in the way by itself,
This saved my butt today. Watch and changing gears is a breeze. Awesome info for DIYer’s.
It's so good to hear that my video helped you out! Thanks for the positive feedback, Conrad!
Great tutorial video Mr Crockett...Albeit, this job's "more involved" than what it appears to be on the surface! I'm sure most other pinion gears didn't come off, with the "simple twist" of the ol'screwdriver though?!? That was the toughest part, but nothing a little heat from a blowtorch and some PB Blaster couldn't take care of...Overall, several hours involved in the entire process, start to finish. This video was the "BEST" by far, over any of the others here on YT, when it comes to tackling steering rebuild of a JD LA145!
Thanks for the great comment! I didn't have any major issues with sticking parts on this particular project, but I have indeed experienced some horrible sticky parts in past projects. Thanks again for the positive feedback!
Excellent step by step tutorial, followed your instructions to the dot - job complete. Thank you a million.
Glad it helped!
Fantastic. Much easier than I had feared. 🙂Thank you so much.
You're welcome!
Wish all tutorials were like this. Excellent
Glad you think so!.... also..... thanks for subbing, my friend!
There is a 2nd bushing about 4 inchs up from the lower bushing in the frame too, I am in the middle of the job so not sure how important it is to replace the upper bushing but I bought a 4 pack so it will get replaced as well, I will put a micrometer on both bushings to gauge wear amounts, guessing the upper one doesn't take that much bearing load. Also, this is my 2nd go round in a short time because i thought i could get away with just replacing the pinion gear and lower bushing...that fix only lasted 2 mows! I was able to find a set that had pinion and sector gear only for under $25(October 2019). Also, in my hindsight I realized that both front tires had low pressure. ...good for traction but probably put more load on the steering system and prematurely aged my poor old gears. Overall, a good video and things shown the right sequence, only thing that might make it a little better would be to call out the nut/socket sizes more clearly but I was able to read the sizes on the side of Phil's sockets in the video, so all good. Also not at all related to this video as Phil clearly calls out its for a LA145 but there is one other size set of gears for other similar tractors, if your not sure you can count the teeth to make sure you get the right set, the set shown in this video for a LA145 is the same one used on mine which is a LA125 Automatic.
I really have a bad habit of not calling out the socket sizes. I just assume everyone goes about it like me. I never look at the sizes. I just pick the ones that fit and use them. That's how I've done it for years. You've got me wondering now, if that's an unusual thing. Hmmmmmmmmmm
FWIW, I am about to do mine, picked up all the parts through JD for just under $50 after reading some of the negative comments on the aftermarket parts wearing out after a few hours. In any case, JD parts have had a pretty good price drop in the past few years. I did confirm the second bushing is behind the battery box. Also, since I have so much slop at the steering wheel, I was looking for a way to repurpose one of the old bushings up higher. That was when I noticed the plate all the way near the top held in with 3 10mm screws was loose and floating all around. Snugged that up and the top end slop is gone. Just a hint, DO NOT overtighten the 3 screws. They are just molded into plastic standoffs and will not take a lot of punishment. Learned that on my Harley fairing! Oh, also picked up the press nut for about a quarter rather than waste time and patience trying to salvage the old one.
Great tip, Rags! indeed the JD replacement parts are WAY better quality than the aftermarket, and are WAY better than the parts they put on their own stuff for Big Box stores. You ought to see the different between the drag-links they sell as replacements compared to the garbage they install in the factory. If JD put their replacement parts on the mowers to begin with, these $2K mowers would cost $8K...... Sooooo..... I do understand why they do it. Most people that have these probably mow in-town size lots. I mow 3 acres of rough country ground that jars my teeth out once a week. Anyways.... Thanks again for the tips!
@@PhilCrockett My thanks to you.. This was the most helpful video on the net! I have spun some wrenches in my 73 years, but the tip about dropping the plate and putting the rods back in before replacing it saved a LOT time. That said, I only had 2 real fights. First one was trying to remove the big pivot bolt and nut. I swear at one point I was checking to see if they were welded in place. Finally put the nut in a big vise and turned the plate to break that loose. From that point on, it was clear sailing until the new small gear refused to go on the shaft. The old one was snug coming off , but the new one fought me all the way in spite of verifying the angles were right. Lube,gentle tapping, nothing worked. Finally cut a block of wood and went from the floor to the bottom of the gear, then tapped the top end of the shaft until I could get the nut to thread on. Next time that comes off, I'll buy a zero turn! LOL. Again, thanks much for an excellent video.
