I've got a 1985 Cat 920 wheel loader that I use to plow snow here in Alaska. The steering has always been stiff on it but still responsive, will turn left and right fully. Today after plowing snow I was backing up while turning into it's parking spot, I heard a pop and now the wheel spins very easily with the input to the loader minimal.....meaning the wheel spins but loader doesn't turn very much....thought at first I blew a line but no fluid underneath the loader.....any thoughts on this would be amazing, expecting another 2ft dump of snow. Thanks Again.
The 920 should have a steering gear box at the bottom of the column with an arm connecting to a follow up linkage. Remove the floor plate and inspect for broken parts, may be a failure in the steering gear box.
Maybe it popped a piston off in a steering cylinder. Start it and turn the steering wheel keep turning for several minutes. If one cylinder gets warm it's the problem. Oil is flowing through it.