After getting the gearbox changed, I can now drive the thing!

Sort of anyway. There is about 6 inches of play in the steering wheel
when driving before anything happens. When stationary, there seems to
be about 2 inches of free play at the rim of the steering wheel. This
makes the car wander when driving, I guess this is not normal? I've
adjusted the steering box, there was more free play than this. I
turned the adjuster until it just started to feel tight (it was very
easy to turn once the locknut was lose), then checked the steering
wheel turns fully from lock to lock. Should I go tighter than this?
Can't see any play in any of the ball joints, but perhaps I should
take a big lever to them to check them better? Any clues where else
to look for problems? Do the shims on top of the swivels have any
relationship to steering problems?

Thanks for all the advice so far!

Alan C

'98 4.6 HSE range Rover
'75 109 LWB Series III Petrol

cutlea01 typed:
> After getting the gearbox changed, I can now drive the thing!
>
> Sort of anyway. There is about 6 inches of play in the steering wheel
> when driving before anything happens. When stationary, there seems to
> be about 2 inches of free play at the rim of the steering wheel. This
> makes the car wander when driving, I guess this is not normal? I've
> adjusted the steering box, there was more free play than this. I
> turned the adjuster until it just started to feel tight (it was very
> easy to turn once the locknut was lose), then checked the steering
> wheel turns fully from lock to lock. Should I go tighter than this?
> Can't see any play in any of the ball joints, but perhaps I should
> take a big lever to them to check them better? Any clues where else
> to look for problems? Do the shims on top of the swivels have any
> relationship to steering problems?

One of my steering linkages was actually so loose, if we didn't spot it it
would have (we think) dropped off ..

I dunno the correct terminology for weach part, so here goes .. Basically
it's the bolt on the arm that sits almost vertical, and clamps over a
serrated tube, as you look down onto the steering linkages over the bonnet
from the offside front tyre. It had worn the serrations so flat that a 'get
us home' fix was to junios hacksaw a few small grooves in the tube and use a
blob or three of araldite. We replaced all the bits around it some weeks
later .. but ti was still working absolutely fine, with no slop in the
steering where previously it had exactly the same symptoms as you describe.

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

On 26 Jun, in article
<5e53eefa.0406260157.3639eceb@posting.google.com>
alan.cutler@bbc.co.uk "cutlea01" wrote:

> After getting the gearbox changed, I can now drive the thing!
>
> Sort of anyway. There is about 6 inches of play in the steering wheel
> when driving before anything happens. When stationary, there seems to
> be about 2 inches of free play at the rim of the steering wheel. This
> makes the car wander when driving, I guess this is not normal? I've
> adjusted the steering box, there was more free play than this. I
> turned the adjuster until it just started to feel tight (it was very
> easy to turn once the locknut was lose), then checked the steering
> wheel turns fully from lock to lock. Should I go tighter than this?
> Can't see any play in any of the ball joints, but perhaps I should
> take a big lever to them to check them better? Any clues where else
> to look for problems? Do the shims on top of the swivels have any
> relationship to steering problems?
>
> Thanks for all the advice so far!

Check the steeeing relay, which is beside the radiator. I had to
tighten the big nut on mine.

Have somebody waggle the wheel while you examine the various joints, you
may find something obviously loose.



--
David G. Bell -- SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger.

"History shows that the Singularity started when Sir Tim Berners-Lee
was bitten by a radioactive spider."

I had this problem for a while and this group offered many helpfull
comments.

However my problem was maybee the same as yours. Playschool driving, ie you
just cant aim it. scary as hell when other cars are coming towards you..

I had 3 problems it seems in the end which all contributed to the symptoms.

1. One of the the Big ball things on the front right wheel had no grease in
it.
2. On the left of the radiatior under the horn theres a cylindrical gadget
that changes the direction of your steering , Its got loads of springs in
it. Hmm i wish my haynes manual was here so i could look up what they are
called. Anyway that was shafted.
3, But the main thing for me was the front leaf spring bushes were badly
worn and they were literally moving from left to right in their bushes. and
hence, so was i on the road.

After doing these 3 things the series 3 is now like a normal car again..
Hope these ideas help.

On or around Sat, 26 Jun 2004 16:56:53 +0100, "Jason Hall"
<jason.hall8@ntlworld.com> enlightened us thusly:

>I had this problem for a while and this group offered many helpfull
>comments.
>
>However my problem was maybee the same as yours. Playschool driving, ie you
>just cant aim it. scary as hell when other cars are coming towards you..

and don't forget tracking.

just improved the handling on my recently acquired disco quite noticeably by
giving the trackrod half a turn in the "out" direction, having concluded
that it was very slightly toed in.

book say 0-2mm toe out, but experience on the 110 taught that the nearer you
got it to parallel the sweeter it went.

