Just Replaced top seal on the steering rack

[missfixit70]

Looks like I beat Ady to it
Did mine today, stuck it up on the ramps, bungeed the steering wheel in position to stop it moving, took off the 2 x 12mm bolts on the UJ on the top of the steering rack pinion



wd40 & then tap the joint up the splines onto the steering column until it pops off the pinion splines. Take note of the orientation of the UJ just in case (wasn't really anywhere to mark it relative to the pinion splines)



Then working from above, under the bonnet remove the plastic air intake pipe held in with one 10mm bolt



Take off the rubber dustcover, exposing the circlip holding the seal in place



Remove the circlip, mine was very reluctant to come out off it's slot on one side, but with a bit of BFI it came off eventually, I tried gently tapping the pinion down which seemd to help a bit.
All this lot only took 20 minutes or so, thought it was going really well just the seal to get out, replace it all & off you go, not quite that easy on mine, it did not want to come out AT ALL
Tried Maxheadroom's method of firkling it out with a small flat bladed srewdriver, couldn't get it in easily or get it to budge, so didn't want to force it & damage the sealing faces.
Tried using a little pick type tool & force the point under the rubber covering the seal - no go.
I even tried turning the engine on & forcing the seal with pump pressure, even that did nowt
Got my little dremmel type drill out, wasn't happy with the clearance & working room, so ended up using the flexi attatchment with 3mm drill as per Munroman's method



It did slip once, once but I think it just hit the pinion above where the seal is time will tell. managed to drill a 3mm hole ok, tried to pull it out using the pick, still wouldn't budge so put screw in & gripped it with molegrips, it took a few goes & a really strong pull, but it finally came out



I was a bit concerned about swarf, so I flicked the engine on & off to pressurise & flush it, just a second or 2 was enough to drop the level in the reservoir by an inch or so & result in a big puddle on the old lino I'd put underneath, even though I'd wrapped a rag around to soak some up.
New seal refitted, wiped with new ATF, gently pushed into place by hand then tapped in home with a 22mm deep socket, circlip refitted, dustcover replaced, UJ slid back into place & tightened up & reservoir topped up (it's been leaking quite well so i fgure it's done a fluid change in the last few months )

Everything wiped clean & took it for a spin, all seems ok, fingers crossed it's done the trick Probably took about an hour & a half with all the faffing about trying to avoid drilling, if I'd gone straight in with the drill, it would have been much quicker.

Thanks to Maxheadroom & Munroman for forging the way

[mikeonb4c]

thanks for all the info and tips,hold tight im going in,

Good luck Bond

[Northern Bongolow]

thanks for that peeps,its still on my list yet,to busy fitting mirrors will do before bash,
pics appreciated, looks not bad to do,

[maxheadroom]

nice one Kirsty, great pics and advice

[mikeonb4c]

nice one Kirsty, great pics and advice

Ditto - an amazingly useful write-up (factsheet anyone?).

[munroman]

Well done Kirsty, my seal was very hard to shift too, and I was wary of trying to prise against the alloy casing, hence the use of the drill in desperation!

And lets just say I was a bit nervous when the drill was near the steering rack, it is quite a large cordless, so I was limited where I could access the rack from.

I had thought of pressurising the system, but I didn't want to run the risk of an Exxon Valdez moment as I was in the street outside my house, sounds like it wouldn't have worked anyway.

A good feeling when its all done though!

I would be happy to work on a factsheet if I could use your pictures, I didn't take any of mine.

Another thought, as it always seems to be the top seal which goes, can anyone find a number on it, as there must be a saving to be had by sourcing the individual seal, rather than a full kit which is unlikely to be needed? ( I can't help it, its the Scotsman in me!)

[Northern Bongolow]

ive been trying to source the seal myself,my local top man says they are not available,
hes been in the seals/bearing industry all his working life,if he says no chance,im stumped

[missfixit70]

nice one Kirsty, great pics and advice

Ditto - an amazingly useful write-up (factsheet anyone?).

Link to this thread has been passed on to Ian to update the factsheet on steering rack & is now on the "to do" list apparantly. You're welcome to use my pics if you want to put the factsheet together though, just give Ian an email so you don't end up duplicating

Well done Kirsty,
I would be happy to work on a factsheet if I could use your pictures, I didn't take any of mine.

Another thought, as it always seems to be the top seal which goes, can anyone find a number on it, as there must be a saving to be had by sourcing the individual seal, rather than a full kit which is unlikely to be needed? ( I can't help it, its the Scotsman in me!)

As regards finding a source for just that seal, I think people have tried in the past & Ady has benn trying his hardest, but somebody somewhere makes em to go in the kits, so they must be available, it's just a matter of finding the right point in the supply chain.

[brookie]

Many thanks guys for posting this info, especially with the pics, just completed doing mine, it's been a job needed doing for ages. I got the seal kit from the club, couldn't find anywhere to get just the top seal, but money well spent. All sorted so no wiping down the pinion area round the corner when the MOT was due!! Fact sheet anyone?? Seems a common problem which isn't too difficult to fix.

regards,

Mark.