Thread: Steering Relay

"Just" got it out. I disassembled it, drilled out the 4 bottom holes to 9.5mm so they broke through the cast of the relay without touching the chassis bore. I then broke off two of the quarters between those holes with a hammer and cold chisel. I then pulled it out with an engine crane from above while hitting it with a sledgehammer below until it came free and the Brushbar came banging down on my knee. My wife screamed thinking I was hurt...I was, but I couldn't help laughing hysterically. After two days I finally got the thing out!!!

Bravo for perseverance and I hope your knee is OK!

Coat the replacement with anti-seize if you haven't already. I read of a Land Rover repairer in the UK who squirts the oil can onto the relay of his customers' cars very time they come in for a service. I supposing he is hedging his bets in case he ever has to take one out,

Cheers Charlie

Having taken mine out, and put it back, I'm now faced with another problem. There is significant play between the upper relay steering arm and the splined shaft it fits onto. This is giving about 2-3 cm play at the steering wheel.

Now I have to decide whether to replace it, or leave it where it is and replace it later.

It's certainly easier to get at right now, with all the panels off.

What I need is somebody to persuade me that the best thing to do is to replace the relay and relay lever now and bugger the expense (GBP32 plus probably GBP40 delivery). Say $A125.

Any volunteers?

Peter

Originally Posted by peterg1001

Having taken mine out, and put it back, I'm now faced with another problem. There is significant play between the upper relay steering arm and the splined shaft it fits onto. This is giving about 2-3 cm play at the steering wheel.

Now I have to decide whether to replace it, or leave it where it is and replace it later.

It's certainly easier to get at right now, with all the panels off.

What I need is somebody to persuade me that the best thing to do is to replace the relay and relay lever now and bugger the expense (GBP32 plus probably GBP40 delivery). Say $A125.

Any volunteers?

Peter

This is unlikely to be fixable other than by replacing the relay, or at least the shaft, and the arm. Before scrapping them though, make sure that the clamp bolt is tight. Also, with the arm removed check the wear on the shaft splines. It is possible that the wear is confined to the arm, but I suspect this is unlikely!

Failing this, the only real solution is replacement.


An interesting bit of history. In 1964 I had the bottom steering arm on my Series 2 break between the split and the outside about 100 miles from Pimba, and drove slowly into Pimba with no steering. I got the arm welded up there and drove on to Alice Springs, where I got a new arm (held in stock by the dealer!). The interesting point is that the new arm was much heavier than the original.

John

Check the part no which is cast on the arm and make sure yours is the correct one.Series 1s and series 2s are different.They even differ between early and late series 1s.They all fit but are of a slightly different design.