Steering Box leak
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2025
Posts: 49
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I developed a leak as well - my local Landy expert - recommends keeping original equipment box and resealing - seal kit is less than $100 and time to remove - reseal - install is 2 hours so about $300 - seems like a better way to go than buying a Chinese made or re mfg. box for $100-$200 - they warranty it for 1 year
Opinions ?
Opinions ?
Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 823
Likes: 75
People think P/S gears are complex black boxes ....they're not. It's actually pretty simple re-do for a guy who has good mechanical skills and the factory guide. Congrats to the OP who got the top cover re-sealed.
The key unique tool you need to work on a steering gear are a sensitive inch-lb's torque wrench. Notice I didn't say Ft-lbs. Such sensitive in-lb torque wrenches used to only be available (expensive) from like Snap-on and other like companies. But now there are a lot of Chinese import options which work well. If you are re-doing a steering box, First you set the preload using the inch-lb's wrench to verify you're in the right range. Then you adjust the top screw and get in it's correct torque 'range'. Don't just go adjusting the top screw thinking you'll take out slop. I mean,... you could, just a little, on an older vehicle if you know it hasn't been tampered with. But don't just go screwing it down. That's not good. Often, from a wear standpoint, it's a lot of small wear in other components guys often replace while doing a steering box change. I took the steering gear off my '89 Chevy pickup with 275k miles, to check/reset the preload on it. Would you know it was right where it needed to be?! I know a few guys who put on all new front suspension (bushings) and new steering and had really tight steering and never touched their steering gear that had around 300k miles on it. Of course those weren't land rover steering boxes either. The point is, look at the rest of the system for wear first.
And the last thing I often advise guys/friends is: ...there will ALWAYS be some 'slop' at the steering wheel in a power steering box which can't be worked out. The reason is b/c the main shaft is actually TWO shafts. The initial input shaft is meant to move slightly with the main shaft. That little movement is designed-in and is the *valving* which ports fluid one way or the other to give 'assist' as you move the steering wheel. Unlike a manual steering box which has one shaft. Which is why a lot of the older performance cars always used manual steering ...or hybrid steering. To maintain that 'tight' feel. Older C2/C3 Corvettes, for example, GM could have designed them with a Saginaw steering box, which would have been the cheaper way to go (and many owners these days wish they would have! ...lol, but that's another story). However Zora wanted tighter performance-car steering so they went with a manual steering box with a hydraulic assist system (also used in early Mustangs).
Of course Rack & Pinion systems have changed all that.
Anyway, congrats to the OP, and good job, for getting his sealed up!!
The key unique tool you need to work on a steering gear are a sensitive inch-lb's torque wrench. Notice I didn't say Ft-lbs. Such sensitive in-lb torque wrenches used to only be available (expensive) from like Snap-on and other like companies. But now there are a lot of Chinese import options which work well. If you are re-doing a steering box, First you set the preload using the inch-lb's wrench to verify you're in the right range. Then you adjust the top screw and get in it's correct torque 'range'. Don't just go adjusting the top screw thinking you'll take out slop. I mean,... you could, just a little, on an older vehicle if you know it hasn't been tampered with. But don't just go screwing it down. That's not good. Often, from a wear standpoint, it's a lot of small wear in other components guys often replace while doing a steering box change. I took the steering gear off my '89 Chevy pickup with 275k miles, to check/reset the preload on it. Would you know it was right where it needed to be?! I know a few guys who put on all new front suspension (bushings) and new steering and had really tight steering and never touched their steering gear that had around 300k miles on it. Of course those weren't land rover steering boxes either. The point is, look at the rest of the system for wear first.
And the last thing I often advise guys/friends is: ...there will ALWAYS be some 'slop' at the steering wheel in a power steering box which can't be worked out. The reason is b/c the main shaft is actually TWO shafts. The initial input shaft is meant to move slightly with the main shaft. That little movement is designed-in and is the *valving* which ports fluid one way or the other to give 'assist' as you move the steering wheel. Unlike a manual steering box which has one shaft. Which is why a lot of the older performance cars always used manual steering ...or hybrid steering. To maintain that 'tight' feel. Older C2/C3 Corvettes, for example, GM could have designed them with a Saginaw steering box, which would have been the cheaper way to go (and many owners these days wish they would have! ...lol, but that's another story). However Zora wanted tighter performance-car steering so they went with a manual steering box with a hydraulic assist system (also used in early Mustangs).
