# ST227P does not turn - should wheels be able to rotate independently?



## pmnh (Dec 13, 2020)

Hi Folks,

I have an ST227P and it works great, but will not turn left or right when I disengage the dogs on the left/right side using the hand triggers. 

I have removed the panel over the axle and confirm that left and right dogs do disengage but it seems like the axle is rotating as a single unit (i.e. if I disengage the right dog, left one is still causing the whole axle to rotate, thus the machine does not turn right). Note if I squeeze both hand triggers both dogs disengage and the machine stops moving completely.

Am I missing something? It seems like the only way for this to work is if the left and right wheels can rotate independently (i.e. the axle doesn't rotate as a single unit). Any advice here? It's a real beast to try to turn this thing by force, and I don't want to take the axle apart until someone smarter than me confirms that L/R wheels should be rotating independently.

Thanks in advance!


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

Take a look at my "ST227P Running Blog) thread ST227P Running Blog focusing in the posts starting at about #48 where I discuss the little planetary gearboxes. These do double duty, as reduction gears to the wheels, and as the 'steering'. In mine, the needle bearings in the little planetary units gave up, causing the unit to seize on the shaft. It's more like wedged with the broken needles, so you get the idea. Pull the access cover off the drive box (you've done that already...) and see if the cogged outer section of each planetary box will turn on that shaft. Pop the circlip off the shaft to allow the planetary boxes to slide and get free of the bull gears, and that will get them from under the dogs on the steering release arms. You should be ale to see the shaft where the bearings ride (smooth...).

As related in the blog thread, the needle bearings in the two planetary cases were replaced. Total of three bearings in each one. I ended up dressing the damaged sections of the shaft where the needles had damaged it some, and got the replacement shaft ordered. With new bearings, that rode out the rest of the winter while a glacier delivered the replacement shaft in the spring. Then new bearings again and we are back to new operation. I replaced a few other bearings while I was in there, particularly the flanged ball bearings that poke through the sides of the gear case. Originals were really grumpy, and easy to change while everything was apart. The bearings all arrived in a couple days from Amazon. The glacier carrying the replacement shaft took a LOT longer, in spite of fast shipping estimates from a parts vendor whose name I'll spare here. Grease went into the planetary gear drives and especially the needle bearings, and greasing them is now part of the spring pre-hibernation ritual.

Check out the video that user Jesdog contributed to the blog thread. It's generic descriptions of the drive unit, covers the planetary units along the way.


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## pmnh (Dec 13, 2020)

Thank you for the quick reply and the reference video and thread! I think my problem is, if I look at about 4:00 into the video, it looks like the wheels on the axle should spin independently, particularly if only one of the dogs is engaged. That does not happen on mine - the wheels spin in sync, almost as if the sleeve has fused (rust?) to the split axle. This shouldn't be like this, correct?

Scary stuff about the gearbox, I will definitely plan to pull it apart in the spring, I just can't stand not being able to turn left and right through another winter 

Any suggestion besides trying to pull the split axle out and see if I can force it to loosen up such that the halves rotate independently?


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to SBF pmnh









Are the cables for the triggers properly adjusted ?
Maybe try pulling the trans cover and using a little penetrating oil (PB Blaster) to try and free up the drives. Once you have it in the service position with the cover off you can get a better feel for what's doing what and what isn't working. Need to be careful of the friction drive and apparently Husky thinks everything in there is "lifetime" lubed but that's hard to believe. That and in some threads doing research they talk about dealers recommending cleaning and a dry, low temp lube as a cure. Dry low temp lube is a first for me. All of us tend to use and recommend a light coating of oil or very light coating of grease, synthetic is possible.

Due to that thinking there doesn't seem to be anything in the manual as far as recommended lube points, just a warning not to half way down on page 14.













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.


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## SimplicitySolid22 (Nov 18, 2018)

Was going to ask if you have easy steer(triggers) on each side... Cable broken???


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

The actual drive axle has a center sleeve with the two stub axle shafts inside. The little planetary boxes drive each of those stub axle shafts selectively. You can disassemble the stub shafts where they slide into the center sleeve, to make sure they are free to turn in there. These are almost the easiest sections to take out, as they are retained with clips and the bull gear on each shaft. As much as I love dry lube for many things, the stub shafts into the sleeve can be cleaned and get a bit of waterproof grease inside, with no risk of contaminating the drive plate and the rubber tire. The sections are subject to water and corrosion, fitted dry originally, and thoroughly enjoy the cleaning.

The parts manual shows the assembly order of all the pieces. Keep careful track of the different snap rings that hold things in place and where they come from. There are a couple shims in there, deserve a film of grease on them too.

With two final-drive bull gears removed, you can release the steering (tape the handles up) and test the planetary boxes by spinning he cogged housing by hand. If they turn smoothly and quietly, good on you. If they grumble, plan on servicing them as I described in the blog thread.

The whole drive package is amazingly simple and easy to work on. My biggest amount of effort went into getting the machine up to work on it. I'm on the fence about adding a ATV winch to the ceiling in the workbay to get heavy stuff up to workbench height. I'm getting too old and cantankerous to be laying on the cold floor with a flashlight in my mouth and the wrong wrench in my hand...


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