Thread: defender/110 steering universal joint

If you are worried that the after market spares are sub standard (and I get where you are coming from) it's got to be a genuine part from a dealer. Maybe try Paddock spares or Craddocks in the UK and email the gen part number and ask if they can supply Genuine or at least OEM.

Try Hardie Spicer I know they used to stock a replacement and have always found their gear to be best quality.

Thanks CraigE and landy, I will give Hardy Spicer a go and see if they have them still. At least I will be able to talk to them, and they should be able to tell me what sort of bearings it has.

Something I found with mine - once it is tightened, come back to it a day or two later it will possibly be not so tight. I think this is because it's a pinch bolt and when the shaft is a bit worn it needs a bit more pinch.

It seems that it pays to check that lower universal joint.

Since there was very little play in my steering, I hadn't checked mine in the few years I had owned the vehicle. It certainly had less play in the steering than I had been accustomed to in the Series III.

I discovered that the universal wasn't clamped tightly to the spline shaft on the steering box when during a low speed manoeuvre, the steering wheel spun in my hand. The clamp had been loose for long enough for the wear to allow the universal to turn on the splined shaft.

Tightening the pinch bolt got me home safely.

When I called in to Karcraft in Sydney to get a replacement, I was told that instead of being able to buy just the universal, the replacement part is now the complete unit with both joints (at twice the price).

Maybe mine was never tight enough from the time it left the factory. I will be checking the new one occasionally to make sure it stays tight.