If anyone has ever removed one i would love to know what im up against since mine is leaking and needs to be replaced so please let me know

 

Email me at BlackRiverExp@att.net and I will send you a complete procedure along with photos that I took when I rebuilt the rotary valve on the power steering unit of my 1997 XK8, although my real problem turned out to be a cooked fluid hose. I would post the procedure here, but everytime I try to upload a PDF file, it fails.

Bill Unger
1997 XK8
2007 XKr
1969 E-type

 

It's fairly straightforward. I did mine about a month ago.

One thing you might want to do is order some parts ahead of time.

there are two O-rings where the hoses attach to the rack than need to be replaced. Also Jaguar for some reason recomends replacing the bushings where the rack is held to the subframe. It was about $30 total for all of that through the dealer, but they needed to be ordered, and took a few days to come in.

Jaguar also recomends changing out the fluid reservior whenever work is done on the steering system. I didn't change mine. But the part is about $80 from the dealer, and they reccomend it due to a filter being a non replaceable part of the reservior.

Other than that make sure the tie rods are in good shape if you are not going with a new rack. Both of the used racks I looked at had bent tie rods.

AS far as physically removing the rack there are 4 bolts holding the rack to the subframe, the two castelated nuts holding the ball joints to the spindles, and 1 bolt holding the column to the rack.

Once you undo the column bolt it is SUPPOSE to collapse up into thte upper part of the column to give you clearance to remove the rack, but mine was a PITA to collapse, and to extend once the new rack is in place.

After it's swapped make sure to fill and purge the system before starting the engine.

 

Did the removal and replace over the weekend..... was rather easy


1. hammer the outer tie rods ends off with a fork
2. thake the x bracket off (4 bolts)
3. take the tie rod ends off (easier on the unit than off)
4. unscrew bolt holding steering knuckle to rack
5. take off plug to rack seloid and unscrew torx bolt on hose ends
6. pry open steering knuckle( helps in getting it to slide off)
7. now u can unbolt the four bolts that hold the rack in place #13 socket
8. check all your tie rods both inner and other, check o rings in both tubes
9. insert one bolt in lower back end of rack
10. this will help hold up rack while u fight to fit steering knuckle back in
11. make sure steering wheel is as straight as possible(had to do twice)
12. once kuckle is on put its bolt back in and put racks 3 other bolts on
13. put inner and outer tie rods back on as close to possible they were off
14. bolt outer tie rods back to wheels be careful keep bolt straight
15. test system if no leaks you have almost finished....
16. at this point you will have to get to a alignment place to make sure your straight,,,, no matter how good u are about the alignment you will not be straight, your steering wheel will have a little left or right angle in it
and only an alignment place can give u the perfict angle...hope this helps some else ..... Guys u can do this yourself and save lots of money on both labor and parts....................An hour to remove and an hour to replace
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