It is critical to check for correct fitment prior to shipping a replacement Land Rover steering box to fit your Land Rover Defender. Use the following information to inspect a replacement prior to fitting.
Drop Arm Spline Count and Taper
Count the number of splines and the taper angle of the drop arm. The number of splines on the drop arm of steering boxes for the Land Rover Defender varies from model year to model year. So, even though the steering box may look right, you must measure or count the number of splines to ensure it is the correct part for your vehicle.
Input Shaft Diameter and UJ Fit
The input shaft of the new steering box must allow for the existing universal joint without having to use shims, and the UJ clamp bolt must align properly with the flat on the shaft.
Mounting Hole Pattern
Before buying a new steering box, measure the mounting hole centres on the frame and check that they match those of your replacement part. Often there is considerable variation between similar units made for Land Rover’s Defender.
Pitman Arm Orientation
Check to see whether your Defender is set up with a left hand drop arm or a right hand drop arm. The steering geometry can be affected if this is set up incorrectly and put at the wrong angle using the drag link.
Fluid Port Positions and Thread Sizes
Check for the location of the high-pressure and return ports. Ensure there are no bends in the existing pipework and confirm the thread size is metric or UNF as metric ports cannot be converted to UNF UNF ports and vice versa and could require costly adaptation to fit. Land Rover Defender Steering Box is covered in more detail at //westernpowersteering.co.uk/vehicles/land-rover/land-rover-defender-steering-box/.
Take 20 minutes to check these prior to commencement of the fitment and you shall save yourself a lot of misery later.