HA!! Yes!! Sounds like your experience is the same story I have on 99% of everything I work on. Last weekend I couldn't get a bolt to turn on my rear brake calipers on my truck. I stripped the head of it trying, and then put a pipe wrench on the rounded head with a cheater bar. Jumped around on it and called it names for about an hour. Long story short..... I paid $425 to have a mechanic in town do the job. OUCH!
What perfect timing! I'm getting ready to put spindles on my 45 year old Dynamark. My rack and pinion only slips when turned all the way right or left. It's got a bit of time left but, if Amazon has the piece, this is the time.
Yep. Might as well fix the whole darn thing if ur going to take it apart. Hope my video helps u out. Thanks for the comment
@@PhilCrockett Yep, do it one all at once so it won't have to come apart again for a while
Great, informative step by step video. Just what I needed. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
great video. if in a bind, if the pinion is the only gear stripped, you may be able to flip it over and reinstall - to get back mowing until the new one comes in.
good idea.
@@PhilCrockett i have to eat my words. upon reassembly on mine, i just found that there is a collar made into the gear, so that it cannot be reversed. it is likely there to keep the gear stationary up the length of the shaft.
Ya.... I was thinking about that, but I didn't know your situation.
By far the best video on the subject!
THANKS!!!
Very well spoken and performed. Great speaker.Thank you
Glad my video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Excellent video, If you get a kit it will probably give you two bushings, look up the steering rod 6 to 8 inches from where the gear was and you'll see the second bushing I had to take my tie rods completely off because my bolts were not coming off easily, if at all possible and if needed replace all you can under there while you have everything off you will thank yourself later :)
Indeed. I didn't change mine, because it wasn't worn. In fact..... my mower's transmission went out about a year some time after I did this video. bummer
Why would anyone thumb this down? Excellent tutorial.
Thanks, Brad!!!!
Probably because you don't need to remove the plate. Just use an open end wrench to hold the sector nuts and impact the bolts from below. The sector drops down so you can access the drag link nuts.
Great video. Some people dont edit them right and is hard to understand the how to's. Thank you.
Glad my video helped you out! Thanks for the comment!
Now that’s a “how-to” video. Very good. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Great video, straight to the point. Thanks for making it.
Thanks for watching, George! Hope my other videos are just as useful to you
Great video with easy to follow instructions, very helpful, thanks!
Glad this helped u out! It really isn't too difficult if u have the proper tools. It always feels good when I save the cost of labor. Thanks for the positive comment!
PERFECT DIY VIDEO. It worked on my John Deere D140 model.
Glad it helped! Hope you like my other videos as well!
Very good video.I like the shots and great description.Thank you.
Thanks, Harry! Hope you find my other videos just as useful!
I knocked it out - twice. I installed the large bolt on the sector gear backwards, which left too much play in the steering. I'm glad I did it and definitely don't want to do it again. Thanks for your help.
David, that's great! It would be good to grease the moving parts too. You just saved yourself a lot of moo-lah. Thanks for the feedback, it makes my day. Please share my video with your friends. It's fun to help others, and I love the hits!
Will do. Thanks again!
Thanks for the excellent tutorial. This seems to be a very common and frequent problem; enough that JD should have picked up on it and changed the materials for these gears by now.
I was told by a JD repairman that the parts are cheap in order to sell these at big box stores for an affordable price. If they put better parts in them, no one could afford one.
@@PhilCrockett I'm just talking about the two gears since they seem to be an early point of failure. That line could have been fed to that technician by his manager. We don't know.
I had a drag link break one time at the pivot end. I went to JD to order a new one. I took the new one out of the box to look at it before I paid for it. To my surprise, it was WAY beefier and better quality than the factory one. I even accused the salesman of getting the wrong one for my mower. He gave me the same story as my repairman friend did. I'm a believer now. However, I will say that the replacement gears didn't seem that much different than the factory ones. maybe it's just certain parts. idk.
Did this repair, as the old one was all caked in dirt. Now i have the full range of steering but it still seems stiff. Ive greased both wheel fittings and made sure their was sufficient air pressure in tires. I feel im missing something.
Could try spraying some lubricant on the moving parts. Some people actually grease the parts, but it doesn't last the whole moving season.
Great video. No bs and long wind. Very well done!!!!! And helpful!!!
Thanks, Andy!