Thread: Steering Box Change - Lessons learnt

Just finished changing Daisy’s steering box and so I thought it might be worth sharing a few skinned knuckles.

Daisy is a 2004 RHD TD5 and I used the Haynes and LR manuals.

1. Remove both front wheels, it helps with access, especially when torquing up the panhard rod.
2. There is a small plastic cover at the front end of the OS inner wheel arch, held in by 3 screws. Whip it out and you get more access to the box.
3. I didn’t remove the undershield (though I did unscrew it) but wish I had.
4. Both manuals show the steering column UJs being tightened with 3 hexagonal bolts. Daisy has 1 internal and 2 external torx heads. I got away with an 8mm socket for the external torx heads.
5. I popped the drop link with a smart tap from a hammer instead of resorting to a ball joint splitter.
6. The nuts and bolts for the panhard rod are all 24mm - I was forced to use an adjustable spanner for the first time ever because I don’t have a 24mm spanner.
7. In order to make a path for the box to come out, I unbolted the coolant rail from the chassis cross member and unclipped it on the NS chassis rail (the LR manual shows a LHD chassis).
8. Then I removed the thermostat.
9. Careful use of mole grips works for clamping the pipe clips to move them.
10. Not forgetting that to do this I had to whip out the EGR pipe, radiator cover, surround and the fan.
11. At this point the box dropped out of the car and straight into the bucket of coolant I was saving because I had believed Mr Haynes when he said I did not have to drain the cooling system.
12. You WILL have to change the o-rings on the hydraulic pipes, Daisy’s were brittle. There are 4, they are all unique and special to type and they are very fiddly to get into place so take your time - it took me 2 hours to find the one that pinged off. Best get 2 sets of OEM rings and take back the spare ones.
13. Getting the new box in was emotional. A jack from below and rope from above did the trick. Not many of us are going to be able to deadlift it with enough precision.
14. You still have some levering to do to get it past the coolant pipes.
Have a bolt ready to secure the box when it lines up - once one is in it gets easier very quickly.
15. I reassembled Daisy in the order of steering, cooling. But not the fan for now, leave it off so that you still have access to the steering box until all work on it is complete.
16. A dash of washing up liquid on the thermostat housing helps to get it back into the pipes.
17. Reconnecting the steering column takes persistence and a lot of jiggling.
18. Refilling and bleeding the coolant and PAS fluid was fairly straightforward (or once).
19. Best way to get at the steering box bleed nut is through the wheel arch.
20. An assistant to help wobble the body (gently) helps to get the bolts lined up at the sprung end of the panhard rod.
21. Don’t forget to put all the covers back.
22. Only problem now is a slightly off centre steering wheel - watch this space.