My hunting partner, Mick, has a Go-Tract 1000 which is basically the same as a Nodwell 60. GT-1000s have T16 rear ends. This one was transformed into a GT-1200 because someone transplanted a Nodwell 110 rear end into it, which in itself is not a problem, actually a good move. The GT uses hydraulic steering. There's a hydraulic pump on the engine because it powered the telephone digger unit on the back of the GT which he obviously removed. The hydraulics also provided power for the steering.
He bought it two years ago back east and shipped it to Omak, WA where he lives. Before he sent it up here, he went through it some. I had them pull the planetaries apart to inspect the gears and brass pins. They found one of the axles was twisted, but not broke. I found it interesting that someone had managed to twist a 110 axle while it was installed in a GT-1000.
As he was going through things, he rebuilt the steering brake slave cylinders on top of the rear end. When he went to buy the rebuild kit, he was told by the shop where that he bought the kit, that since he was using hydraulic steering, that he needed leather caps instead of the rubber ones he took out of the slave cylinders.
We made it in on the Rex Trail to Fish Creek about 7 miles past the second river. Then someplace on the way out to the highway he lost steering on one side. About five miles further he lost steering on the other side. He still had power to move forward, but no steering. We have not been into the slave cylinders yet, but I'd say the cups gave way. The hydraulic system is still working and there's not hydraulic fluid leaks so at the moment the failure of the slave cylinders is the only guess. And that leads us to the leather cups.
I've never heard of leather cups before but Omak is farm and cattle country with a lot of machinery and obviously if the local stores are stocking leather cups, people must be using them. But, having said that, the GT came with rubber seals and the steering was working. Who knows how long they had been in there? Again assuming the leather cups failed, I'm for going back to rubber cups and taking a couple of spare sets with us.
What do you know about using leather cups with hydraulic oil vs standard rubber cups?
Bill
He bought it two years ago back east and shipped it to Omak, WA where he lives. Before he sent it up here, he went through it some. I had them pull the planetaries apart to inspect the gears and brass pins. They found one of the axles was twisted, but not broke. I found it interesting that someone had managed to twist a 110 axle while it was installed in a GT-1000.
As he was going through things, he rebuilt the steering brake slave cylinders on top of the rear end. When he went to buy the rebuild kit, he was told by the shop where that he bought the kit, that since he was using hydraulic steering, that he needed leather caps instead of the rubber ones he took out of the slave cylinders.
We made it in on the Rex Trail to Fish Creek about 7 miles past the second river. Then someplace on the way out to the highway he lost steering on one side. About five miles further he lost steering on the other side. He still had power to move forward, but no steering. We have not been into the slave cylinders yet, but I'd say the cups gave way. The hydraulic system is still working and there's not hydraulic fluid leaks so at the moment the failure of the slave cylinders is the only guess. And that leads us to the leather cups.
I've never heard of leather cups before but Omak is farm and cattle country with a lot of machinery and obviously if the local stores are stocking leather cups, people must be using them. But, having said that, the GT came with rubber seals and the steering was working. Who knows how long they had been in there? Again assuming the leather cups failed, I'm for going back to rubber cups and taking a couple of spare sets with us.
What do you know about using leather cups with hydraulic oil vs standard rubber cups?
Bill