Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncements
Discussion Groups
By Brand
BMWChevroletDodgeFordGMHondaLexusMercedes-BenzNissanPeugeotToyotaVolkswagenOther Brands
By Topic
4x4 CarsRVsDrivingMaintenance & RepairCar AudioCollectible Cars
Country Specific
Australian ForumsUK Forums
ArticlesAuto InsuranceBuyingCars & TechnologyMaintenanceMiscellaneousSafety
DMV Resources
Related Topics
MotorcyclesBoatsMore Topics ...

Car Forum / Land Rover Cars / July 2008

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

VAGUE STEERING ON TD5

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
b.baskerville@uk.aprilenet.com - 22 Jul 2008 13:49 GMT
My steering has become very vague on my TD5. Its clocked up 85k
without too much trouble.  The steering box doesn't have excessive
play and I've just replaced the damper.  I've got 18inch rims on.  The
car in general is well maintained and in very good condition.

The car seems to find invisible ruts in the road and follow them,
pulling to the left and then the right.  Similar to driving on tram
lines if you've experienced it.  I daren't take my eyes off the road
because sometimes it seems to wander off to the side very gently.  On
the motorway its like a white knuckle ride.   It makes driving any
distance extremely tiring because I'm constantly correcting it.  My
old TDI never had this problem.

Anybody know what else might be causing this.  Could the steering box
be loose and if so can it be tightened?

Basko
b.baskerville@uk.aprilenet.com - 22 Jul 2008 13:51 GMT
On 22 Jul, 13:49, b.baskervi...@uk.aprilenet.com wrote:
> My steering has become very vague on my TD5. Its clocked up 85k
> without too much trouble.  The steering box doesn't have excessive
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Basko

Its a Discovery by the way.
Mark Solesbury - 22 Jul 2008 15:06 GMT
> On 22 Jul, 13:49, b.baskervi...@uk.aprilenet.com wrote:
>> My steering has become very vague on my TD5. Its clocked up 85k
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Its a Discovery by the way.

twill be a bush.

Check them all really.. panhard Rod. Radius Arms, steering arm, track
rod ends.

Get a small child to lay underneath and look for movement. Or you lay
underneath and get a small child to wobble the steering, which is
probably better than asking a 10 year old to lay under a car and look at
bushes.

Signature

Mark
1996 90 300tdi
1987 RR V8 EFI
2007 Golf GT

http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ - Firefox Rules!
http://fireftp.mozdev.org/ - FTP Plugin for Firefox
http://ietab.mozdev.org/ - IE tab. Get Windows updates in Firefox

Oily - 22 Jul 2008 18:20 GMT
> My steering has become very vague on my TD5. Its clocked up 85k
> without too much trouble.  The steering box doesn't have excessive
> play and I've just replaced the damper.  I've got 18inch rims on.  The
> car in general is well maintained and in very good condition.

If all the bushes are OK then how long have you had the 18"ers on? What does
it handle like with standard wheels on?

> The car seems to find invisible ruts in the road and follow them,
> pulling to the left and then the right.  Similar to driving on tram
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Anybody know what else might be causing this.  Could the steering box
> be loose and if so can it be tightened?

Is a Landrover bolted together like an overgrown Meccano set?

Martin
Dave Liquorice - 22 Jul 2008 21:14 GMT
> If all the bushes are OK then how long have you had the 18"ers on? What
> does it handle like with standard wheels on?

Another thing to check is tyre wear. When I first got my DII it had less
worn tyres on the rear and it would wander around in a rather vague
fashion, not tram lineing but enough to make you keep your wits about you.

Swapped wheels front to back and I noticed the difference within 50yds of
driving. I now get the tyres diagnoally rotated at each service to keep
tyre wear even across all four.

Signature

Cheers
Dave.

b.baskerville@uk.aprilenet.com - 23 Jul 2008 12:31 GMT
On 22 Jul, 21:14, "Dave Liquorice" <allsortsnotthis...@howhill.com>
wrote:
> > If all the bushes are OK then how long have you had the 18"ers on? What
> > does it handle like with standard wheels on?
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Cheers
> Dave.

Hmmm,  good point Dave.  I'll try it tonight.   After fitting my new
compressor after the old one failed on Friday.  £230 inc VAT for a
replacement.  I know I should take off the airbags and fit coils, but
I really want the adjustable height for towing etc.
Bryan.
Austin Shackles - 24 Jul 2008 08:10 GMT
>On 22 Jul, 21:14, "Dave Liquorice" <allsortsnotthis...@howhill.com>
>wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>I really want the adjustable height for towing etc.
>Bryan.

