# Mahindra 4500 2WD steering problem



## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

I just had my tractor HSU taken to the shop to replace a fluid seal in the inside top of the HSU unit(this is the steering unit at the bottom of the steering wheel drive shaft) I reinstall myself the HSU unit back on my tractor. Now I can turn the front wheel a little to the right or a little to the left. I cannot make any sharp turns, when I do my steering wheel turn around and around with the front tired moving a little or not much at all. I did not have this steering problem before I took my HSU unit to the repair shop to replace the leaking seal. Question 1.Could the repair shop incorrectly not set something right in the HSU while replacing the seal, that is causing the large play in my steering. Question 2 Could I have not connected my steering shaft to the HSU that may be causing all the play in steering????Please can someone give me some advice, or something I can check/test. When I pickup my tractor front wheels and the engine is not running, I turn the steering wheel and the front tired do not turn at all.


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## HarveyW (Sep 15, 2014)

Hi Dinnie, 
Sounds to me like you are running out of fluid? When you run out of fluid (with engine running), the steering wheel turns around and around, but the wheels don't turn.


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## Ed Williams (Jun 13, 2019)

You should hear the pump howl if it is running out of fluid. I would contact the repair shop and explain that it was working when it was brought it, but not working when returned. The least they can do is help diagnose the problem.


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Ed Williams said:


> You should hear the pump howl if it is running out of fluid. I would contact the repair shop and explain that it was working when it was brought it, but not working when returned. The least they can do is help diagnose the problem.


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks for the reply ED Williams: Base on what my tractor is doing, can you say that the problem is in the HSU. Because the fluid box is full of fluid. What about the steering wheel shaft that fits over/onto the HSU, could it not be sited in the HSU steering top pin????


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Ed Williams said:


> You should hear the pump howl if it is running out of fluid. I would contact the repair shop and explain that it was working when it was brought it, but not working when returned. The least they can do is help diagnose the problem.


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks for the reply ED WILLIAMS: Could it be some air is in the power steering line. I have a Mahindra 4500 2WD. Where on the power steering lines can you unbolt the fluid lines and bleed out any air. Is there a bolt or bleed cap anywhere on this model, that allow you to bleed out any air.


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Ed Williams said:


> You should hear the pump howl if it is running out of fluid. I would contact the repair shop and explain that it was working when it was brought it, but not working when returned. The least they can do is help diagnose the problem.





Ed Williams said:


> You should hear the pump howl if it is running out of fluid. I would contact the repair shop and explain that it was working when it was brought it, but not working when returned. The least they can do is help diagnose the problem.


HI ED WILLIAMS, I have replace a second HSU, still having the same issues, Tractor will not make sharp turns. drive a little, steering become hard to turn than will not turn the front wheels at all. Fluid reservoir is full, double checked and double checked, no leaks anywhere, pump is not howling, fluid is running hot. I found a hole in my manifold below the power steering fluid reservoir, should a small hole be in the manifold??? blowing down on the hydraulic pump. tractor now jacked up off both wheels, still steering wheel turn fully to the left, little to the right. Do the 4500 have both a power steering pump and a hydraulic pump, or do the 4500have a dual unit, which is the hydraulic pump??? Is my hydraulic bad, which is why my tractor steering fluid running hot and not steering???? Are there any instruction on the web that show how to remove the 4500 hydraulic pump????????


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## Carl59 (Nov 7, 2021)

I had the same problem. Except mine was caused by a power steering fluid leak at the fluid reservoir. It was letting air into the line I had to tighten the loose line and loosen the lines that went the the hydraulic cylinders on the front wheels and bleed the lines. I also have the 4500.,My fluid was also getting hot and wheels wouldn`t turn. Your power steering reservoir and your hydraulic reservoir are separate. Hydraulic is under the seat. I don`t know where the pump is but the hydraulics for your tractor shouldn`t have anything to do with the steering I would think .


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Carl59 said:


> I had the same problem. Except mine was caused by a power steering fluid leak at the fluid reservoir. It was letting air into the line I had to tighten the loose line and loosen the lines that went the the hydraulic cylinders on the front wheels and bleed the lines. I also have the 4500.,My fluid was also getting hot and wheels wouldn`t turn. Your power steering reservoir and your hydraulic reservoir are separate. Hydraulic is under the seat. I don`t know where the pump is but the hydraulics for your tractor shouldn`t have anything to do with the steering I would think .


THANKS YOU SO MUCH CARL59 for the response. I am trying everything I can before removing the power steering pump itself. Can you point to where you untighten/remove the power steering line at??? Was it on the side of the power steering fluid reservoir??? MY 4500 power steering fluid run from the fluid reservoir to the HSU. Two power steering lines run from the HSU(steering box under the steering wheel long rod) to the hydraulic cylinders under the front wheels. I did removed both of the power steering lines that connect directly to the cylinder under the front wheels, turned the steering wheel, and some power steering fluid did come out of the power steering lines. It appear that not enough force is pushing fluid to the front cylinders to turn the front wheels. Also I may not be bleeding my lines correctly. Thanks for the info about where the HY. pump is located. How do you properly bleed the power steering lines, or bleed out any air in them??????


