Great thinking Knares I like it...

The car is a 7A vin so this screenshot from JLR classic parts suggests YWC500521 is correct and a later part number can also be fitted in succession to the original.

Click image to enlarge

Been looking back at my pump pressure test and I do see an anomaly.

According to the WSM the relief valve in the pump should limit pressure going to the rack to 114 bar +/- 4 bar so that's a min of 110 bar and max of 118 bar.

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Does anyone know exactly how much pressure the rack needs?

The 2007MY workshop manual doesn't have the information but I found a 2002MY manual which states I should see 8 bar at idle and 133 bar at full lock. (Screenshot below)

Obviously a 2002MY car has a different pump but I'm sure the rack is the same 2002-2012?

On my pressure tests I saw approx 4 bar at idle and 121 bar at full lock...

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i cannot make the page big enough to read RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar

Hopefully this will be better Knares

yes, i can read that RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar

Well since no one has / I can't find the answers with regards to pressures etc etc

I'm thinking the only thing I have left to explore is the pinion pre load on the rack.

I'm wondering if maybe someone before me has tried to adjust the pre load to take up free play within the rack and possibly overcooked it.

I need to get it up in the air again and have a good look at the adjustment nut on the rack to see if there are any signs that might back up my theory.

Right so having exhausted virtually everything I decided to have a look at the rack pre load.

This I understand is adjustable by a 'plug' with 17mm nut in the center just at the bottom of where the pinion meets the rack bar.

I've marked its original position with paint and over the course of an hour I've slowly backed it out (loosened the tension) whilst continually test driving post each adjustment.

The steering HAS gotten easier and continues to get easier and lighter the more I back out the pre load plug.

At this point I've now got it somewhere between half and three quarters of a turn back from where it was originally.

I'm not sure how much I can back it out...

As it stands the steering hasn't developed any additional 'slop' nor is the rack bar clunking.

Am I correct in thinking I can back it out up until the point the play/slop in the steering becomes too great?

I am starting to think someone's been in here and tightened up the pre load...

Check that the steering is still precise and without wandering at speed. D350 SE Carpathian Grey D5 19" rims

progress at last, hopefully RR 2005 4.4 petrol
Any spelling mistakes are the fault of spellchecker
Previous MG J2, CITROEN light 15 x 2 gone unfortunately
Present MERC 180e, RANGE ROVER L322, JAGUAR XJS, MERC 280SE, MG F, JAGUAR S-Type 6v 2003, jaguar s-type 8v 2004, Ford Cougar

Thanks Graeme, I'll have a run down the motorway tonight and see what it's like before adjusting the plug out further.

Hopefully so Knares, fingers crossed.

Spent an hour on the motorway at 70mph and I can't detect any slop or issues so do I continue to back out the adjuster?

The steering has improved and is a little easier but still a way from being as light as I believe it should be at parking speeds.

I'm concerned I might not be going down the right path here as I've got the adjuster backed out three quarters of a turn right now

Backed the adjuster out some more and ran into slop and knocking from the rack over rough ground so I've had to tighten it back up again.

This isn't my problem either!