200tdi steering box drop arm removal and seal replacement

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payydg

payydg

Well-Known Member
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Location
Aberdeenshire
Need to remove the steering box drop arm to replace the ball joint and the oil seals on the box.

Any tips on how to get the drop arm off? Laser make a removal tool but its £50. I know this can be a notoriously awkward job.

Also anyone replaced the seals on the box from underneath without taking the box off?

Advice more than welcome.
 
Use the laser tool or equivalent from other suppliers. They do work but even then can be a PITA. I used my torque gun.

Or use an angle grinder , cut a slit in and throw it away.

Cheers
 
neilly said:
Use the laser tool or equivalent from other suppliers. They do work but even then can be a PITA. I used my torque gun.

Or use an angle grinder , cut a slit in and throw it away.

Cheers
Click to expand...

What did you need the torque gun for? Getting the nut off?
 
If your doing the seal....heat the arm....a long bar from the top on to the edge of the arm where the splines are and a few smacks with a real hammer.
Or split it with a grinder and fit a new one.

Yes you can fit the seals from the bottom and yes it can be successful....you just have to know how to fit a seal :)
 
As above to get the arm off before anything more drastic undo the big nut and give the arm some lump hammer whacks on each side, you never know it may come.
I have done the seal on the vehicle a couple of times. First thing, if there is any side to side movement in the output shaft don't bother box needs a rebuild.
First remove dust seal it just slips off. Get the big circlip that holds the seal in. Start engine and move steering and old seal should pop out, as you may expect oil escapes.
To get the new seal in I have a section of tube that the seal fits firmly in, this has to be carefully positioned to guide new seal in [ seal itself helps with position ] I then put a longer [ just long enough to press seal into place ] section of tube that is a bit smaller in diameter so it presses on the edge of the seal into the first tube and then use the large nut and washer to press seal in.
As you may expect getting tube lengths right was a bit of trial an error but extra washers and spacers help. Hope this makes sense.:)
 
Take the steering box off after you have slackened the big nut, take it to a Land Rover garage with the proper tool and gat them to remove the arm. Or as others have said, cut a slot with a grinder, whack it off with a lump hammer and replace the arm. It is a lot easier to fit the seal off the vehicle and you don't want to damage the new one.
Make sure the big nut is torqued up properly or the arm will work loose.
 
I have done all this successfully, mostly as others have advised.
Couple of points though, if ****ting the spline end of the arm with a big hammer, use another hammer on the opposite side to hammer against.
Seals pop out easy enough when you turn the steering lock to lock, replace with genuine or you will be doing it again in 6 months time, like I did.:mad::mad:
 
payydg said:
What happened? Just leaked again?
Click to expand...
Yes. I don’t know if the issues on a Defender box are the same as a Disco, but on a D2 it’s usually down to wear on the shaft that causes the leak. I put seals on mine in situ and on the bench. It eventually leaked again. I have also had two reconditioned boxes. The last one has been on a while now and is still dry.
 
tottot said:
As above to get the arm off before anything more drastic undo the big nut and give the arm some lump hammer whacks on each side, you never know it may come.
I have done the seal on the vehicle a couple of times. First thing, if there is any side to side movement in the output shaft don't bother box needs a rebuild.
First remove dust seal it just slips off. Get the big circlip that holds the seal in. Start engine and move steering and old seal should pop out, as you may expect oil escapes.
To get the new seal in I have a section of tube that the seal fits firmly in, this has to be carefully positioned to guide new seal in [ seal itself helps with position ] I then put a longer [ just long enough to press seal into place ] section of tube that is a bit smaller in diameter so it presses on the edge of the seal into the first tube and then use the large nut and washer to press seal in.
As you may expect getting tube lengths right was a bit of trial an error but extra washers and spacers help. Hope this makes sense.:)
Click to expand...

That’s really helpful mate. Just so I’m understanding you correctly you’d put the seal in the first bit of pipe (internal diameter similar to where the seal sits in the box) then used the second bit to fit inside the first over the shaft and press in using the nut)?
 
meego said:
Yes. I don’t know if the issues on a Defender box are the same as a Disco, but on a D2 it’s usually down to wear on the shaft that causes the leak. I put seals on mine in situ and on the bench. It eventually leaked again. I have also had two reconditioned boxes. The last one has been on a while now and is still dry.
Click to expand...

thanks for info mate. Where did you get your recon box from? I’m tempted to just do that and then I can rebuild mine in my own time as a spare
 
payydg said:
That’s really helpful mate. Just so I’m understanding you correctly you’d put the seal in the first bit of pipe (internal diameter similar to where the seal sits in the box) then used the second bit to fit inside the first over the shaft and press in using the nut)?
Click to expand...
Yep, that is the way I do it.
 
There is a really good series of three videos on YouTube that go through the whole process. It’s looks rather messy to me with gloopy tizer everywhere. You can get a fully exchang box off eBay for £129 which has got to be an option?
 
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