Craftsman tractor DGT6000 bad steering fix upgrade V1.0 - There is a V2.0 update 

I have the same tractor with the same problem,that thrust bearing wouldn’t last long on my tractor it gets so dusty every time I mow the lawn then I hose the tractor down to remove the dust,great video just the same thanks for posting

I know it’s been years since posted, but thanks. I fixed mine with your solution as an inspiration. I found some block bearing that fit inside the frame piece with only minor grinding. They sit on top of each other inside the bracket. There’s grease fitting as well. If the gear and sector ever wear out (some sloop from years of wear), they’re easily replaceable.

Way to go on an excellent video of an excellent upgrade. Many YT titles exaggerate their content. Yours is the underachiever of all titles for your upgrade, reconfiguration, design execution and implementation. Some would throw a piece of chicken wire in there and preen as though they achieved a new world wonder.

Remove the square black plastic cover on the left side by the foot well and you can see the steering shaft. Reach in with a pair of pliers , unclip it from the shaft and the pull straight out.

Ive been waiting for someone to make a video on this type of steering, Thanks!!

Thanks for the video. I have a John Deere with different parts but the same problem. I haven't thought of using bearings to replace the plastic bushings.

That was quite the steering wheel modification! I agree that using that plastic, likely Delrin, for bushings is a designed/engineered failure, maybe to save construction costs, but also to sell replacement parts. Your Upgrades should last forever! Too bad that MTD, who makes riding mowers for most all branded sellers, including Craftsman, won't use materials like this to make their products much more reliable and basically indestructible. If cars and trucks were built like this, they wouldn't last 5,000 miles, but now even vehicle manufacturers are cutting costs by pennies at every turn. Built in the USA/in America used to *mean* something, but now everything is outsourced to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mexico where standards and quality mean nothing. That's why you're much better off with Japanese vehicles *made in Japan* like Toyota and Honda. Some Japanese vehicles are assembled in America and Canada and even Mexico, but they are all assembled with Japanese OEM parts for cheaper labor and shipping while enforcing strict standards of Craftmanship during assembly while Chevy and Ford do not, especially not in Mexico! Many American vehicle parts and engines are built with American design, but done with little to now standards. Mexican workers for Ford are paid $6.50 for an entire day's work, so what kind of quality can be expected from that? Toyota and Honda pay much more and the workers are Supervised! Briggs and Stratton small engines built in China are complete garbage in comparison!!! My now 5-year-old Briggs and Stratton small engine in a Craftsman self-propelled push mower has zero compression after its 2nd use of its 3rd mowing season. I bought it for buying a house and didn't use it at all the 1st year and it's been dead for a year. I'm gonna tear it apart and check the valve bushings, piston rings and cylinder wall to see if I can repair it. I've been buying Craftsman all my life and their push mowers were never considered to be a "Throw Item" before China! If you take the steering gear loose from the steering column, straighten the wheels, center the steering wheel and center the steering gear, you should be able to get an equal turn radius for both front wheels by centering the steering gear left & right stops. There may also be some wheel axle assembly and/or ball joint adjustments you can work with to keep both wheels perfectly straight and properly aligned. You might also want to install a gas shutoff valve, especially for wintering storage. I see the gas filter, but not a gas shutoff valve. It usually goes between the gas tank and the gas filter.

Watch your fingers LoL Great job, man ! I have a lightly used Husqy I'd like to do these improvements before the parts get that bad. What's the diameter of the steering shaft? Looks like you made that upper white bushing.

great job!

If the engineers ever had to repair anything they designed things would be different

I put the steering bearing at the top instead of the bottem all so took the mecanizem out of a scrap husqvarna tractor took a bit of redesigning but it'll fit

I enjoyed your video .... great job

Thank you

I just keep mine greased so it won't wear out like that. Grease is cheap. A lot of the newer ones are using plastic bushings (or nylon) so you don't need grease, but I still use it.

you can buy bronze bushings from Sears direct .I bought bronze bushings from the hard ware store,3/4 id ,7/8 od .I used grinding stones and a drill to make the new bronze bushing fit in the steering plate .my shafts were in great shape .you can buy these parts at sears direct .

My tractor shares the same poor design, I'd love to do the same fix for mine. Would you mind sharing the part numbers for the parts you used? Thanks

This style of steering is an older version (and of course the one I have- a 2000MY tractor) where the bushings failed and the sector gear, steering shaft, and mounting bracket all were worn down such that replacing the bushings still left too much slop for the steering to work. The sector gear and steering shaft are still available new, but the bracket mount isn't, so there aren't many options for those less handy. Any other approach you thought about?

How can I tighten up that plate with gears on it my plate wants to flex when it starts getting pressure on it

Enjoyed watching your repair. My experience with bearing flanges (wings?) is that they tend to break off easily, especially if they are made of cast iron. I'm wondering if you've had any breakage since the repair [and engineering] since the flange was tightened at an angle with a shim underneath. I have a similar or perhaps exactly the same problem on my Craftsman riding mower and am hoping to fix it soon. Mine is the 22 1/2 HP twin cylinder model. Any advice would be appreciated.

Ould you rotate the sector gear a tooth or 2 to allow for the same amount steering in both directions. I just bought a husqvarna that has the same steering setup as your craftsman. It also turns much tighter to the left than it does to the right. Also, does the steering shaft have to come out through the bottom of the mower instead of pulling it out from the top. Thanks

Very cool! Extremely smart idea. You should patten that and sell it. I’m having the same problem now with the one I’m working on. Do you remember what part numbers those bearings were?

Roller bearings would be suited better for that application

Parts list or links to the items you used would be great, if you could.

could you link me the parts you used?

could you provide the part name or technical name for this bushing..ty

No doubt new bushings are needed, but those teeth are too far gone for your right side turning, I have to do the same thing to mine.

What are the parts you got. Links??

Sounds like you have slack in.sterring which show you don't grease things by the way it sqerks

This makes me so mad. This was the probably the most expensive Craftsman tractor they made then. Plastic bushings in a dirty abrasive environment junk. They probably saved 10 bucks a tractor by not to using a replaceable sealed bearings. Its a design that says we want you to buy another tractor very soon, (Someone else's)I'm thinking about drilling the housing and using a flanged go cart wheel bearings like these. They press in to a round housing bore. www.gokartsupply.com/bearings.htm

All you had was add metal so could bolt it down

10 thousand dollar glorified push mower

I have this same tractor it is a pile of Sh@# I got it new and have had nothing but trouble with it!

Gt3000 relabeled, piece o shit

Let's be honest who at fault here you are for not blowing and keep.trash out and lube moving areas ur fault totally think about i use compresd air to blow out all dirt and grass and no failures when you care of ur equipment