(ET) New steering failure mode?

["Geoff Rich" <grich firstsolar com>]

Hello all,

Over the weekend, I experienced what was for me, at least, a new mode of
failure in the ET steering.  I was mowing along, began to turn, and then 
all
of a sudden, no steering!

Turns out that the weld on the "gear and sector assembly" (I can say this
properly now, having read the parts manual...Thanks, Don!) let go.  It 
broke
where the plate to which the tie-rods attach is welded to the shaft turned
by the sector gear.  I disassembled everything and now have the assembly 
out
and handed over to a welder friend for repair.  What's really strange is
that there was no rust or corrosion at the weld, and it LOOKED like a good
weld, to me anyway.

Anyone else ever had this happen?

Geoffrey Rich