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## Carl59 (Nov 7, 2021)

dinnie said:


> THANKS YOU SO MUCH CARL59 for the response. I am trying everything I can before removing the power steering pump itself. Can you point to where you untighten/remove the power steering line at??? Was it on the side of the power steering fluid reservoir??? MY 4500 power steering fluid run from the fluid reservoir to the HSU. Two power steering lines run from the HSU(steering box under the steering wheel long rod) to the hydraulic cylinders under the front wheels. I did removed both of the power steering lines that connect directly to the cylinder under the front wheels, turned the steering wheel, and some power steering fluid did come out of the power steering lines. It appear that not enough force is pushing fluid to the front cylinders to turn the front wheels. Also I may not be bleeding my lines correctly. Thanks for the info about where the HY. pump is located. How do you properly bleed the power steering lines, or bleed out any air in them??????


My air leak was where the lines connect to the fluid reservoir. The hose fitting could be tightened only very slightly but that was all it took to stop the leak. I once had the supply line to one of the cylinders on the front wheel to get broken. I also had the seals on one wheel cylinder go out. I had to bleed the lines the same way all three times. I loosened one line down by the wheel on one side only. Cranked the tractor and turned the steering wheel one direction only as fluid came out. Then closed the line and did the same thing on the other side while making sure to keep the fluid topped up. A couple of times did the trick. If I remember right I turned the steering wheel in the direction of the loosened line. I don`t know if the really matters or not. I`m to old to remember that far back.


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Carl59 said:


> My air leak was where the lines connect to the fluid reservoir. The hose fitting could be tightened only very slightly but that was all it took to stop the leak. I once had the supply line to one of the cylinders on the front wheel to get broken. I also had the seals on one wheel cylinder go out. I had to bleed the lines the same way all three times. I loosened one line down by the wheel on one side only. Cranked the tractor and turned the steering wheel one direction only as fluid came out. Then closed the line and did the same thing on the other side while making sure to keep the fluid topped up. A couple of times did the trick. If I remember right I turned the steering wheel in the direction of the loosened line. I don`t know if the really matters or not. I`m to old to remember that far back.


Thanks for that INFO. I will relook at my power steering lines going to the fluid reservoir. I did notice one line with the hose and clamps attached, do look a little wet, where the hose claps tighten on at. And as you say, it appear tight already, and it only going to let you tighten it up a little bit. If you can get to it, to tighten it.


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## dinnie (Jul 24, 2012)

Carl59 said:


> My air leak was where the lines connect to the fluid reservoir. The hose fitting could be tightened only very slightly but that was all it took to stop the leak. I once had the supply line to one of the cylinders on the front wheel to get broken. I also had the seals on one wheel cylinder go out. I had to bleed the lines the same way all three times. I loosened one line down by the wheel on one side only. Cranked the tractor and turned the steering wheel one direction only as fluid came out. Then closed the line and did the same thing on the other side while making sure to keep the fluid topped up. A couple of times did the trick. If I remember right I turned the steering wheel in the direction of the loosened line. I don`t know if the really matters or not. I`m to old to remember that far back.


HI CARL59: I would like your opinion. I recall you stated you had a Mahindra 4500, 2wd. My tractor do not have a line coming from the power steering reservoir to the front steering cylinders between the two front wheels. My steering fluid box has a one fluid line that run from the power steering reservoir to the, (power steering pump) that the device on the right side of the tractor, above the oil filter, below the power steering fluid reservoir. I have one lines that run from the power steering pump to the (HSU) the unit under the steering wheel. And there is two lines that run from the (HSU) to the power steering cylinder between the two front wheels. I have double/double checked all lines and bolts that transfer or bolt down all the fluid lines, and have found no leaks. Power steering reservoir is full. With my tractor jacked up off the front wheels, I unconnected the power fluid lines at the point where it connected to the front cylinder, doing this all myself, i got back in the sit turn the steering wheel, and fluid came out of each lines as I done each line one by one. I think my problem is in the power steering pump. I think when I power on the tractor, the power steering pump should have shot fluid out the power steering line where i had it connected without me turning the wheel at all. I think there is no air in my power steering lines, or a leak anywhere. I think the power steering pump is not pushing enough force in the lines to make the front wheels turn. So maybe I need to replace the power steering pump. Which is a job. I can list some other big jobs i have already done on my tractor 1. replaced the fuel tank, 2 replaced the front steering cylinder between the front wheels, 3 replace the stump jumper, replace the back bush hall turning rod seal. Please give me your advice, if you think also it is the power steering pump????????


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