I'm re-building a SIII Lightweight and wondering about the steering. I'll be running 235/85 MTs on steel rims and my previous experience with Series vehicles is that I prefer a smaller steering wheel, even though that makes the steering quite heavy, but the killer is the potential for broken thumbs when you drop a wheel in a rut (Yes, I know, "Keep your Thumbs out of the Wheel!") but I'm wondering about a) a Steering Damper on the track rod like a Disco or RR, and b) Power Steering. Any experience here please? Will a damper without ps just make the steering even heavier? As for ps, the Steve Parker conversion involves quite a lot of re-engineering, which I'd prefer to avoid. The newer electric conversions are pricey, and, I suspect, give a very light feel at road speeds, because its still 4 turns lock to lock. Are there other/better options?
Series Steering Improvements?
- Thread starter FirstLW
- Start date
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Turboman
Mab An Gov
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- 60,151
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- Lathrowda, Kernow
Standard tyres and a standard steering wheel.
rob1miles
Well-Known Member
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- 3,565
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- Slough and Bath
I run 235 A/T and standard steering and steering wheel, works fine, no broken thumbs. Drive it a while before you change anything.
Colthebrummie
Well-Known Member
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- 9,870
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- Thatcham
I've got a smaller, Mountney steering wheel and yes, it does make the steering a bit heavier but it does give more room in the cab. I was forever cracking my elbow on the driver door with the old wheel. I look upon the driving experience as a free workout. There are times when I wish it had power steering, mostly in crowded carparts but you just learn to drive and park better.
Col
Col
Citizen Kane
Well-Known Member
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- 323
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- Hampshire
Thought I'd chip in with a bit of real world experience. Cant comment on to much on hydraulic PAS conversions apart from driving a number of coil sprung Land Rovers both with and without it, PAS ones were much nicer.
I've fitted Electric PAS to my SWB Series 3 and its brilliant. EPAS gives you several options on how you configure it, you can have a simple dial to adjust the level of assistance or you can make it speed sensitive so the assistance level drops off with speed. PAS just gives you so much more control and you will be surprised how nimble a SWB can be. After playing around with assistance levels I leave mine on maximum. I wouldn't worry about the steering being too light at speed its fine and it seems to have much better straight line stability.
Off road its really nice and manoeuvrable and you really notice the increased level of control when you get the brakes wet, much easier to control the squirreling around as they dry out. Obviously not for everyone and not entirely necessary but for what I use mine for its proved very worthwhile.
Have a look here if you want a system fitted. https://www.jakewright.com/news/2020/november/land-rover-series-power-steering
https://www.jakewright.com/news/2020/december/electric-power-steering-video-series-land-rovers
I've fitted Electric PAS to my SWB Series 3 and its brilliant. EPAS gives you several options on how you configure it, you can have a simple dial to adjust the level of assistance or you can make it speed sensitive so the assistance level drops off with speed. PAS just gives you so much more control and you will be surprised how nimble a SWB can be. After playing around with assistance levels I leave mine on maximum. I wouldn't worry about the steering being too light at speed its fine and it seems to have much better straight line stability.
Off road its really nice and manoeuvrable and you really notice the increased level of control when you get the brakes wet, much easier to control the squirreling around as they dry out. Obviously not for everyone and not entirely necessary but for what I use mine for its proved very worthwhile.
Have a look here if you want a system fitted. https://www.jakewright.com/news/2020/november/land-rover-series-power-steering
https://www.jakewright.com/news/2020/december/electric-power-steering-video-series-land-rovers
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
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I can’t bring myself to trust a website that dunt have a product price on it. If a company are not confident enough to advertise its cost then something always feels amiss. 
Like most people I can’t be bothered searching for the costs if they are trying to hide it.
Like most people I can’t be bothered searching for the costs if they are trying to hide it. Colthebrummie
Well-Known Member
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- Thatcham
I agree entirely. I recognise the cost will depend on what other steering issues they discover but a price guide for just the conversion would be helpful. It's academic in my case cos Compo would never make it Ilkley.I can’t bring myself to trust a website that dunt have a product price on it. If a company are not confident enough to advertise its cost then something always feels amiss.
Col
Mally T
Member
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- 46
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- North Wales
Hi, i did have a damper on my S3 SWB for a short time (6 weeks) to try and
calm the steering a bit which it did, the down side it made the steering heavy.
I ended up taking it off and going through the steering system from the box
to the wheels and defiantly keeping the original steering wheel.
calm the steering a bit which it did, the down side it made the steering heavy.
I ended up taking it off and going through the steering system from the box
to the wheels and defiantly keeping the original steering wheel.
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
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- 27,632
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- Manchester
I’ve got a damper in my shed. Never fitted it coz there isn’t a bracket on the chassis.
I manage but parking can be hard work.
I manage but parking can be hard work.
barleywine
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 300
- Location
- Mark Cross, East Sussex
Power steering is on my wish list of things to improve my Series3. I like the idea of the Heystee system but have read a few mixed reviews. My series is on a galvanized chassis so really would like something that doesn`t require welding modifications, electric system looks good, will have to wait until price drops.
If anyone on here has fitted or driven Heystee system it would be good to hear their views on it.
If anyone on here has fitted or driven Heystee system it would be good to hear their views on it.
Citizen Kane
Well-Known Member
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- 323
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- Hampshire
Wow that's expensive, think mine cost less than £150 for the parts.
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
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- Manchester
Citizen Kane
Well-Known Member
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- 323
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- Hampshire
You know the rules, Series owners never total up the time.
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
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- 27,632
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- Manchester
That’s quite true. My top end rebuild has only cost 8p so far and that’s just in the electric used moaning on ere.You know the rules, Series owners never total up the time.
rob1miles
Well-Known Member
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- 3,565
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- Slough and Bath
Sounds like my output shaft seal change - £2.50p for the seal but - £3 credit for the 2 speedo housing shims I took out at £1.50p each and put back into stock (AKA the shed) so the job cost minus 50p excluding labour....
There seems to be an unwritten rule of these forums that the longer a thread runs the more people think its OK to add completely irrelevant comments. So I've had 3 helpful responses, for which I'm grateful, but another ten which are either completely unhelpful, or irrelevant. If you just want to chat that's fine, use a chat room, but please don't clutter up forums like this. It makes finding information a bit of a needle in a haystack job.
Shimsteriom
Master Procrastinator
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