Steering box

[Hicap phill]

i have a 4 bolt steering box that is leaking above the drop arm on the main shaft.
This only happens on extremely Cold days.
Are the lower seals prone to freezing?
Can these be changed with box in place?
Thanks for any help & part numbers

 

[jamesmartin]

you can change seal with box in place if you can get drop arm off,you remove the dirt seal then the circlip, with a container under the box start engine and turn in to a lock seal with steel backer should be blown out or at least enough to remove, its worth polishing the shaft before fitting the new seal , you fit seal ,steel washer then circlip,seal will fit further up and can leave a gap between washer and clip but once running seal wil settle on the circlip, kit is stc2848

 

[Hicap phill]

@jamesmartin thanks for the fast response.
Have you known the seals to freeze?

 

[jamesmartin]

@jamesmartin thanks for the fast response.
Have you known the seals to freeze?

i cant say i have, but old seals stiffen and cold stiffens seals too and there can be slight deflection of the shaft whilst steering which needs a soft lip on the seal, a slight leak whilst steering with vehicle stood but fine once travelling isnt unkown

 

[Hicap phill]

Thanks. Job for the weekend
Local people have full seal kits with that part number.
Thanks for the help

 

[zeaphod]

Be forewarned that getting the drop arm off can be difficult. There is a special beefy puller for the job - it's well worth having a look on the threads here before you start.

 

[Hicap phill]

It was loose the other month so hopefully I did not tighten too much

 

[lynall]

It was loose the other month so hopefully I did not tighten too much
View attachment 143317

Now either my eyesite is deceiving me or you have an issue with that drag link ball joint nut as it looks skew wiffed?

 

[lynall]

If the seal/job/drop arm looks impossible, old trick is a bit of brake fluid in the oil which swells the seals, but obviously at your own risk!

 

[Turboman]

Be forewarned that getting the drop arm off can be difficult. There is a special beefy puller for the job - it's well worth having a look on the threads here before you start.

Club hammer and a long drift from above works well.

 

[Hicap phill]

Big hammers are always used
Just been out again not leaking but brought a kit Incase. I have to walk past local independent 4x4 shop.
@lynall I will check the ball joint threads. Until it falls off I don't normally worry may be you are seeing where the split pin should go?

 

[Turboman]

Big hammers are always used
Just been out again not leaking but brought a kit Incase. I have to walk past local independent 4x4 shop.
@lynall I will check the ball joint threads. Until it falls off I don't normally worry may be you are seeing where the split pin should go?

Nut looks cross threaded to me too.

 

[Hicap phill]

Nope all ok here. Why do I worry?
But thanks for making me check in the cold

 

[Turboman]

Nope all ok here. Why do I worry?
But thanks for making me check in the cold
View attachment 143329 View attachment 143330

Looks a bit better in that pic, must have been the angle of the other.

You appear to have engine oil dripping off everything?

 

[Hicap phill]

@Turboman
You not in form today are you?
What's the thread called

 

[Turboman]

@Turboman
You not in form today are you?
What's the thread called

I rarely read threads, just go off LZ live.

So it is covered in PSF, then, I wondered if you had been painting the components with sump oil to prevent rust.

 

[frog hopper]

I have successfully done this job a few years ago, and seal still holding up OK, BUT I ended up doing it twice due to the first seal kit being poor quality, my own fault as I ordered blind and a blue box arrived and I just got on and did it as was running short on time.
James' tip of loosening everything off then going lock to lock to spit seals out is the way to go, makes a difficult job easy.
I used an off-cut of plastic bath waste as a drift to set the new seal, worked for me.

 

[flat]

Big hammers are always used
Just been out again not leaking but brought a kit Incase. I have to walk past local independent 4x4 shop.
@lynall I will check the ball joint threads. Until it falls off I don't normally worry may be you are seeing where the split pin should go?

Why indy shop do you use?

I use a generic parts shop (cpa) and they are great but can’t always easily get the more uncommon bits

 

[Hicap phill]

Ridgeway 4x4.
If you want it & it's Landrover they will get it. Even weird stuff.
& they ask if you want blue bag or not. Prices are competive & 2 mins away from work.