Thread: TD5 steering box seal

You will be able to replace the seal in-situ but the hardest part will be removing the arm off the steering box.
They're on a tapered spline & very, very tight. We use a hydraulic puller to remove them here & even that struggles sometimes.

Originally Posted by CapeLandy

Hi Lads

My mates steering box on his '04 Defender is leaking power steering fluid from the lower seal at the steering output shaft.
Being a series owner I am pretty handy with a few spanners but was wondering if we could tackle removing, stripping and re-sealing the above by ourselves or best left to the experts.
Any advise apretiated.
Thanks
James

Hi James,
Just make sure it is this before replacing the seal. Why do I say that, because I thought mine was leaking also, so told the mechanic, he looked at at, then looked elsewhere, just to check like and found the oil was comming from a weeping gasket on the EGR valve and dropping down onto the box and dripping off the arm.

I am not trying to be smart, just telling what happened to me.

I had an 03 TDi and same prob with steering box......

quotes in victoria for somewhere between $500 and $650 to remove refurbish replace...spoke to soverign auto in adelaide...on instruction limped it back (lots of fluid used!) and they fitted a simple seal/gasket set they have that works in majority of cases....end result, I sold Larry the landy about 2 years ago (abt 3 years after repair) and still not a drop.... overall cost of repair abt $120 from memory...

Obviously you wont be coming to adelaide for a repair but be aware there is a kit available with a lower seal/gasket only that can be fitted as previously stated in this thread
with all parts (bar arm) in place...saves the hassle involved..
digger

We have bought the seal kit and are going to give it a bash tomorrow.
Just wondering if I could try a bearing puller with a little heat from a cutting torch to help the taper off the splines or will I end up starting a fire with the ATF fluid?
Thanks
James

a couple of tips.
If you can get the Pittman arm off, undo the seal circlip, re-install the pittman arm (loosley) put a big tray underneath and start the car up and turn the steering to full lock and the seal should blow out. Undo the arm and the seal is out.
When installing the new seal, wrap the shaft splines with tape such as masking tape to protect the seal face.

Good Luck.

Originally Posted by CapeLandy

We have bought the seal kit and are going to give it a bash tomorrow.
Just wondering if I could try a bearing puller with a little heat from a cutting torch to help the taper off the splines or will I end up starting a fire with the ATF fluid?
Thanks
James

A little heat will help, but you need to be very careful about starting a fire, although the fluid is not particularly flammable - but it will burn quite well. I would be inclined to drain the system as far as possible before starting.

When I removed the arm on my 110 some years ago, I managed it with two four foot long levers pivoted on sections of steel against the chassis and with jacks under the ends, in addition to a puller. It let go with the aid of a couple of good whacks with a hammer just before the front wheels were lifted off the ground.

After that effort, when the box started leaking recently I managed to buy a new box complete with arm attached!

John

There's a few landy drivers and their insurance companies that will tell you its flammable enough (on a hot manifold) and there are heaps of commodore drivers that have watched their cars burn from the same situation (my brother for one). TIC

Originally Posted by JDNSW

A little heat will help, but you need to be very careful about starting a fire, although the fluid is not particularly flammable - but it will burn quite well. I would be inclined to drain the system as far as possible before starting.

When I removed the arm on my 110 some years ago, I managed it with two four foot long levers pivoted on sections of steel against the chassis and with jacks under the ends, in addition to a puller. It let go with the aid of a couple of good whacks with a hammer just before the front wheels were lifted off the ground.

After that effort, when the box started leaking recently I managed to buy a new box complete with arm attached!

John

Originally Posted by duff

There's a few landy drivers and their insurance companies that will tell you its flammable enough (on a hot manifold) and there are heaps of commodore drivers that have watched their cars burn from the same situation (my brother for one). TIC

It all depends on what you compare it to - certainly nowhere near as flammable as petrol or even perhaps diesel - but it will certainly burn, and will just as certainly ignite from an open flame once it is vaporised by heat. But since it will not ignite from an open flame not in contact with it, it probably should not strictly be called flammable.

In this case, however, since it is likely to be in contact with at least heated metal (although not, one hopes, anywhere near as hot as a manifold!) and in close proximity to a flame, as I said - drain it. And anyone using an oxy torch on a vehicle (or practically anything else for that matter) should be prepared to put out a fire as a matter of course.

Thanks for your added caution though!

John