Author Topic: How to rebuild a steering relay.  (Read 5005 times)

Offline Jackual

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How to rebuild a steering relay.
« on: 07 January 2012, 09:53:15 am »
A commonly neglected part of any Land-rover, The seals wear out, Leak all the oil and eventually start to sieze.

After seeing one OLLR's members replacement relay shaft shear, I decided to rebuild the original, After all, How hard can it be!?

A quick word of warning, There is a coil :-\ spring held under compression,
Treat it with respect and it will be good to you, Twat it about, And it'll go shitstorm.

Also re-fitting the spring calls for special tools, Although there is a few different ways of doing this job.

The first thing to do is remove the drag links by the TRE's,
Then loosen and remove the pinch bolts holding the relay upper and lower levers, Remove the levers, Note the position.

Then at the top of the relay undo the two long through bolts. Drain the oil (if any) by removing one bottom screw(7/16Early models 5/16Late), And one top just to let air in.

The relay can now be pushed up out of the chassis, I'll leave this part up to your imagination, If it won't budge, Don't panic, It can be rebuilt in place.

Once out it'll look a bit like this;

The one I've got here is out of a scrap chassis, Cut out the section complete with the relay.

It was rusty, So the scale was removed using a wire wheel in an angle grinder;


Then onto the strip down, I removed the four bottom screws holding the retaining plate on, It won't spring to bits just yet, Just dont hit/drop/ect.


OLLR top tip; Put the relay in an old pillow case when drifting/clouting out the shaft and the spring.


Retrive all the parts out of the pillow case;

Make note of the parts from the top and bottom, The split tufnol bushes are a matched pair.

I then remove the screws holding the top cover and remove the remaining parts;

Parts you should now be able to see;
Two bronze thrust washers,
Two steel washers,
Two end caps with seals,
One spring,
One Relay shaft & Housing.

Clean up the parts, I just use brake cleaner, works a treat on the tufnol bushes. Check the parts for wear, The bronze thrust washes and the split tufnol bushes especially.
Don't worry if the surface the split bushes run on the shaft is pitted, This will aid lubrication by holding the oil, Something Land-rover later added into the design by cutting a groove in each split bush.
Also check the surface the seal runs on, The early models will be a one peice shaft, Later ones have sleeves that can be replaced if the seals have worn a groove in it.

Painted the body and cleaned up the rest of the parts;

And thats where I left it tonight.

==========================================================================================================

I did a little work to the relay during the week,
The sleeves the seal runs on look a little worse for wear, so I decided to replace them, Part no 230184.



To remove them I tried heat and a chisel, That didnt budge them, So in the end I ground a flat spot and split them, They then slid off.
I did catch the shaft the odd place with the grinder, But not to worry.


Just to wait for the bits to arrive and It'll be going back together.

==========================================================================================================

Put it together this afternoon with no problems,

The tool I use to refit the spring is a simple pair of clamps;

There made from a flat bit of steel, With the ends bent over in the vice, So the distance between the two is about 60mm, And then using and angle grinder, I removed some material to make the tangs that hold the spring.

Then some 2" hose clamps, And a couple of 50mm long 3mm thick steel bar used as compressing bars.


I first compressed the spring in the vise, Using the compressing bars;


Squashing it to a length of 60mm so that the clamps can fit around it;


Then fit the clamps, I use a couple of cable ties to hold them in place, Then gently ease off the vise, Making sure the clamps stay in position;


Once the tension is placed on the clamps the compressing bars will fall away, Be carefull handling the spring now!

I worked out doors today, So welcome to my outdoor workbench!, The main shaft has been cleaned up, And the distance peices pressed on using the hydraulic press;


Start assembling by sliding the compressed spring onto the shaft, Followed by a steel washer at each end;


Then using the Jubilee clips, Place the tufnol bushes on the shaft held in place with the jubilee clip, Make sure these are tight!;


Once the jubilee clips and bushes are in place the ties and spring clamps can be removed;

Then position the washers and spring for fitting.

