I've stated a new thread as I ended up pulling the whole steering column out to remove the upper u joint. Now the question is how to remove what I call the drag link from the steering arm? The manual says to drift it out of the taper fit. Not working for me. What's the preferred method?

 

I just a puller, but it was very tight. Sure made a bang when it finally let go.

 

Did you remove the main drop arm from the steering shaft itself or the smaller taper ball joint out on the end of the drop arm ?
I think Oxendine wants to just remove the smaller ball joint out on the end of the arm if I'm reading his post correctly.

Oxendine, kits like these have all 3 types of pullers.
With the castle nut threaded up-side-down, just proud of the part it threads onto, load the "taper" with the appropriate puller and whack the end of the taper shaft with a hammer.
That helps to break it free.
Supporting the drop arm with a heavy weight as close to the end as possible should be done while striking.

 

I go with these suggestions. When I did mine I used the old two hammer trick. Take two hammers, one in your left hand and one in your right and hit the sides of the joint simultaneously as hard as you can. The shock normally springs the taper free. If you are using pullers and it is still not freeing itself, being left over night under tension sometimes helps. It will release with a bang as Jagboi states so if you leave it over night expect to be woken up by the bang or wrap the setup with old rags to lessen the noise. Also leave the nut on a couple of the threads as this will stop the joint falling out and on to the floor. Lastly heat will certainly help but you have to be careful not to damage any rubber parts you might want to reuse.

 

I'm thinking of using a puller but not sure what to buy. Pitman arm puller looks to be too wide? Any suggestions? And yes I'm trying to part it at the taper joint on the swivel pin.

 

As Cass said, tapping the side of a taper joint with a hammer, while having another heavy hammer on the other side as a backup is also a very effective way to break a taper and release the joint.

I have the front end kit that Jeff linked to, so I would have used whatever puller in the kit fit and worked. It's been a long time since I removed it, I can't remember exactly what I used.

 

Okay I finally got it loose. Took a floor jack and put pressure on the bolt and then wailed the hell out of it. Now the power steering box is loose and floating around how does it come out of the car? Tried down and up the top. Interference everywhere. What a pain in the a.

 

Mine is the RHD Adwest Marles Power steering box and it came out of the bottom. A bit of wiggling but definitely out of the bottom as on a RHD car you have all the carbs, Oil filter, Distributor and brake booster on that side so it does not go out of the top.
I think I had to disconnect the power steering fluid pipes that run to the steering box. They are connected to the cross member. The steering links were all laid low and the steering box just slipped out.

This is the steering box in situ.




This is the gap where the steering box would sit on a RHD car after I removed it out of the bottom.

 

Yours is a left hand drive car, so if you remove the generator, will that give it enough room ?
My box leaked like a sieve, and I took mine out without having to drop the front sub-frame, but I'm sure the generator would have to come out.
It's been so long I can't remember how mine came out, but I did not drop the sub-frame.

 

My generator quit generating so it was time to do both. Generator is out. Right now the steering box is wedged between the engine block and frame. I quit for the day before I totally lost it. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

 

As you know there are a bunch of different steering boxes, maybe yours isn't the type that's removed unless the sub-frame is lowered.
Glyn would probably know, but he got himself banned.

 

Oh! I go on holiday and all sorts of things happen. Hopefully not a permanent ban.

 

I believe this was the final straw; from here on.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...0/#post2649384

 

Ah, I see. I wasn't reading that thread, perhaps a good thing.

 

If you get stuck you can just lower the front subframe, its only two bolts on each front mount, one on each rear and if necessary one on each side for the anti roll bar (ot disconnect from the drop link). If it needs to come right down then unbolt the brake callipers and hang them up buy you may find that just dropping it a bit is enough.

 

It's easier to deal with about anything attached to the front subframe by first lowering or removing the subframe.

 

Agreed, I did my steering box while I had it out to renew all the bushings. I also agree that you could probably just remove the subframe bolts and lower the assembly a bit to reduce obstacles without actually "removing the assembly" from the car, if you get the drift....

 

And Remember.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...emoval-270639/

 

Box is out. Will not come out the top. I had it wedged between the frame and engine for a bit. Don't try it. I ended up removing the center link and both tie rod ends. This gave me enough room to wiggle the box out. This was after removing the steering column and both u joints. Word of advice don't do it unless your box really needs re sealed. It's no fun.

 

Great news! It's a matter of technique. 1st Type, 2nd Type & Varamatic should come out easily. Watched my guy on all 3 ~ half an hour out & half an hour in due to spline damage to input shaft seal by the re-builders. I've seen him do all 3. My car is fitted with the 2nd type which has more/longer metal pipework that gets in the way. (RHD) The only thing that can slow things a little is in my post No 18 on this thread item 5 on the reference thread.

First Type is easiest with the short link pipe making it very compact. You don't have to remove or loosen anything for all other than the engine compartment UJ & column if you don't have the deep Plunging CV joint on the engine compartment part of the column. My guy is tall and lanky/slim with long arms and hands like vices.

Short joint:


Deep plunging CV joint that makes life a lot easier as you don't have to loosen the main in-car column to slide the UJ from the input shaft of the steering box.