Series book says 1.2-2.4mm toe in, but I bet it runs better with less rather
than more.

IME:

too much toe in makes for "tight" feeling steering and tendency to turn in
unpredictably when cornering, as the load goes onto the outer wheel it
effectively increases the steering force slightly.

too much toe out makes for vague steering about the straight ahead position,
and an inability to hold it in a straight line, and more lock needed to turn
corners.

A bit back I proved that it's actually possible to drive the 110, albeit
slowly, with about 2" toe out, after bending the track rod on a rover 400.
doesn't do the tyres any good, mind.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Appearances: You don't really need make-up. Celebrate your authentic
face by frightening people in the street.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

cutlea01 wrote:

> After getting the gearbox changed, I can now drive the thing!
>
> Sort of anyway. There is about 6 inches of play in the steering wheel
> when driving before anything happens. When stationary, there seems to
> be about 2 inches of free play at the rim of the steering wheel. This
> makes the car wander when driving, I guess this is not normal? I've
> adjusted the steering box, there was more free play than this. I
> turned the adjuster until it just started to feel tight (it was very
> easy to turn once the locknut was lose), then checked the steering
> wheel turns fully from lock to lock. Should I go tighter than this?
> Can't see any play in any of the ball joints, but perhaps I should
> take a big lever to them to check them better? Any clues where else
> to look for problems? Do the shims on top of the swivels have any
> relationship to steering problems?
>
> Thanks for all the advice so far!
>
> Alan C
>
> '98 4.6 HSE range Rover
> '75 109 LWB Series III Petrol
This will be play somewhere in the steering system - check all the points
the others have suggested - and here are a few others. To summarise:-
1. Play in any of the six ball joints between the steering box and the
wheels.
2. loose threads on any of these,
3. play in the steering box
4. Loose steering box
5. top or bottom lever on the steering box loose on the splines
6. Excessive play on the steering swivels
7. Steering lever loose on the swivel housing
8. worn bushes in springs or chassis - front OR rear (or both)
9. Loose U-bolts, front, rear, or both
10. Badly worn steering relay

Most likely are 1, 5,8 or 9
Remember that your problem could be a combination of a small amount of play
in several of these places.
JD

> This will be play somewhere in the steering system - check all the points
> the others have suggested - and here are a few others. To summarise:-
> 1. Play in any of the six ball joints between the steering box and the
> wheels.
> 2. loose threads on any of these,
> 3. play in the steering box
> 4. Loose steering box
> 5. top or bottom lever on the steering box loose on the splines
> 6. Excessive play on the steering swivels
> 7. Steering lever loose on the swivel housing
> 8. worn bushes in springs or chassis - front OR rear (or both)
> 9. Loose U-bolts, front, rear, or both
> 10. Badly worn steering relay
>
> Most likely are 1, 5,8 or 9
> Remember that your problem could be a combination of a small amount of play
> in several of these places.
> JD

Many thanks for the advice, I'll give the old girl a thorough
steering/suspension/bush etc check over. But first I need to change
the oil seals on the output of the transfer box, wish I'd done them
befor I fitted the 'box now 2 large oil slicks of fresh EP90
under the car. Wonder if the main input shaft seal's gonna leak too?
That looks a real pain to change without taking the box out again.

Cheers,

Alan C.

> This will be play somewhere in the steering system - check all the points
> the others have suggested - and here are a few others. To summarise:-
> 1. Play in any of the six ball joints between the steering box and the
> wheels.
> 2. loose threads on any of these,
> 3. play in the steering box
> 4. Loose steering box
> 5. top or bottom lever on the steering box loose on the splines
> 6. Excessive play on the steering swivels
> 7. Steering lever loose on the swivel housing
> 8. worn bushes in springs or chassis - front OR rear (or both)
> 9. Loose U-bolts, front, rear, or both
> 10. Badly worn steering relay
>
> Most likely are 1, 5,8 or 9
> Remember that your problem could be a combination of a small amount of play
> in several of these places.
> JD

Many thanks for the advice, I'll give the old girl a thorough
steering/suspension/bush etc check over. But first I need to change
the oil seals on the output of the transfer box, wish I'd done them
befor I fitted the 'box now 2 large oil slicks of fresh EP90
under the car. Wonder if the main input shaft seal's gonna leak too?
That looks a real pain to change without taking the box out again.

Cheers,

Alan C.