willfromsussex Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Need to recon or replace my 4 bolt box with decent rebuild. Your recommendations please? It seems to have always lacked some assistance but now its leaking its time to get one that works properly and nice light steering, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I'd buy an Adwest box outright TBH, I had a reconditioned one, waste of time, started loeaking in 18 months, replaced with an Adwest, WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Steering so much more direct now, really unbelievable, all play has gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
task Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Bowie, did you get their "quickrack" version or just the standard replacement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 Mine has always been ok slack wise, but needed more effort to turn the wheel, especially when parking / steering with one hand. Wondered if different torsion bars or whatever determines the point at which the valve opens inside the box, were available at all, to change the effort ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Bowie, did you get their "quickrack" version or just the standard replacement? It was a quick version, makes quite a difference, think it removes one whole turn from lock to lock. Mine was on ebay second hand, but barely used (clearly very little use, from pic and when arrived) and came with a 300TDI Disco drop arm Think I paid £200 for it second hand, but new they are ~£500, so a bit of a bargain. Drives really nicely now, more like a smaller car with less turns lock to lock. With a power steering pump tweak the steering weight has been made lighter than stock (clearly a quicker box will weight up the steering normally). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Adwest do direct sales of reconditioned boxes http://www.adwest-engineering.co.uk/dsales.htm But I would go for a new box as you don't know how many times it's been reconditioned and I found that reconditioned don't last very long, but my new one has lasted well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Wright Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I bought a new Adwest box for my RRC and fitting was very tight between the oil cooler hose and the box. I then took it for its MOT and as the tester arrived back in the forecourt all of the lube oil was dumped on the forecourt. This was caused by the new steering box cutting through the oil cooler hose and thus dumping the oil. Now, of course, all the hoses for either the power steering or the oil cooler are no longer available so it was back to my friendly hydraulic hose manfacturer who made me a pair of hoses. When I came to fit the hose adjacent to the steering box there was insufficient space to get it threaded onto the connector. So back to my hose supplier who then made a short steel pipe section which allowed the connector to be threaded and made up. I did bring this problem to the attention of Adwest ( I even sent them some photos) but of course this was "the first time this has ever happened sir" was the standard answer. Indeed they did not even bother to respond to my photos. So be warned fitting the box is not all plain sailing - they do not appear to be the same as the original Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Erm, the Adwest box has the same external dimensions as a standard 4-bolt box? It fitted in fine in my RRC, like for like replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I thought that Adwest were also the supplier for Land Rover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Wright Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 All I can say is that is what happened to my RRC - I had to take the oil pump out to get the original box out and the new one in - all I can say is that the body castings are not identical. They may have been the OEM to Land Rover but that was 20 years ago a lot has changed in 20 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 They do still supply to LR, yes, and Bentley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off Road Toad Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Sounds like you bought the wrong box to be honest, there are different variants you know! In the last 20 years a four bolt box is still the same even on the latest Defender. I would NEVER buy a re-con box ever again after the farsicle experience i had with NPS, they are a joke. I bought a Brand new Adwest box from Dunsfold Landrovers for £240 + my box in exchange. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Wright Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 No afraid not - that was of course the first topic of conversation with Adwest. I even sent them a photo showing the serial number and they confirmed that I had the correct box. I would agree with your remarks regarding rebuilding of these boxes - it seems that nobody can get them correct and keep them sealed for any reasonable length of time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Hmm., has anyone got experience of www.power-steering.co.uk? They have quoted me £140 + vat for exchange, including collecting my old unit when they deliver the new one. Quick box sounds kind of cool for offroading etc but I would guess there is a possibility it is not as good as standard ratio at high speed motorway etc as a small movement could cause a big change in direction, especially not ideal for towing I would imagine. Just been to Berks and back in the Rangetrol towing a van on a trailer. Would just be nice to make the standard box have a bit more lightness. Someone must have experimented with the internals, for example changing or reducing the diameter of the torque rod thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 For more assistance, just open up the power steering pump a little, worked very well fit me and a few others. Do a search for 'opening' on here and you should find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
task Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hmm., has anyone got experience of www.power-steering.co.uk? They have quoted me £140 + vat for exchange, including collecting my old unit when they deliver the new one. Quick box sounds kind of cool for offroading etc but I would guess there is a possibility it is not as good as standard ratio at high speed motorway etc as a small movement could cause a big change in direction, especially not ideal for towing I would imagine. Just been to Berks and back in the Rangetrol towing a van on a trailer. Would just be nice to make the standard box have a bit more lightness. Someone must have experimented with the internals, for example changing or reducing the diameter of the torque rod thing? The Adwest boxes were what Overfinch fitted to their Range Rover Classics, designed very much with on-road in mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Thanks have found the thead about it. It doesn't feel like a flow issue, (which I would imagine would manifest itself by there being enough power at low turning speed but it fails to keep up with fast movements) its is just a low effort/pressure. Bear in mind also I am using a Nissan power steering pump, unsure how pressures compare to the Range Rover one but the Patrol steering was definately lighter than this steering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Not quite true, by opening up the power steering pump to allow an increased FLOW, it has improved the lighteness of my steering significantly, if you read what DD says he get 38" boggers to turn with one finger Which PAS pump do you have? The earlier V-belted RRC pumps were around 1000PSI, but the later P38 items and 300TDI pumps onwards are 1500PSI, so it could be that your pump deals in the higher pressure (1500PSI) but doesn't have the flow available for the clunky old RRC box -I'm assuming the Patrol box is going to be better built here It's not the wide offset wheels or wide rubber affecting your impression of lightness is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 currently on some narrow rims and 245 tyres. (Standard Patrols have 265 tyres) . Got a recon box coming today so I will just hope that it is better than what's on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p76rangie Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Replacing the seals on the steering box is reasonably straight forward. I am not sure why you would replace a box just because the seals are leaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 I'm not, its always been heavy also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Replacing the seals on the steering box is reasonably straight forward. I am not sure why you would replace a box just because the seals are leaking. Because the shaft wears, and just replacing the seal will mean it will leak again in very quick time -one reason why recon boxes are so shockingly poor in their lifespan, they don't bother replacing the shaft if they think they can get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Got recon box now. Might bung it on tomorrow if I can get the old droparm off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willfromsussex Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 Ok, a box arrived from Power Steering Services. Whilst it was still sitting on the floor I connected a UJ to the input shaft and tried to turn it, very stiff, and when it moved it felt rough and notchy. I rang them and asked them to send another one, which they did, after a little sighing. Second one felt a bit smoother but still quite tight but I decided to install it just incase it sorted itself out. Installed, bled, test driven, feels horrible. Very tight. Steering is heavy in the middle position then goes lighter once you get a bit of a turn going. This is unpleasant. It also won't self centre when you let the caster do its job . The wheel is stiff and stays where you put it, which makes precise adjustments to straight line driving a real chore. I have tried losening the sector shaft endfloat adjuster a little but this just made it have play but still stiff to turn. I am going to have to buy a new box and be done with it probably , as I don't want to ask this place for a third one, nobody should have to do that. Wonder what they will say when I ask them to take this box back and give a refund. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete The Biker Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Because the shaft wears, and just replacing the seal will mean it will leak again in very quick time -one reason why recon boxes are so shockingly poor in their lifespan, they don't bother replacing the shaft if they think they can get away with it. I replaced the seal on the input shaft on my 1988 RRC with one from Zeus Engineering. This is a machined part with o-rings inside and out to provide the seal. These bear on a different place on the shaft and so avoid this problem. It was about £23 incl VAT & P&P but easy to fit and has done a great job of fixing my leak - it's 100% dry now and hads been for months. here is the page http://www.zeus.uk.com/land-rover.php Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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