Hi have a 1966 966 b pay loader serial number 57h310 that only wants to steer one way and the other way about a third of the way I can adjust the following linkage and get it to steer the other way but wont turn the direction that it first would does not seem to be any happy medium.When this happens in the direction it wont turn the steering wheel will only turn a third of a rotation, I can pull on the hydraulic valve that runs the steering and it will turn both directions in there full range Is it the steering box that is no good or what do i look for.And where would I find a different steering box for something of this age Thanks

I think Garlic Pete rebuilt one on a 966 a few years ago so you might look that up.

I’ve done one 944 and a 922. There’s some differences between those two in how the hydraulic assist valve gets its signal from the steering box. Don’t know how yours would be configured but I’m wondering if the valve “Neutral” needs adjusting to the steering box center/straight ahead position.

The smaller loaders steering box uses a proprietary roller bearing mounted “ finger” or follower that runs in a worm gear on the bottom of a hollow tubular steering shaft. The CAT disk in the center of the steering wheel gets lost and rainwater makes it down the hollow shaft and the first thing in the box that goes is the bearing on the finger. Last time I looked that part was available from CAT but was crazy expensive.

Thank you I will try and find Garlic Pete's post from on here

ME again I did find Garlic Pete's thread on fixing steering on a 966 but that is for a older 966 yet.Can someone tell me if that gear box from the steering on the two machines are the same, if I should take it apart and see if there is something wrong inside it two i did try and adjust the steering valve adjustment rod and that did not help.

Hi Team,
I have usually found that the lever from the steer box to the steer valve spool did not travel far enough due to rust eating working surfaces away inside the box, as CCJ said, on the followup groove on the worm shaft and the working edges of the lever that works in the groove to move the spool.
Also check for wear the small shaft these levers are on in the top of the Steer box. Have seen a lot of wear here that reduces effective stroke of the spool. Check the rose joint in the linkage rod from the Steer box to the steer valve spool.

Inside the follow up system at the lever on the front frame there is a ballstud, used to centralise turns, that wears and also causes lost motion--it is a bit of a hassle to adjust wear out of this ball stud as the mechanism needs to be part dismantled as the cup adjustment screw is hidden inside, sorry I do not have a Serv. Manual on these.

Also the follow up arm on the main fame can get bent if people try and turn the machine without the engine running and turning the steer wheel--machine can be turned with a dead engine but the steer box needs to be turned to stop excessive mechanism loadings--
--from memory, if engine is dead the lever needs to be removed from the front frame and the steer. cylinder oil lines crossed to allow free movement of the cylinder rods.

Have seen quick field fixes done by clients by lengthening the external lever from the steer box to the spool valve--effectively increases the spool travel but tends to put more load the on the Steer box inner lever mechanisms.

I stand to be corrected.

Cheers,
Eddie B.

Yes every thing is pretty slopped out on the steering on there I adjusted the top rod on steering valve a little more yesterday and helped somewhat. The following arm the previous owner welded it solid so I have in the works that Im looking for a used one but none to be found so far.Then maybe I can adjust that two.Maybe some one knows where one would be now but I would Imagine shipping across the us canada border would be difficult thanks for any more information

was wondering if someone on the forum would happen to know if the steering box and following arm are same on any newer cat pay loaders and if some one knows of some used parts any place thanks

Do you have any part numbers we could get started with?

No Im sorry dont have any part numbers cant get my hands on a old parts book this machine the 966b is just before it was added to the computer system and even my local dealer cant seem to find a parts book for it maybe some one on this site happens to have a book with the numbers and could enlighten us?

Shop ebay for 966B 57H parts book
Here's one example
www.ebay.com/itm/Caterpillar-PARTS-BOOK-...d:g:4eIAAOSw42JZF9vX