Front left of 90 lifts when setting off.

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John Halliwell

John Halliwell

Member
Posts
16
Location
Blackburn
Does anyone have any idea why the front of my 90 would raise when setting off? It feels like a front wheel drive car when you let the clutch up with the hand brake on, except only the left front rises. The right front does not. It' exaggrated in low ratio. No difference weather the diffs are locked. The right rear spring looks fine and it does not pull to a side while driving. It's purely when letting the clutch up to set off.
 
John Halliwell said:
Does anyone have any idea why the front of my 90 would raise when setting off? It feels like a front wheel drive car when you let the clutch up with the hand brake on, except only the left front rises. The right front does not. It' exaggrated in low ratio. No difference weather the diffs are locked. The right rear spring looks fine and it does not pull to a side while driving. It's purely when letting the clutch up to set off.
Click to expand...
Are you letting the engine pull against the box with the handbrake on? :eek:
Have you checked the radius arm bushes? Panhard rod?
 
I definitely have the handbrake off. I have jacked up each corner and no binding brake. The rear left possibly a little stiffer than rear right but not bad. Will open the drum and inspect this weekend. One thing that I now think is connected is that if I brake hard while driving and the weight shifts to the front, the car quite dramatically pulls right. If I progressivey apply the brakes, ie let the front end load up then brake hard the car brakes in a perfect straight line. So something is not right with the weight transfer across the chassis by my reckoning?
 
Sounds like a severely worn bush somewhere - as above, the Panhard Rod is a good place to start, if that's OK, have a good look at the A frame joints - duff ones can affect the steering. Edited to add - look at the spring on the Passenger Front too.
 
I reckon Flat is on the right track people always go chasing the brake the side that its pulling to, not realising its pulling that way because theres an issue with the other side brake.
 
It' definitely not brakes. I've striped and checked all 4 corners today. Still lifting on the front left when setting off. I am thinking worn springs and I've just not noticed until now. No movement in any bushes that I can see. I've had a heavy friend sit in the passenger seat and it rises a little less but still there.
 
John Halliwell said:
It' definitely not brakes. I've striped and checked all 4 corners today. Still lifting on the front left when setting off. I am thinking worn springs and I've just not noticed until now. No movement in any bushes that I can see. I've had a heavy friend sit in the passenger seat and it rises a little less but still there.
Click to expand...

When you say " lifting", can you quantify that?
Are we talking a few inches on the springs, or a wheel lifting, or near to lifting, in the air?

It is important to remember that a vehicle with a heavy engine and trans, and soft, long springs, will always experience a certain amount of torque reaction on pulling away.
So long as it doesn't affect control, I am not sure if it is a problem.

Do you know what springs you have at the moment, and how worn they are?
There are many options. Stiffer ones will probably eliminate any torque reaction, but may impact on off road ability.
 
As above, this is hard to advise on without some more detail. It could be almost anything - from the things mentioned in the other posts ( panhard rod / brake issues etc ) to major corrosion in the chassis or an axle / spring mount. From what you've mentioned, I'm guessing radius arms / mountings / bushes - radius arms do very occasionally snap :confused::eek:

We had some experience with a ni$$an pick up with a fubared chassis - to say it was "interesting" to drive doesn't cover it :eek: ......:rolleyes:
 
Disco1BFG said:
As above, this is hard to advise on without some more detail. It could be almost anything - from the things mentioned in the other posts ( panhard rod / brake issues etc ) to major corrosion in the chassis or an axle / spring mount. From what you've mentioned, I'm guessing radius arms / mountings / bushes - radius arms do very occasionally snap :confused::eek:

We had some experience with a ni$$an pick up with a fubared chassis - to say it was "interesting" to drive doesn't cover it :eek: ......:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I was wondering about a broken or warped chassis too. But very hard to say unless he gives us some more clear info.
 
Sorry. I will try my best with info. I' new to owning a land rover and learning as I go along.

The chassis is in very good condition. It' never had to be welded, no corosion. All the springs look in good condition. No corrosion around them or breaks. I can't see any play in the radius arm bushes though I'm only lying on the floor and pushing and shoving as much as I can. Dabbing the throttle in neutral makes the chassis wobble in the same direction a tiny bit so it is probably nothing to worry about, just long soft springs. It' an old land rover so im paranoid, my first concern was that it was something wrong with the front diff, but I've satisfied myself that it is not that.
 
John Halliwell said:
I don' know what the spring are that are on it. Though I'm willing to bet they are pretty old.
Click to expand...

New springs make a lot of difference, and they aren't that expensive.
But you need to carefully research the many options available.
Myself, I would go with standard genuine. Make sure you fit them in the right corners, they are all different.
 
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