Steering Boxes

[ZedBed]

The tricky bit was re-torquing the roller bearings. The nut has a tab washer to keep it in place. No way I can micro-torque as required, so I marked the nut and tab and reassembled it where it was. Fingers crossed, but because of this and a niggly doubt about the pin - whether it's truly hard stuff or was case hardened, and also I had to hope the worm wear wasn't too bad as after reading up on re-assembling and torquing this part I left it as it was! - I wouldn't be able to offer any gaurantee on a rebuild.

Dismantle, clean, new seals, 2 trips to the machinist - it all adds up time-wise, so sadly £250, though it seems like a right royal rip-off isn't far off. I could under-cut to say £200, but you'd have to take the above on board and cross your fingers along with me. But at least you'd know the score as I'm being as honest as I can about it.

I've only done 200 miles since. Maybe this time next year I'll have more idea how successful the refurb was. It doesn't leak oil anymore - it had been pumped full of CV grease because of leak which didn't help, but we'll have to see if the pin holds up.

Set against this, I quite often see them sell for about £80 second hand, but which ever way you go it's going to be a gamble.

 

[67westy]

Zed, probably best to wait until you get a few more miles on it then.

I just spoke to the power steering place and it turns out they send them off to have the work done which is probably why they are vague on what actually happens. Turnaround is 5-7 working days at the minute. They seem very helpful though, from my description of the problem they think it might not be the box and could be something in the linkages so I need to investigate a bit more.....

 

[scott wilson]

tempered steel is the drama according to my engineer friend who having been given three boxes to play with told me to fuck off if i was selling them.Why? because he would be liable. sorry for the swearing but i felt it made his point clear.he`s an extremely good friend too and really wanted to help

 

[67westy]

Scott, why is tempered steel a problem? I'm not an engineer as you can probably guess from the question :lol:

 

[Araon]

Basically the heat induced in machining the metal alters the crysiline structure so it requires tempering again which aint that easy

 

[aogrady]

Hi

A few links of metals harning, and tempering etc, which may or may not help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempering" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060910141833AAYfHAR" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Matter/Hardening.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm sure something could be done easilly after a the item has been machined and re-done. But i guess as always, like the seatbelt westy mod, it will all come down to some liabilty issue no doubt. I would have thought some tests of the materials surface could be done before to assertain exactly what the material is, and was process it has been through, and then after once the work has been carried out?

What happens to owners of other less common classic and vintage vehicles? They surely mustn't have this issue with steering refurbs or metalwork mods with the insides?

I think we need:
a: A metalurgist
b: A friendly blacksmith for the hot bits:
c: A x ray machine for crack testing

Cant be that hard surely :!: :?: :lol:

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[Dirty Harry]

I consider myself very lucky to have a NOS spare :!:
I bought it from a guy that swapped it for a Horse some 20 years ago

 

[strongy]

i had mine done at powersteeering.co.uk about 3 years ago at a cost of £160.its still loads better than a sloppy box
but it was never what i would imagine a new one to be like,but then who knows,they were probably crap from the off.ive never driven anything with a steering box thats had good stearing.

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

i had mine done at powersteeering.co.uk about 3 years ago at a cost of £160.its still loads better than a sloppy box
but it was never what i would imagine a new one to be like,but then who knows,they were probably crap from the off.ive never driven anything with a steering box thats had good stearing.

Might be a personal request, but I'd be interested to feel how tight your box is :lol:

 

[strongy]

no wories mate but i thought you allready had.oh the steering box,no wories bud giz a shout on a weekend or evening and you can take it for a wiz round town

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

:lol: Sounds good! This means your keeping the van then? Not ready for a T4, pipe and slippers yet?

 

[strongy]

:mrgreen: naaa its going in the spring.just going to get a ghia or razor i recon.will have to see what i can get for the old girl and take it from there.so anytime before then just giz a shout.its just parked in the workshop collecting dust

 

[uber cool]

i had mine done at powersteeering.co.uk about 3 years ago at a cost of £160.its still loads better than a sloppy box
but it was never what i would imagine a new one to be like,but then who knows,they were probably crap from the off.ive never driven anything with a steering box thats had good stearing.

Might be a personal request, but I'd be interested to feel how tight your box is :lol:

that made me laugh :shock: :lol: :lol:

 

[easy]

I consider myself very lucky to have a NOS spare :!:
I bought it from a guy that swapped it for a Horse some 20 years ago

Thats a thing of Beauty and would make a lovely Christmas pressie for me :mrgreen: