Tractor Repair: Steering on IH B414, horizontal shaft, angle stops

Question
Arnie,
I've got a 1966 IH B414 that's a real workhorse, but I hit a tree with the front left tire while making a hard right turn (at comparatively low speed) a few years ago.  That worsened its preceding inability to turn right as sharply as it will to the left.  It will turn very sharply to the left, but has a huge turn radius, say 50 feet, when I try to turn right.  I noticed that the accident had bent the horizontal shaft the emerges on the left side from the steering unit.  I took it out, got it straightened and reinstalled it (making sure to center in steering radius), but that seemingly did little.  It will also steer fully to the right whenever the front-end is lifted off the ground.  Is it possible that the angle of the cylinder with-in which the tire spindle turns is out of alignment?  I'm really stumped.  I like my Nascar tractor (always turn left), but would like to be able to turn both ways.  Thanks for any advice.

Answer
Hello,

  Normally, I would say that the horizontal shaft was not only bent, but possibly twisted, or that the drop arm attached to this shaft was possibly bent, or drag link damaged.  But if it turns to the right with OK with the front lifted off the ground, then the problem has to be in the front axle.  Check on the bottoms of the wheel spindles, and the axle tubes that they rotate inside of.  There might be some steering angle stops that are bent or otherwise damaged.  If it turns OK with the front raised, the steering gear box should be OK.

                   Good luck,

                         Arnie