Steering Lock

Technical questions and answers
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Geoff
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Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

Can anyone (Pageant Blue 109 V8?) tell me the actual difference/s, if any, between the steering lock assembly for the 109 V8 and that for the ordinary Series 3 2.25? The reason I'm asking is that I have one for the 2.25 petrol RHD Series 3 (stamped with the Lowe & Fletcher part number 3422-01) and I'm wondering if it is of any use to me as a spare, exchange unit or for parts, or I might as well (try to) sell it (I'm never going back to a 2.25!)
2 1981 Stage One 109 V8 SWs
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map1275
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by map1275 »

Diesel has a switch with larger terminals. Otherwise all Ser III should be the same, except for possibly the very early North American spec.
The key point is that Ser III mounts the choke cable through the steering lock.
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Geoff
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

Pegasus Parts applies seven different part numbers to their Series 3 steering locks on their website, but only uses two different photographs, and even they look essentially the same to me, so I am none the wiser as to what differences there might be. I'm not really interested in the diesel or other Series - my interest is whether the one I have from a RHD petrol 2.25 Series 3 has any potential use to me for a RHD 109 V8. So obviously I'm hoping you are correct that they should be the same, and thank you for responding.

http://www.pegasusparts.co.uk/ourshop_9 ... Locks.html

Maybe it's just things like the length of the choke cable supplied with them?
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Geoff
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

I've now found proper Land Rover part numbers for the 'various configurations' of Series 3 steering locks, which tie in exactly with Pegasus' differentiation of them (using their own kit numbers), except for the 109 V8's steering lock, which I can find no reference to anywhere, not in the Parts Book, nor in the Optional Equipment catalogue (where the others are listed), not anywhere. A couple of places still list the part for the 2.25 petrol RHD and state it is also for the 2.6 but make no mention of the V8. I'm assuming it was standard fitment in the 109 V8? Parts numbers for the 2.25 petrol RHD steering lock were successively 589233, 623224, and RTC4772 (apparently). Guess I'm going to have to get off my backside and remove my steering column shrouds to take a closer look at my locks, see if there's a manufacturer's part number visible if no other obvious difference from the 2.25 one currently residing on my bedroom floor. Have someone wanting to buy it but not parting with it if it might be of any use to me.
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map1275
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by map1275 »

Why do you keep insisting there is a secret special V8 steering lock?
They don't come with the choke cable. The cables are where the differences are.
The difference between diesel and petrol is the removable ignition switch secured by tiny screws into the back of the steering lock.
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Geoff
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

Why do you keep insisting there is a secret special V8 steering lock?
... The cables are where the differences are.
Maybe it's just things like the length of the choke cable supplied with them?
They don't come with the choke cable.
Then why does the Optional Equipment catalogue (September 1988, page 1G02 [I think - I'm looking at a terrible digital scan; paper copy on order from ebay!] give separate part numbers for the RHD 2.25 and 2.6 (523224 and 523223 respectively[SEE CORRECTION BELOW]) if the only differences are the cables (which are given separate corresponding part numbers) and the locks don't come with the cables? (Are you sure the lock is not supplied with a cable attached, even though the cable can be bought separately?) And why is the 3.5 not mentioned in a 1988 publication? If it wasn't optional equipment on the Stage 1, why isn't it in the main 1988 Parts Catalogue? Or am I expecting too much for Land Rover to apply such logic? (I'm not even going to get into the question of whether the separate diesel switches required differences in their locks leading to different part numbers again for them, as it doesn't directly concern me) Again, thanks for your input. I'd really like to hear from Pageant Blue 109 V8/Pegasus Parts who remanufacture these things.

I am however coming to accept your view that there is no difference in (at least the petrol) locks - but that the different numbers are due to accompanying different cables only. This 1972 publication from Land Rover (pre-dating the V8 obviously) using the earlier separate part numbers describes the part in each case as "Steering column lock and choke control assembly" (scroll about half way down):

http://www.lrfaq.org/Series/publication ... ol1No3.pdf
Last edited by Geoff on Wed Oct 31, 2018 11:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Geoff
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

This from Paul (Pageant Blue) at Pegasus:

"There are essentially 2 steering locks, petrol or Diesel.

But there are Britax, early type Lowe and Fletcher and late type Lowe and Fletcher. I think there is even early and late Diesel versions of the early L&F version. So a total of about 7 variants of just the lock.

All L&F Petrol locks are the same - just the choke cable changes according to engine and vehicle handedness.

Yes, we will accept a 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder petrol lock against an order for a V8 version.

We created kits to ease ordering, because customers were forgetting to order a new cable, clamp or shear bolts."
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map1275
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by map1275 »

So what I'd already explained and as per the parts (accessories) supplement.

However the way you've explained it you infer that the early locks were still in use come 1979. By which time the factory used only one item for the assembly line (save for the actual switch difference - petrol or diesel and the casting for left or right steering).

You didn't include the different part numbers included by Unipart for their replacement part and accessory conversion kits. Either being typically based on the earlier design.
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Geoff
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

Thank you (for confusing me again!) I've learned enough to make my decision to keep the spare lock I have. Beyond having a closer look at the ones on my vehicles the next time I have cause to remove either of their steering wheel shrouds, I pretty much give up. I wasn't trying to infer anything - I just set out all the information that I could find that seemed relevant as clearly as I could. I gave a link to a 1972 Land Rover publication showing different part numbers for several 'variants' and referenced the 1988 edition of the Optional Equipment catalogue with other numbers for similar 'variants'. What, if any, changes to the parts these changes of numbers represent I had no way of knowing. Land Rover change numbers all the time - if anyone can point me to available information that explains exactly why and what such changes represent in individual cases I should be very grateful. If you've any further numbers which might be of use map, as you mention, perhaps you could say where they can be found.

Finally, not that it really concerns me, but having said "all Ser III should be the same", you now refer to "casting for left or right steering" - I'm not familiar with LHD Land Rovers, but from pictures I looked at online it appeared that the ignition switch on the Series 3 remained on the same (left hand) side of the steering column irrespective of which side the steering was so, apart from the length of the choke/stop cable, why should the casting of the lock be different? Correct me if I am wrong.

http://car-from-uk.com/ebay/carphotos/f ... 851134.jpg
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Geoff
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Re: Steering Lock

Post by Geoff »

CORRECTION: I've just received my paper copy of the Optional Equipment catalogue and although I got the page number right, I can now see that the part numbers which I gave above for the petrol RHD 2.25 and RHD 2.6 as 523224 and 523223 respectively are in fact 623224 and 623223 respectively.
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