Defender TD5 does not drive straight ahead.

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Ninethy110

New Member
Posts
2
Hello and good evening,
my defender TD5 110 does not drive straight ahead, pulls to the right, especially at higher speeds, and the steering wheel is also slightly askew. All bushes are ok. What could be the causes?
Best
Jo
 
Set the steering wheel central, count turns from either end, is the steering wheel on correctly?
Track the vehicle up with the steering in that position, a tape measure and two people will do.

I made a tracking gauge, like used to be used on rally cars to do a quick front and rear of front rims comparison so that I could do it solo.

Then see how it drives and report back ;)
 
Tyre pressure would be the first free check.
Jack up wheels make sure nothing is wobbling around which shouldn't be.
Get the wheel alignment done properly which will also show up anything abnormal with camber and caster although it's not adjustable.
Steering wheel could be off due to a bent steering arm, or it's been off and back on in the wrong place, or suspension parts have been changed without an alignment.
Is it a new vehicle or have they had it a while?
 
Thanks to all the replies so far. When I got the Defender 1 year ago, Raid's steering wheel was already crooked. If I keep it straight when driving, the vehicle also drives straight ahead. Otherwise it pulls slightly to the right. The tire pressure is ok.The tires were also replaced last year.
 
Eldon said:
Set the steering wheel central, count turns from either end, is the steering wheel on correctly?
Track the vehicle up with the steering in that position, a tape measure and two people will do.
Click to expand...
you should not set the steering centre or tracking on a vehicle with a steering box based off the steering wheel. The defender steering box has has a centering hole that you line up with the slots on the back of the drop arm (pic below). You put in the correct sized pin (cannot remember the exact diameter) into the hole on the bottom of the box, which then holds the arm centred while you do the rest of the tracking. You then remove the steering wheel and centre the steering wheel on the column, you do not centre the wheels and the box around the steering wheel.

1739204163977.png
 
dag019 said:
you should not set the steering centre or tracking on a vehicle with a steering box based off the steering wheel. The defender steering box has has a centering hole that you line up with the slots on the back of the drop arm (pic below). You put in the correct sized pin (cannot remember the exact diameter) into the hole on the bottom of the box, which then holds the arm centred while you do the rest of the tracking. You then remove the steering wheel and centre the steering wheel on the column, you do not centre the wheels and the box around the steering wheel.

View attachment 334865
Click to expand...
Reread my post, I did not suggest tracking the vehicle based on the steering wheel but on the number of turns from both ends. This would then confirm that the steering wheel had been refitted on the correct spline.

Your comment on the slot is interesting, thank you, as I wasn't aware of that and wonder when that came into being as I can't recall it from the early 90's?
 
Eldon said:
Reread my post, I did not suggest tracking the vehicle based on the steering wheel but on the number of turns from both ends. This would then confirm that the steering wheel had been refitted on the correct spline.

Your comment on the slot is interesting, thank you, as I wasn't aware of that and wonder when that came into being as I can't recall it from the early 90's?
Click to expand...
Mine is a 1989 and it has the slot. To my knowledge it is standard on all models.
The number of turns from lock to lock is not a guarantee that the box is centred as the tracking could have been adjusted incorrectly, the steering stops on the axle could be uneven. The only way to truly centre the steering on any vehicle a steering box is to Ensure the drop arm is centred. Everything else in the system should then be adjusted around the centred box with the drop arm being kept central.
 
Eldon said:
Reread my post, I did not suggest tracking the vehicle based on the steering wheel but on the number of turns from both ends. This would then confirm that the steering wheel had been refitted on the correct spline.

Your comment on the slot is interesting, thank you, as I wasn't aware of that and wonder when that came into being as I can't recall it from the early 90's?
Click to expand...
1989 has a slot.
^ beat me to it.
 
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