WRT tyres: not sure about the DII but the DI is noted for bad front tyre
wear, running higher than book pressures solved it.  I had a set of Pirelli
scorp ST on mine from new, never rotated, and they wore even and level down
to the point where I replaced them with just under 2mm tread left.  That had
235/70R16 on it and I ran them at 36psi front.  If you get edging on both
sides of the front tyres, it's worth trying a few psi more in them.

Just 'cos they put a pressure in the book, doesn't fiollow that it's right
:-)

Signature

Austin Shackles.  www.ddol-las.net  my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy!  Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\  
  >>  http://www.schlockmercenary.com/  <<      \  ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!

GbH - 24 Jul 2008 10:44 GMT
>> On 22 Jul, 21:14, "Dave Liquorice" <allsortsnotthis...@howhill.com>
>> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> Just 'cos they put a pressure in the book, doesn't fiollow that it's
> right :-)

Except that when the legistlation was introduced back in the days of
yore (60s) regarding tyres, mixing crossplies and radials ect. so were
things like minimum tread depth of 1/16" IMS and pressures, it was an
offence to run with them >2psi from manufacturers recommended. I've not
seen that repealled. Maybe I missed it!

Signature

Wisdom and experience come with age, they say, but I wish I could
remember the darn question

Dave Liquorice - 24 Jul 2008 10:49 GMT
> Just 'cos they put a pressure in the book, doesn't fiollow that it's
> right :-)

DII the same, when I first got it I ran for a while at book pressure on
the front, terrible inner and outer edge wear. Read in here that book
pressure is too low, I now run at about 30 on the front and book (38?) at
the rear. Tread wear is flat across the tyres.

Signature

Cheers
Dave.

b.baskerville@uk.aprilenet.com - 24 Jul 2008 13:25 GMT
On 24 Jul, 10:49, "Dave Liquorice" <allsortsnotthis...@howhill.com>
wrote:
> > Just 'cos they put a pressure in the book, doesn't fiollow that it's
> > right :-)
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Cheers
> Dave.

I'm swopping my wheels round tonight and  I'll run the fronts a bit
more pumped up and see how we go.  I'll check the bushes too.   FYI
had it on 18's since I bought it back in 2004.   Never had it on 16's,
but David (son) runs his with 22" range rover sport rims and his runs
as straight as a die.   Not only that,  his steering box is more worn
than mine.  I'm inclined go go with the bushes.
Bryan.
b.baskerville@uk.aprilenet.com - 25 Jul 2008 10:51 GMT
On 24 Jul, 13:25, b.baskervi...@uk.aprilenet.com wrote:
> On 24 Jul, 10:49, "Dave Liquorice" <allsortsnotthis...@howhill.com>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> than mine.  I'm inclined go go with the bushes.
> Bryan.

Swopped the wheels round last night.  Also tightened up the steering
box a half turn.   Checked all bushes which were fine.  Its definitely
improved matters substantially.   Albeit there is still a little
evidence of it now and again.   I'm resigned to thinking that I need a
new steering box in the not too distant future.

Along with a new dual mass fly wheel which I've already bought,  I
think we've got some big jobs coming on in the Autumn.

Bryan.
Dougal - 25 Jul 2008 16:15 GMT
> On 24 Jul, 13:25, b.baskervi...@uk.aprilenet.com wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> evidence of it now and again.   I'm resigned to thinking that I need a
> new steering box in the not too distant future.

Don't jump the gun. If you've adjusted the steering box (do it with the
wheels off the ground) as far as you can to eliminate clearance without
tight spots and there's no excessive play I'd look elsewhere.

Check that the steering drop arm is tight on the steering box output shaft.

How did you check the bushes? Just visually? If you lever the front
radius arms sideways and they can then easily touch the bracket on the
axle, the radius arm bushes are past their best.

Worn bolts and bracket bolt holes on those four bushes and the panhard
rod bushes are more than likely. You may detect them with a good lever
but partial dismantling may be needed to prove it. If there is any
evidence of these bolts being even slightly loose you're looking in the
right place. The important thing to remember is that the centre tube of
the bush must be clamped up tight in the bracket for the bush to work
properly. Worn bracket holes do not make good contact points for the
ends of the centre tubes.

Also check that there is no excessive play end play in the wheel
bearings particularly at the front.

> Along with a new dual mass fly wheel which I've already bought,  I
> think we've got some big jobs coming on in the Autumn.
>
> Bryan.
b.baskerville@uk.aprilenet.com - 28 Jul 2008 15:57 GMT
> b.baskervi...@uk.aprilenet.com wrote:
> > On 24 Jul, 13:25, b.baskervi...@uk.aprilenet.com wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 58 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks Dougal.  I'll get it up on the wheel free ramp and have a look
again.
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2008 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.