New Steering box leaking from top plate

You'd think dropping £500 on a new steering box would mean you wouldnt need to worry about it, but no 1 year later and just over 2000 miles it's leaking out the top plate.

Orderd a seal kit, as I do not have the time to send it back and have the land rover out of action over the winter while I wait for them.

I take it from the diagram that it is part 16 I need to change, so it's a simple case of removing the adjuster nut, removing the 4 Bolts and winding the top plate off?
Will I be able to do it without ruining the adjustment? It feels perfect right now.

it is no16 a little rtv silicone sealant wouldnt go amiss either ,set steering box central then remove the nut then the 4 15mm headed bolts,wind the adjusting screw clockwise until top comes off ,fit your new seal and silicone the cap flangeso it seals the top too when clamped, wing top back on it the 5 bolts the adjusy the screw so that when rocking the input shaft free play is just removed then fit nut,adjustment must be made whilst box is central

jamesmartin said:

it is no16 a little rtv silicone sealant wouldnt go amiss either ,set steering box central then remove the nut then the 4 15mm headed bolts,wind the adjusting screw clockwise until top comes off ,fit your new seal and silicone the cap flangeso it seals the top too when clamped, wing top back on it the 5 bolts the adjusy the screw so that when rocking the input shaft free play is just removed then fit nut,adjustment must be made whilst box is central

Click to expand...

Simple enough, will get on it in the morning

I bought a brand new stering box I year 1000 milesl later front cover started leaking on inspecting cover quad ring had fine scratches all round outer edge fitted new seal 3 years later still good

Second expensive genuine item that's been bad for me,
Brand new wing from land rover, all of the nuts were welded slightly off center, I had to force them in.

No obvious nicks ect but the outside face of the seal looks like pitted steel?
Odd, you can kind of see it in the pic

similar to an old seal sat against a rusty surface

Wasn't any rust or pitting on the sealing surfaces, I do hope they haven't put a box together with an old seal.

I can't seem to find to torque setting for the top plate bolts?
They were bloody tight

owas said:

Wasn't any rust or pitting on the sealing surfaces, I do hope they haven't put a box together with an old seal.

I can't seem to find to torque setting for the top plate bolts?
They were bloody tight

Click to expand...

tight is enough they only clamp the top down,seal the top surface not inside around the seal ,belt and braces

jamesmartin said:

tight is enough they only clamp the top down,seal the top surface not inside around the seal ,belt and braces

Click to expand...

All done and leak free, cheers!

good picture mine looked similar to yours but scratch marks were crows ways no evidence of rust no pitting of box apart from original leak box is working fine

jamesmartin said:

it is no16 a little rtv silicone sealant wouldnt go amiss either ,set steering box central then remove the nut then the 4 15mm headed bolts,wind the adjusting screw clockwise until top comes off ,fit your new seal and silicone the cap flangeso it seals the top too when clamped, wing top back on it the 5 bolts the adjusy the screw so that when rocking the input shaft free play is just removed then fit nut,adjustment must be made whilst box is central

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I've got the adjustment correct, it doesn't quite feel right.
So free play is the amount I can rock the input shaft before it moves the drop arm (I haven't removed the drag link)
So with it on the ground, engine off, I shouldn't be able to rock the input shaft much with it adjusted correctly?

owas said:

I'm not sure I've got the adjustment correct, it doesn't quite feel right.
So free play is the amount I can rock the input shaft before it moves the drop arm (I haven't removed the drag link)
So with it on the ground, engine off, I shouldn't be able to rock the input shaft much with it adjusted correctly?

Click to expand...

free play is the amount you can feel between input and the sector shaft drop arm is fastened to,even with no play between the 2 you could rock the input a fair amount you need to carefully feel your just taking up the play between the 2 and not trying to remove any movement there is in the whole system

jamesmartin said:

free play is the amount you can feel between input and the sector shaft drop arm is fastened to,even with no play between the 2 you could rock the input a fair amount you need to carefully feel your just taking up the play between the 2 and not trying to remove any movement there is in the whole system

Click to expand...

Readjusted it and it's good now,
Conveniently as you feel abit of pressure turning the screw is the point where it's just taken out the play, I had it wound in too far before.