I am looking for info regarding my 1996 xj6 x300 steering rack. The input shaft seal is leaking and I would like to know if anyone has replaced this seal without removing the rack. The rack looks nice and dry, with the only leak coming from that seal. Also wondering if just that seal is available or is a whole rebuild kit required.
Jack M

 

By doing a drain and refill process 4 or 5 times the new steering fluid will refresh the seals to a point

See file below

 

It needs to come out, and fresh fluid changes wont do much to seal it unfortunately.
I have the same issue and has been looking at doing the job myself, but having looked at rebuild videos of similar BMW racks from ZF, i suspect it will be better to ship it off for a rebuild by some professionals.
The Teflon sealing rings are notoriously difficult to install without stretching or damaging.

 

Thanks for the reply, we had it on a lift recently and the rack is nice and dry, with the only leak coming from the tower where the steering input shaft goes in. My question is can this seal be changed without removing and replacing the rack?

Jack M

 

the sealing rings consists of a row of 4 o-rings with teflon rings on top of them.
if you download the pdf parker7 attached above, you can see the actual steps involved in disassembling the input shaft from the rack.
i doubt you will have enough access to remove the input shaft assembly with the rack mounted.
removing the rack is quite simple though - just unbolt the tie rod ends, unplug the power steering hoses and the entire thing will drop down once you unbolt it from the frame and steering shaft.

here is a video with the disassembly of a similar zf rack but without the separate valve housing, to give you some idea of where the seals are.

 

Somone got a pic of their rack data plate

Can't remember if it had the speed servo or not from the contributor

 

Thanks for the info....
Jack M

 

Confirmed , this is a data plate from a X300 with the speed variable servo with the 2
wires ( in a 3 pin connector ) near the input shaft that the non servo version will not have

The first pic in above post is a Jaguar # MNA 3890 AA and the second pic is a # AB

 

Thanks, I don't remember seeing that plug for electrical connector, time to get back under the car....

Jack M

 

To know that you have the servo there is a amplifier that it only has on the very left side of the car fwd of the left front door hinge

It is in the very most fwd of the group of relay sockets

This will be easier to check

I never could get my eyes on the data plate of my servo version to confirm rack part # in times past