 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Any tips on refitting a LHD steering box ? |
 
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32   
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Ok managed to finally do it, but it’s a real pain.
Good luck to all my LHD friends refitting à steering box  |
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18th Dec 2022 10:59am |
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1841 
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Hi James,
How did you do it in the end? I fitted a RHD one just yesterday and as you’ve said, there was no issue. I put the 4 chassis bolts in place, but just inside the chassis. Lifted up the box, held it with one hand while I threaded in the bolts. But on the RHD ones a big part of the box effectively sits on the chassis so it’s like lifting something up onto a shelf. I guess the LHD layout won’t be so convenient? Did the LHD one go in from underneath, or did you need to drop it in from above? Might help the next person who comes along with the same problem. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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18th Dec 2022 2:45pm |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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Hi Donald,
The solution was determination, I think there's no magic advice to give unfortunately. I did it from below, lifting it straight with my both hand and someone putting a bottle jack below. We then lifted the box a bit til if touched the bottom of the engine. Then lowered a bit the bottle jack and shook the box while trying to rotate it a bit and lifting it by hand for a few centimeters. Then lifting the bottle jack to support the box and rest the arms a bit. And do this many many times tills the box sits in the right position. I hope the description is clear, don't hesitate to tell me if it's not. Unfortunately I will have to do this all other again because the input shaft oil seal is not working at all... This steering box is driving me mad... It seems like there was two different sizes of input shaft, but apparently I've got the seals for the other size and I'm not finding an easy way to figure out on the net which seal is for which size... |
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18th Dec 2022 6:38pm |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3414  
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IIRC, the kit I got for my box had different seal sizes. I think I mentioned in on this rebuild thread.
https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic79246.html 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing 2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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18th Dec 2022 7:19pm |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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Thanks for your answer and your great rebuild tutorial.
I do have both seals in my Corteco kit too but unfortunately none of them look like the previous seal (I need to take a picture of it tomorrow). I tried to fit the one with the garter spring but it seemed not tall enough (there is room between it and the circlip). And indeed when I started the engine oil was really quickly leaking through the input shaft. I'm sure I should not use the flanged seal as I don't have lips for it on my steering box. |
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18th Dec 2022 9:16pm |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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I took some pictures this morning. Here is the steering box with the new seal from the Corteco kit :
 Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge You can clearly see that there's a gap between the seal and the circlip. Here are some pictures of the previous seal which is higher : Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I can read the the following text on the original seal : (not 100% sure about all characters). But after looking after that reference online I don't find anything. Does anyone had the same issue ? Or does anyone has such seal on their steering box ? Thanks
EDIT : the BAU4870 seal looks similar, but not sure it's exactly the same. Also why would this steering box have a different seal than all others for the input shaft ? EDIT2 : measured seal to be 20x32x7, I'm seeing many such seals on the internet, not sure what is the difference between them. Might buy some of them and see if fit and work. |
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19th Dec 2022 10:22am |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3414
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Google search for BAU4870 gives me it is for a Gemmer box. As I know the Gemmer is a 6 bolt (the number of bolts on the top). I can see if I can find the one that I have for the Adwest (4 bolt) that I have not used and check the size ... but it could be very likely that I just threw it in a box with other random new seals. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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19th Dec 2022 11:42am |
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| TexasRover Member Since: 24 Nov 2022 Location: Paris Posts: 1042 
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I think you are looking for kit STC889, which is for a 4 bolt steering box, which should have been fitted on Defender 1987 - 2006.
The exploded view shows there is a washer fitted between the seal and the circlip no? (between item 5 and 6 on the diagram) https://www.lrworkshop.com/diagrams/land-r...ht_53718#5 I must admit when I tried to fix my 1983 Range Rover leaking steering box I got very confused by all the weird seals that need to be stacked and pushed in especially in the HP (output) side of things. I recall though the since this was a 3 bolt unit, an overhauled replacement was not easily available. |
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19th Dec 2022 1:15pm |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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I had the washer in the corteco kit I bought but I guess it's for a different shaft as it was too big to fit. Also my shaft does not exactly look like the one in the exploded view you provide. That's why I guess I need a different seal, even if I find it strange. Also there was no washer before in my steering box.
I ordered 20x32x7 seals that should arrive home by tomorrow, I will let you know !
Yes it seems to be for that steering box. I would be curious to know the size of that seal if you happen to find it [/quote] |
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19th Dec 2022 4:01pm |
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| Dinnu Member Since: 24 Dec 2019 Location: Lija Posts: 3414
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I think I have found it, but not entirely sure it is it, as I said I found it in a bag mixed with a few other seals. OD is 32mm, thickness is 5mm. ID is difficult to measure on the seal, but I have a spare Adwest, fully assembled, but tried to measure the input shaft and it looks like it is 22mm. So I suspect that 20mm ID is too small and might deform the seal too much.
Still took a photo of what I have not used from the kit. Click image to enlarge 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing 2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black |
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19th Dec 2022 5:06pm |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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Thanks for having a look !
I ordered some new seals and hope they will fit |
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20th Dec 2022 8:35am |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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Received my new generic seal, and it seems to fit well.
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I'm going to fit back the steering box and see if it leaks or not. |
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20th Dec 2022 10:08am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410 
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Really good to see folks repairing steering boxes rather than replacing. I realise these are LHD and ridiculously expensive to replace and delivery, but still...
 Good luck and fingers crossed for a lack of leaks |
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20th Dec 2022 12:42pm |
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| jamesthebaker Member Since: 17 Oct 2022 Location: Brittany Posts: 32
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Thanks !
So some news with the repair ! First apparently I have no leaks from the input shaft so the 20x32x7 seal should be the right fit for my steering box. I manage to fit back the steering box but it was leaking through the oil input/output hose connections, really weird as i t was not leaking there before. After looking at diagrams I noticed that these hoses should have o-rings fitted, and I'm 99% sure that there were none before. That's really weird. I ordered both o-rings which have the following references : RTC4825 and QYX100280. But unfortunately the parcel was delayed and I was urgently needed these seals to be able to go on holidays. So I had a look on the internet for the dimensions of those seals and ordered them to get them on the next day. Here is the dimensions I found on the internet : QYX100280 : 12mm/8mm RTC4825 : 10mm/6mm When I fitted back the steering box with these "generic" o-rings that seemed to be ok, as nothing was leaking. But after a few kms I noticed a very small leak from the input hose connection. Damn ! After I finally received the "officials" o-rings I noticed that the official input o-ring (QYX100280) is a bit bigger than the dimensions I found on the internet. FYI that is where I found the dimension : https://www.lrworkshop.com/parts/QYX100280 Click image to enlarge I can say now that the real/official dimension is 13mm/9mm. So be careful if you order generic o-rings ! (little warning here : I need to fit that new o-ring to confirm it's working well) I did not manage to fit that official o-ring yet as my damper pulley broke while coming back from holydays (damn again !), so the Defender is at a garage for the moment. I hope this will help others re-sealing their steering box ! Happy new year  |
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3rd Jan 2023 2:45pm |
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