Welcome to the latest installment of our Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver technical guide.
After our Bentley Continental GT service guide last time out, it’s back to our 1990 Rolls-Royce Spirit II for the most advanced job we’ve looked at so far: fitting a new steering rack.
This is quite complicated and requires specialist tools, so no shame in thinking ‘I’ll leave this one to the professionals’. It’s an interesting repair though, and we will walk you through a steering fluid refill at the end – that’s something everyone can do.
First, how do you know if a replacement rack is required? Key signs include heavy and/or lumpy steering (sometimes called ‘notching’), grinding sounds, and leaking. Be sure though. Is it the rack? If so, going for replacement might be less time-consuming than trying to fix lots of individual components. Any doubts, consult your garage.
The next decision concerns cost. Depending on the model, you might have a choice of new and reconditioned, or aftermarket. At Flying Spares we’re incredibly proud of our in-house reconditioned products and have just recently developed a new process for Shadow II/T2’s and Spirit/ SZ derivatives that will deliver that unmistakable steering ‘feel’ backed up with a 3-year warranty. Read more about our in-house steering racks
Next, we need to talk about the kit, which includes lifting equipment and, for our Spirit, two question mark-shaped extension tools for removing and re-fitting the steering rack bolts – RH12124 and RH12125. One of the benefits of doing the work yourself is you can take your time. For a trained technician we’re talking several hours, and this can spiral if unexpected issues arise. The last bit of the job is refilling the fluid and bleeding the system. Steering fluid isn't universal so always check which one you need.
The usual caveats apply. Please note that these articles are intended as general guidance only. For model-specific instructions please refer to your owner’s manual. Finally, and I can’t emphasise this enough: safety is paramount. Please use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and dispose of waste products responsibly. Good luck and mind your head!
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