[Highway-Star]

Hi

My Vitara power steering box is leaking, looks to be the seals. Anyway I've got some prices for getting it rebuilt, and am quite horrified! (ie I can buy about 3 2nd hand Vit P/S boxes for the same price).

How hard are these things to rebuild? Should I even attempt it myself?
or should I just go buy a 2nd hand one again?...


cheers

[Damo]

There's not a whole lot to a steering box, so it can't be that hard I imagine.

My vote is on rebuild.

[zuki]

Highway-Star wrote:

Hi

My Vitara power steering box is leaking, looks to be the seals. Anyway I've got some prices for getting it rebuilt, and am quite horrified! (ie I can buy about 3 2nd hand Vit P/S boxes for the same price).

How hard are these things to rebuild? Should I even attempt it myself?
or should I just go buy a 2nd hand one again?...


cheers

Hey Aaron,
Try getting in contact with oozuk Steve, He may be able to shed some info and help you make up your mind on what is better way to go.

He did his apprenticeship on Suzuki's and has a heap of experience.

David

PS I have his mobile number if you want.

[BlueSuzy]

If you need the car, swap the box to a second handy, then you rebuild your original one, put it in, then sell the 2nd hand vit box

[Highway-Star]

Yeah Damo, the neighbour rebuilt a manual one pretty easy, was thinking how much harder can it really be?


Cheers, David. His mobile number is in the business section, will give him a call this afternoon .


Well Bluesuzy, funny you should say that, was thinking I could do similar, except instead of selling it, keeping it for my LJ81 project . I need the car by the end of next week, so no great rush, LJing untill then...

[Brenno]

How did you go with this HWS?

The Pitman arm spline is leaking in mine quite bad, an wonder if its worth it, or where I would even get the seals from.

[Highway-Star]

Brenno wrote:

How did you go with this HWS?

The Pitman arm spline is leaking in mine quite bad, an wonder if its worth it, or where I would even get the seals from.

I ended up paying Oozuk to rebuild mine for me. If he's online at some point he may be able to comment on some of the process or parts required. It hasn't been an issue since

And the cost wan't much different from the cost of a random 2nd hand box including his labour (from memory). So worth it for a non leaky issue free box IMO.

[ajsr]

nulon ps fluid+ stop leak slowed mine from a dribbling mess to just damp looking.

drain and refill with just this

[31zook]

I have rebuilt a PS box, it's different to any other part of the car and if you have a manual read it first. It took me one go once I had the right seals. The pitman arm seal is as easy as pulling the pitman arm off, screwdrivering out the seal and slipping the new one in....


Just pull apart, I would recommend doing it on a bench with edges and over a few hours. There is a butt load of ball bearings in there.

[Brenno]

Thanks for the suggestions.

So it would be possible to just pull it out, pry the old seal front the bottom off, call up parts store with the code on the seal and wack a new one in.
If it still leaks, nulon and stop leak that puppy shut....

[31zook]

yeah the pitman are seal is just like a tcase shaft seal.

Just remove the pitman arm,(the box can still be in the car) take out the seal, read the numbers on it as you probs buggered it, and take to any bearing/seal shop, even repco can look up seals on ID.

[Brenno]

Btw seal number is koyo cr hmp 30.6 42.6, although I could only find a 30 42, but seems ok.

[Scrawny]

Small grave dig....

My box looks to be leaking from the adjustment screw on the top. What seals that? Is there something I can easily replace while in the car or am I pulling it out?

[want33s]

An old trick that still works.....if the leaks are from seals and not too bad.

Top up PS reservoir with brake fluid, the brake fluid softens the old, hard rubber seals and stops or at least slows the leak.

[rockcrawlerdude]

Just came across this thread, my Vitara PS box keeps pushing the seal down, the one on the steering shaft. The seal has the spring facing out? Is this right? Should I just rebuild the whole box?