Of course Rack & Pinion systems have changed all that.
Anyway, congrats to the OP, and good job, for getting his sealed up!!
Last edited by Mark G; Jan 7, 2026 at 01:36 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2025
Posts: 49
Likes: 22
People think P/S gears are complex black boxes ....they're not. It's actually pretty simple re-do for a guy who has good mechanical skills and the factory guide. Congrats to the OP who got the top cover re-sealed.
The key unique tool you need to work on a steering gear are a sensitive inch-lb's torque wrench. Notice I didn't say Ft-lbs. Such sensitive in-lb torque wrenches used to only be available (expensive) from like Snap-on and other like companies. But now there are a lot of Chinese import options which work well. If you are re-doing a steering box, First you set the preload using the inch-lb's wrench to verify you're in the right range. Then you adjust the top screw and get in it's correct torque 'range'. Don't just go adjusting the top screw thinking you'll take out slop. I mean,... you could, just a little, on an older vehicle if you know it hasn't been tampered with. But don't just go screwing it down. That's not good. Often, from a wear standpoint, it's a lot of small wear in other components guys often replace while doing a steering box change. I took the steering gear off my '89 Chevy pickup with 275k miles, to check/reset the preload on it. Would you know it was right where it needed to be?! I know a few guys who put on all new front suspension (bushings) and new steering and had really tight steering and never touched their steering gear that had around 300k miles on it. Of course those weren't land rover steering boxes either. The point is, look at the rest of the system for wear first.
And the last thing I often advise guys/friends is: ...there will ALWAYS be some 'slop' at the steering wheel in a power steering box which can't be worked out. The reason is b/c the main shaft is actually TWO shafts. The initial input shaft is meant to move slightly with the main shaft. That little movement is designed-in and is the *valving* which ports fluid one way or the other to give 'assist' as you move the steering wheel. Unlike a manual steering box which has one shaft. Which is why a lot of the older performance cars always used manual steering ...or hybrid steering. To maintain that 'tight' feel. Older C2/C3 Corvettes, for example, GM could have designed them with a Saginaw steering box, which would have been the cheaper way to go (and many owners these days wish they would have! ...lol, but that's another story). However Zora wanted tighter performance-car steering so they went with a manual steering box with a hydraulic assist system (also used in early Mustangs).
Of course Rack & Pinion systems have changed all that.
Anyway, congrats to the OP, and good job, for getting his sealed up!!
The key unique tool you need to work on a steering gear are a sensitive inch-lb's torque wrench. Notice I didn't say Ft-lbs. Such sensitive in-lb torque wrenches used to only be available (expensive) from like Snap-on and other like companies. But now there are a lot of Chinese import options which work well. If you are re-doing a steering box, First you set the preload using the inch-lb's wrench to verify you're in the right range. Then you adjust the top screw and get in it's correct torque 'range'. Don't just go adjusting the top screw thinking you'll take out slop. I mean,... you could, just a little, on an older vehicle if you know it hasn't been tampered with. But don't just go screwing it down. That's not good. Often, from a wear standpoint, it's a lot of small wear in other components guys often replace while doing a steering box change. I took the steering gear off my '89 Chevy pickup with 275k miles, to check/reset the preload on it. Would you know it was right where it needed to be?! I know a few guys who put on all new front suspension (bushings) and new steering and had really tight steering and never touched their steering gear that had around 300k miles on it. Of course those weren't land rover steering boxes either. The point is, look at the rest of the system for wear first.
And the last thing I often advise guys/friends is: ...there will ALWAYS be some 'slop' at the steering wheel in a power steering box which can't be worked out. The reason is b/c the main shaft is actually TWO shafts. The initial input shaft is meant to move slightly with the main shaft. That little movement is designed-in and is the *valving* which ports fluid one way or the other to give 'assist' as you move the steering wheel. Unlike a manual steering box which has one shaft. Which is why a lot of the older performance cars always used manual steering ...or hybrid steering. To maintain that 'tight' feel. Older C2/C3 Corvettes, for example, GM could have designed them with a Saginaw steering box, which would have been the cheaper way to go (and many owners these days wish they would have! ...lol, but that's another story). However Zora wanted tighter performance-car steering so they went with a manual steering box with a hydraulic assist system (also used in early Mustangs).
Of course Rack & Pinion systems have changed all that.
Anyway, congrats to the OP, and good job, for getting his sealed up!!
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