Yep, that sounds realistic. My VC issues felt different with random inconsistencies in steering, especially on surface changes or when turning downhill. The box is tight enough.
If her box is that loose "fnarr" then that is probably the issue..
It's quite easy to get at the steering UJ from the side, if you take the inner wheelarch liner out. It might even be easier to pull the driver's side wing entirely.
I changed everything over last night.
It was very easy with the wheel arch liner out of the way. Rave said to remove the windscreen washer bottle but I didn't need to do that either. A little bit of wriggling and it came out.
The new (used) steering box, steering link arm, track rod and drag link have been fitted. The tracking is now out but I need my new rear height sensors to arrive so I can calibrate it before having the tracking done.
I drove it up the road last night and it felt much better but it was difficult to tell! Fingers crossed the sensors arrive quickly!
David.
The new height sensors arrived today so I fitted them and got Testbook out to calibrate it.
I got a couple of niggles during calibration and my Suspension Inhibit switch was constantly illuminated despite not being latched. I had a new switch delivered and changed that over to no avail.
Thanks to a nudge from Marty I had a look at the plugs in the NS footwell and found a bit of carnage going on there...
There was a pin so badly corroded in each plug that it had snapped so I've soldered them this evening.
I sorted them out and much to my annoyance the inhibit switch was still illuminated.
I then decided to change the ECU for a spare that I'd decided to buy from a breaker recently. Hooray! The light has gone out.
After that, I managed to get it to take a calibration properly using Testbook and it's now sitting nice and level again.
I had a very brief run up the road as the tracking is out and the steering wheel finally feels like it's connected to the front wheels! If I had to put my money on one component for causing it I'd put it on the steering link arm from the column to the steering box. Holding the link in the vice and twisting it with a spanner you can see the rubber piece in it flex. Not much and it needs a fair bit of effort but I can only imagine that with the extra weight and force exerted on it when in the car it was awful!
Anyway, tracking next and then hopefully one car is nearly finished!
David.
Right, I’m starting to get hacked off with this P38 now...
After it was tracked the other day it’s driving in a perfectly straight line. It’s had all of the bushes under the car replaced with genuine Land Rover bushes. It’s had a new steering input shaft, a 75k mile steering box, a new drag link, steering damper and a new track rod yet there is still free play in the steering wheel. You can move the steering wheel between 5 to and 5 past with no effect on the front wheels.
I’ve just driven to Newcastle tonight towing a livestock trailer and the car is driving perfectly, it’s running beautifully and I’m really pleased with it, I just really REALLY want to get rid of that free play as it feels like you’re having to correct it. One minute it’s going nice but then it’s off to one side and you need to steer into it again.
Here’s a video of it without the trailer on Thursday.
I’d be interested to see what everyone else’s thoughts are as the only thing that’s not been changed yet is tyres but I wouldn’t have thought they’d cause free play like that. They’re getting changed on Tuesday though so I’ll know for sure shortly.
Thanks guys,
David.
If you have replaced everything then the next logical step IMO is tyres..
The tyres on mine originally were "diaphragming" in and out as she went down the road..
The sidewalls were like jelly..
This caused a steering wander and slight play in the steering,
With a new set of Nexans the steering on mine is sublime..
Mine was similar to yours and I have removed probably 75% of it. First I centralised the steering box using the marks on the box and the input shaft collar, secondly adjusted the box free play using the allen screw on the top of the box and thirdly I let my front tyres down to the recommended pressure. I'm about to replace the intermediate shaft as the rubber coupling has some radial cracking which ends up giving a bit of free play.
Of course you might have done all of the above, just relating my experience.
+1 on the intermediate shaft, particularly as it's the only bit you haven't changed. The tiniest bit of play in either UJ or the rubber coupling results in a lot of play at the wheel. If you get someone to wobble the wheel you should be able to see where the play is.
Which one is the intermediate shaft? Is that the one that goes onto the steering box? The silver one in this picture?
If so, that’s been replaced already with the new one in that picture. The replacement steering box was perfectly centred when that and the shaft were fitted. They’ve kept it perfectly centred when tracking it too. Tyre pressure I’m religious at keeping at 28 front and 38 rear.
David.
TYRES!!
lol
It’s getting 4 new tyres on Tuesday which I’m expecting to make a difference, however surely the tyres won’t be causing free play in the steering?
I can be sitting at 60 and rock the steering wheel between 5 to 12 and 5 past 12 with absolutely no effect on the direction of the car.
Towing the trailer you’re having to move the steering between that same range to keep the car straight.
We’ll see on Tuesday though I guess.
David.
Yes, intermediate shaft is the silver one. That is one of the later all steel ones with a hexagonal centre rather than the alloy ones with a splined centre. I bought one of those and there was play in the bottom UJ, the one that goes onto the steering box. I bought an OE replacement and that was the same type but without the play. Check it very carefully.
Thanks Richard,
I’ll get another look at it tomorrow. I’ll grab it as close to the steering box as I can with a spanner and wiggle the steering wheel whilst someone is holding the spanner tight and see if there’s any movement.
The shaft I fitted was a Britpart one from Island 4x4m that cost £100. I bought that over the Eurospares one which was half that price as I thought the Eurospares one was too cheap.
David.
The first one I bought was a Eurospares (not sure where from as I bought it about 3 years ago, then adjusted the steering box and only got round to fitting it during lockdown as I had nothing better to do) but that had the play in it when I finally fitted it. LRDirect had a number of options so I called them and asked if the OE one was the original alloy one or the steel one. They weren't able to check and tell me but said that the OE one would be made by whoever made them originally. When that arrived it was another steel one but without the play this time. You do need to do the pinch bolts up with a fair amount of grunt and with the steering lock off so everything is free to move and not under tension.
ask the wife to wobble the steering wheel back and forth and put your hand on every moving joint ask her to move the wheel just enough to take up slack in steering ,while not moving the wheels, if there is moment you will find it
ps do this with engine not running. have a good look at steering box and intermediate shaft area.
I had a look at this today.
My brother sat in the car whilst it was on the ramp. He rocked the steering wheel whilst I grabbed the intermediate shaft, I then managed to grab the shaft where it goes into the steering box with a shifting spanner and held it tight whilst he rocked the steering wheel. There was no movement at all whilst I held it tight.
I then raised the ramp up and had him do the same thing whilst I held the pitman arm. There was no movement on the pitman arm as he was rocking the steering wheel so the movement is definitely inside the steering box.
I slackened the adjuster and put a fraction of a turn on the screw and it feels much better on the ramp. I’ve not tried it on the road again yet as I’ve taken all the wheels off it and put them in the boot of the other VSE. I didn’t fancy having it lifted on a 2 post ramp having just got the EAS sorted so I’m only taking them wheels rather then a whole car to put the tyres on.
Fingers crossed with it’s new tyres and slightly nipped steering box it might feel OK on Tuesday evening.
David.