oh joy, something else is bent

[Disco Inferno]

following a recent outing the steering on my disco has been somewhat unpredictable. I finally got round to having a look last night and found that the rear steering link (one with the damper on) now looks like a banana and the stering damper looks like its been used as a bridging ladder.
Needless to say its knackered.

Can somewhat tell me what the correct name for this link is (drag link, track rod ??)

Also is it possible to change the setup over so it is similar to a defender, where the damper is on the front link?
i don't fancy forking out for a new damper if i'm gonna end up destroying it at the next available oportunity.

cheers

andy

[weeone]

You've bent thr track rod (it's the one that adjusts the tracking (toe-in/-out)

Yes, you can move the damper to the drag-link (the one that drags the wheel round)

You do, however, need to get a replacement drag-link, and probably need to weld a bracket onto the front crossmember.

It's actually quite a common mod....

[Disco Inferno]

excellent stuff

so i guess i need to purchase a drag link rod and steering damper to suit a defender, then fabricate something to mount the damper to the chassis with.

wuhoo, as it happens a mate is braekign a 110, think i'll be down there withe the gas axe this weekend.

cheers for the info

[300+]

You can buy a complete kit of parts. I know Oz suppliers, but they won't help you.

Steve

[Disco Inferno]

i've found a set of plans to build my own using a defender damper, but as a starting point i'm scrounging a set of rods from a 110 to see of they are a direct replacement or if they can be modified

[Bjohns]

You need sumo bars or dan bars try QT services www.qtservices.co.uk,

These are substantially stronger than the Land-rover equivalant, I went through two sets of standard parts before I found them. But I've yet to find a way of stopping the damper getting trashed, with a substantial guard. It seems designed to be a treestunp catcher.

Good luck
Brian

[Disco Inferno]

i spoke to guy at peterborough at the weekend, he recomended getting hold of the drag link, pitman arm and steering damper from a 110. The weld a bracket onto the chassis to take the other end of the damper. He had bought a sumobar conversion and said it was a pile o c**p and tldl me not t buy one, but recomeded using the sumo bars as a replacement to standard bars.

[Range Rover Blues]

I have literaly just finished converting our Range Rover to a Defender steering damper, it's one of the few 5-minute jobs I have had this year.  Get the complete drag link from a scrap 110/90 because although the threads are the same for some reason the 110 bar was counter-bored (thread starts 15mm inside the tube) but all the tapers and threads are the same, the drag link was even the same length.  Luckily we have a steering guard fitted so I drilled the mounting hole straight into this, it's more than strong enough for the job.  I mounted this end as low as possible without risking damage when the car is cross-axled, this reduces the flexing on the drop arm when the damper is absorbing those shocks.  Finally I fitted a De Carbon gas damper, which does bias the steering a little, it's cured the pulling to the left but more alarmingly it has negated the self-centering effect when turning sharply right, no more swinging into RH bends and booting it!    :D

[Disco Inferno]

i've done exactly the same now, just not had chance to overhaul the joints etc on the drag link. I took measurements from the 100 i took apart so the damper mounts in exactly the same orientation on the disco.