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Anaconda

Well-Known Member
Ok most likely not quite the correct technical term but since it happens when I hit a bump that is what I'm going to call it.
I have some play in the steering somewhere when I hit a bump/pothole mainly on the passenger front, mind you that could be because most potholes are on the passenger side. This transfers quite violently through the steering wheel.
All bushes and bolts have been changed, OEM spec.
Don't think it's swivel preload as the steering is good at any other speed or surface.
Steering damper was changed but have to admit it's a Britpart special so best not discount that
Steering box drop arm ball joint?
Had a recent MOT which flagged up nothing, mind you I guess that doesn't mean much.
 
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It’s mormally the swivel pin that a bit loose. Or a bit of play in panard rod
I get this also if I hit a pot hole and just puts the steering out of balance. I have a disco drop arm so it’s not that.
I also don’t have a RTC spring

Get some one to move/twitch the steering wheel & look for any movement.
 
Hicap phill said:
It’s mormally the swivel pin that a bit loose. Or a bit of play in panard rod
I get this also if I hit a pot hole and just puts the steering out of balance. I have a disco drop arm so it’s not that.
I also don’t have a RTC spring

Get some one to move/twitch the steering wheel & look for any movement.
Click to expand...
Panard bushes and bolts have been changed. I keep thinking it's the swivel pin but it's a faff measuring it and the preload spec tolerance on a TD5 is rather small if I remember correctly.
I did take a sneaky random shim out, made no difference.
Should do it properly I guess, not this time of year though.
 
Anaconda said:
Panard bushes and bolts have been changed. I keep thinking it's the swivel pin but it's a faff measuring it and the preload spec tolerance on a TD5 is rather small if I remember correctly.
I did take a sneaky random shim out, made no difference.
Should do it properly I guess, not this time of year though.
Click to expand...
Did you do the bottom pin aswell? I know this. Is just a rod but may be it has a bit off a play? There are no shims on the lowers
 
Hicap phill said:
Did you do the bottom pin aswell? I know this. Is just a rod but may be it has a bit off a play? There are no shims on the lowers
Click to expand...
Didn't think there was anything you can do with the lower pin?
I was under the impression that it's the upper pin which has the adjustment with the shims.
 
If your damper/shock is weak/worn then any extra movement of the axle as it settles can transfer to the steering.
Do a proper job of setting preload and double check all steering joints. Have someone waggle steering wheel both slow and fast, study each joint in turn. including steering drop arm where it enters steering box.
 
Shimming the top pin is for preload, and will do little to stop the pin sliding around in a worn bush. If there's any significant wear in it you should feel it with the wheel jacked and pulling the wheel (at 12 o'clock) in and out. Probably a bit at 3/9, but 12 worst.
 
boguing said:
Shimming the top pin is for preload, and will do little to stop the pin sliding around in a worn bush. If there's any significant wear in it you should feel it with the wheel jacked and pulling the wheel (at 12 o'clock) in and out. Probably a bit at 3/9, but 12 worst.
Click to expand...
There is no movement in bearing or swivel pin/bush. That is one check I do everytime I jack a wheel up, which seems like a regular basis.
 
Sometimes if the steering's very good you can get a lot of bump steer - more than when it's in need of overhaul. I remember about ten years ago when I replaced my steering swivel bearings and ball joints (the bushes had been done a few months earlier) there was a lot more bump steer than before. This was particularly pronounced on a stretch of road nearby where there was a long left handed curve with a number of recessed drain gratings. I had to drive with a wheel in the gutter to avoid the oncoming traffic, and with new swivel bearings you could really feel the wheel twitch at each one. In the same way, the next time I did them, in the autumn of 2020, everything got a lot more sensitive, but I hardly notice it now. I just assumed it was one of those Land Rover peculiarities.
 
Brown said:
Sometimes if the steering's very good you can get a lot of bump steer - more than when it's in need of overhaul. I remember about ten years ago when I replaced my steering swivel bearings and ball joints (the bushes had been done a few months earlier) there was a lot more bump steer than before. This was particularly pronounced on a stretch of road nearby where there was a long left handed curve with a number of recessed drain gratings. I had to drive with a wheel in the gutter to avoid the oncoming traffic, and with new swivel bearings you could really feel the wheel twitch at each one. In the same way, the next time I did them, in the autumn of 2020, everything got a lot more sensitive, but I hardly notice it now. I just assumed it was one of those Land Rover peculiarities.
Click to expand...
Certainly true with my Lightweight. All new everything, painful bump steer.
 
Brown said:
Sometimes if the steering's very good you can get a lot of bump steer - more than when it's in need of overhaul. I remember about ten years ago when I replaced my steering swivel bearings and ball joints (the bushes had been done a few months earlier) there was a lot more bump steer than before. This was particularly pronounced on a stretch of road nearby where there was a long left handed curve with a number of recessed drain gratings. I had to drive with a wheel in the gutter to avoid the oncoming traffic, and with new swivel bearings you could really feel the wheel twitch at each one. In the same way, the next time I did them, in the autumn of 2020, everything got a lot more sensitive, but I hardly notice it now. I just assumed it was one of those Land Rover peculiarities.
Click to expand...

boguing said:
Certainly true with my Lightweight. All new everything, painful bump steer.
Click to expand...
What we are saying then is if I fix it I will probably make it worse?
Think I shall better leave it alone.
 
Yes, the newer the components are the more sensitive it gets.

Don't forget, it doesn't matter which end the shims are - taking them out brings the centre cones of the roller bearings closer together and takes up slack and adds preload. On earlier models - up to about 1993 I believe - there was a bush at the top, but from 1993 onwards it's a tapered roller top and bottom. The one on the bottom does most of the work, and actually holds the car up. On a few occasion, both with my current 2006 model and our old Series, I've taken used bearings out to find that the rollers have worn indentations in the races in the straight ahead position. At low speeds, that may help the feeling of stability.
 
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