Now the fun begins!, I start pressing/hitting the assembly in from the bottom of the casing, Once the top bush is engaged in the casing the jubilee clip can be removed from around that one, Leaving the clip on the lower one;


Then I keep hitting the assembly all the way to the bottom jubilee clip, Same with this one, Once engaged I remove the clip, And continue hitting the shaft all the way home;


Then I replaced the seals in the end caps;


The bronze thrusts are then slid along the shaft, Into the casing;


Followed by the end caps, Fitted with new gaskets & a smear of hylomar if ya like;



Replace and tighten all the bottom end cap screws, On the top cap only replace two of the screws, And fill the unit with oil using ep boingy through the missing screw hole, One to fill the other to let air out, Then, once full of oil replace the screws and tighten .

Job done!;



Now just fit it to the chassis using plenty of anti-seize!, And re-fit the steering arms ;D.

Cheers, Jack

Offline Calum

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #1 on: 17 January 2012, 01:25:52 am »
Very good! I like the way you compressed the spring. I struggled with a 10-minute version of the special tool listed in the workshop manual. I need to make a proper version of the tool ideally. After all the messing about trying to get it all in with the tufnol bushes, I left out the steel washers :@ They shouldn't make all that much difference in all honesty, but if I do get round to making a proper tool I'll strip it down and fit them.

Offline Willy Eckerslyke

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #2 on: 17 January 2012, 10:07:55 am »
Very useful post. I have one that needs doing and was wondering how. So thanks!

Offline Jackual

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #3 on: 17 January 2012, 11:15:19 am »
Thanks! :D I followed an ancient set of instructions that was with a NOS relay shaft, This was the tool they used.

I think you'll be pretty safe, Calum, With out those steel washers, Its not as if the spring or bushes move, Just the relay shaft itself.

Very useful post. I have one that needs doing and was wondering how. So thanks!

Thanks, Glad you found it of use 8)!.

Offline Harry2a

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #4 on: 23 January 2012, 05:21:03 pm »
Great thread, Pillow case is a good idea, avoids loosing that part that you saw roll under the bench, yet isn’t there when you look! Usually the rarest bolt known to man.

Offline Fluffle-Valve

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #5 on: 27 April 2015, 08:02:00 pm »
Good detailed write up. Thanks for that.
I was wondering how people did this task and now I know.  :-?

200TDi powered 1972 Series III LWB Truck Cab.

Offline Snailer

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #6 on: 28 April 2015, 09:04:33 am »
excellent write up. thanks for posting.
Owner of the diesel timing tool, this will make me a fortune renting it out.

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Offline poprodder

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #7 on: 27 June 2015, 05:24:00 pm »
great write up, very informative.

cheers.

Offline Correus

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #8 on: 15 May 2018, 10:30:48 pm »
Hello -

Do you still have the pics of the tool you made out of a pair of clamps to refit the spring?

Thanks!
Cheers!
Larry
'63 SIIa 88 Station Wagon - Grover

Offline Jackual

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #9 on: 25 August 2018, 11:23:06 am »
Photos seem to be working ok? I know Photobucket went a bit weird, but seems ok now :-?

Cheers, Jack.

Offline kev

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #10 on: 25 August 2018, 06:23:26 pm »
A lot of the Photofucket pics disappeared off the forum, - you're one of the lucky ones. 

I just re-read this thread, - excellent rebuild!  :thumbs:
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Offline ashcrroft752

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #11 on: 05 September 2018, 04:54:19 am »
Good thread need to rebuild my spare one soon.

Wow all my photophucket photos have reappeared!
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Offline Fluffle-Valve

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Re: How to rebuild a steering relay.
« Reply #12 on: 09 April 2019, 08:23:55 pm »
I just re-read this thread.
I'm going to have a go at this on a relay I have. It seems to be seized, so I've left it in soak for now.

200TDi powered 1972 Series III LWB Truck Cab.