98 110 steering box spline movement

[mudder110]

hi all was hoping someone could tell me if there is supposed to be any movement in the steering box spline on my98110 defender300tdi. I thought it was the pitman arm joint, turns out there is slight play in the steering box spline side to side, feels like a clunk when you turn the steering side to side cheers.

[steveG]

Do you mean between the universal joint and the input spline for the steering box itself?
Shouldn't be any movement, but I've had that steering shaft spline flog out on both my County and my old D1.

Steve

[Jojo]

I have had the same trouble. As far as I know, the play can be adjusted/tightened to a certain degree, but if that doesn't help it will have to be swapped. That's what I am in for...:(
Cheers

[mudder110]

Do you mean between the universal joint and the input spline for the steering box itself?
Shouldn't be any movement, but I've had that steering shaft spline flog out on both my County and my old D1.

Steve
hi steve its movement in the spline that goes into the steering box if I grab it I can move it side to side slightly cheers

[steveG]

Still not sure where you're getting the movement.

There's the input shaft that goes into the steering box. It has an external spline on it.
Attached to that is the internally splined part that is the lower bit of the steering shaft universal.

Are you getting play between those 2 parts, or is it the input shaft itself moving side-side in the steering box?

Steve

[mudder110]

Still not sure where you're getting the movement.

There's the input shaft that goes into the steering box. It has an external spline on it.
Attached to that is the internally splined part that is the lower bit of the steering shaft universal.

Are you getting play between those 2 parts, or is it the input shaft itself moving side-side in the steering box?

Steve
hi steve its the input shaft into the box movement cheers

[85 county]

hi steve its the input shaft into the box movement cheers


so this is the shaft from the steering wheel or the shaft with the pitman arm??

[mudder110]

so this is the shaft from the steering wheel or the shaft with the pitman arm??
seems to be leaking from the shaft to steering wheel spline seal not enough to mark the ground but there is a slight bit of float from the spline the pitman is on not sure if its a urgent fix or not? cheers

[85 county]

seems to be leaking from the shaft to steering wheel spline seal not enough to mark the ground but there is a slight bit of float from the spline the pitman is on not sure if its a urgent fix or not? cheers

You mentioned in a post before that there was some movement. Now you say float. Float is when the shaft will move in and out or is the a bit of slop IE it can move from side to side.

pre-empting your response i take it that you are not that mechanically minded, that a box rebuild may be out of the question. but how would you be at swapping out a seal or swapping out the box?

[mudder110]

You mentioned in a post before that there was some movement. Now you say float. Float is when the shaft will move in and out or is the a bit of slop IE it can move from side to side.

pre-empting your response i take it that you are not that mechanically minded, that a box rebuild may be out of the question. but how would you be at swapping out a seal or swapping out the box?
sorry should have been more clear, the shaft with the pittman arm on it moves slightly from side to side with the wheels facing straight ahead the the spline from the steering has a leak from the shaft seal just drove from Brisbane back to cairns it steers fine no noticeable power steering fluid loss on the dip stick but a film around the seal hoses seem fine thanks for your time. have done head gasket p seal and other stuff myself if a pump kit is available I would give it ago cheers

[steveG]

Not sure if you're using a phone or something to post with, but a couple of full stops and new lines would make your posts a lot clearer.

Just to summarise as your description seems to change slightly each time.
- You've got a slightly leaking seal on the steering box input shaft
- You've got side to side movement on the output shaft (the one with the pitman arm)

Not sure about your reference to a pump kit since you haven't mentioned any issues with the pump. I assume you meant a kit for the steering box (not the pump).

Kits for the box are definitely available (heaps on ebay when I had quick look), and there is a good tutorial here somewhere on how to do the job.

I've never had the steering box apart, but there shouldn't be any sideways movement in the output shaft, and it would make it very hard for seal to do its job.
You could have a go at changing the seals, but seems like the bearing or bush that's supporting that shaft needs some attention. Exactly what that is you probably won't know until you get it apart. I'm pretty sure that some boxes have bearings that run on the shaft itself, so if the shaft it wearing its not a simple fix.

If you can't afford to have it off the road for long, I'd be keeping an eye out for a good used steering box that you could use as a backup if you get it apart and find its stuffed - rather than end up off the road for a while or having to fork out large $$$ to buy one in a hurry.

Steve

[mudder110]

Not sure if you're using a phone or something to post with, but a couple of full stops and new lines would make your posts a lot clearer.

Just to summarise as your description seems to change slightly each time.
- You've got a slightly leaking seal on the steering box input shaft
- You've got side to side movement on the output shaft (the one with the pitman arm)

Not sure about your reference to a pump kit since you haven't mentioned any issues with the pump. I assume you meant a kit for the steering box (not the pump).

Kits for the box are definitely available (heaps on ebay when I had quick look), and there is a good tutorial here somewhere on how to do the job.

I've never had the steering box apart, but there shouldn't be any sideways movement in the output shaft, and it would make it very hard for seal to do its job.
You could have a go at changing the seals, but seems like the bearing or bush that's supporting that shaft needs some attention. Exactly what that is you probably won't know until you get it apart. I'm pretty sure that some boxes have bearings that run on the shaft itself, so if the shaft it wearing its not a simple fix.

If you can't afford to have it off the road for long, I'd be keeping an eye out for a good used steering box that you could use as a backup if you get it apart and find its stuffed - rather than end up off the road for a while or having to fork out large $$$ to buy one in a hurry.

Steve
thanks for the input steve power steering pump leak traced to hose now rectified
not sure if I should replace the steering box now how bad do they get and what are the signs when it gets worse cheers

[steveG]

Found that seal replacement tutorial I was referring to: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/168668-repairing-leaking-steering-box.html

Sorry, I've never had one crap itself so can't help you with with the possible scenarios. Guessing they leak worse and worse...

Steve

[85 county]

as steveg posted

There are NO steering boxes with bearings on the shaft ( pitman) nor is there a bush in a rebuild kit. so if it is sloppy its a new box. Having said that since they are a power steering box, and that the oil inside is always under pressure. and that ( assumption) that if a box is so full of crap that this bush / shaft will wear. it is hard to believe that the lower seal had not already given up the ghost and drained the crappy oil out. IE and enforced oil change.

i had a look at the tutorial. Same as what i do but i tend to do them with the box still in the car. if you are on some one else’s drive, pop the circlip and crank her up while wiggling the steering some times the seal will pop off. NB do not do this in your own drive way.

There is. And this is a tricky one as some kits come with it and some not. but defiantly the rover care 3 bolts have it. its a large doughnut washer thing. that is last on the shaft before the pitman. it fills the void between the pitman and dust cover. bloody brilliant bit of kit to my thinking.

There are aluminium inserts in the valve block, ie that seal to the hose fittings. Always a bit of a problem if the hoses have been off and on a few times