RRC excessive sterring play?

[Reggieroo]

My Rangie Classic has excessive steering play which is most noticeable after around 50 mph, say when doing motorway driving.

I didn't realise how bad it was until I drove a friends Classic with considerably less mileage for a few months & jumped back in mine to go down the motorway & thought what the f*ck!

Any advise would be much appreciated as its just horrible to drive at the moment & I really need to sort it out.

I've had a good look underneath , no leaking steering box or anything apparent.


Regards

Reg

[clbarclay]

Panhard rod bushes?

You need to second person isealy (unless they are compretely FUBAR), one to waggle the steering and one to look at the bushes. There should be virtually no movement in a good bush.

[Reggieroo]

Panhard rod bushes?

You need to people to check (unless they are compretely FUBAR), one to waggle the steering and one to look at the bushes. There should be virtually no movement in a good bush.

I'll be checking those when I find out which ones they are..........lol

Hey your around Worcestershire........know of any green lanes round here, I'm new to the area & I want to get a little muddy  :D

[Range Rover Blues]

Stand alongside the car, start the engine and grab the wheel through the open window.  Wiggle it hard left to right.  If the car moves left and right then the panhard rod bushes are goosed, if the RHS wheel turns well in response to steering inputs then they are not bad.

Of course if you have a mate to help you then you'll be able to check all the joints in the steering quite quickly.  Feel each balljopint for slight knocking.

checklist
1) tyre pressures
2) steering box play, can you feel any clunking in the wheel or at the drop arm?
3) drop arm balljoint, you won't feel the clunk at the steering wheel but you will feel it or see it from the wheelarch if you turn the wheels right
4) check the balljoint at the front of the LHS knuckle, these 2 joint on the front drag link work hardest and are most prone to wear.
5) check the 2 balljoints on the rear track rod and also check the tightness of all the threaded joints

Any significant wear will show up when you are wiggling the steering wheel, you might notice that the road wheel doesn't respond to inputs on the steering or that is jerks when moving.

Have the tracking checked, excessive toe out will make the steering very dead, slow and unresponsive, it's a heavy handed cure for steering kickback.  Excessive toe in would make the steering twitchy

Unlikey but check the steering swivel bearings, jack up each front wheel and check for free play up and down, beyong the wheel bearings (which should have play).  Worn out swivel bearings also cause leaks in the swivel seal ;)

One other thing to check, the steering shaft has 2 UJs working at considerable angles.  if you are careful with lining them up you can sharpen the steering response to small inputs on the steering wheel, though at 90degrees input you get the reverse effect.  If the steering shaft has been installed carelessly it could be having an effect.

[clbarclay]

Hey your around Worcestershire........know of any green lanes round here, I'm new to the area & I want to get a little muddy  :D

Not just worcestershire, but about 5 miles due north of pershore. I know a few lanes, though at the moment there isn't a single driveable 4x4 at home.

You could ask Chris9119 to organise another ford run or at least send you a copy of the route. Starts a Droitwich, heading towards pershore before head back north towards the M6/M42 doing plenty of green lanes and as the name surgests quite a few fords as well.

[Reggieroo]

Stand alongside the car, start the engine and grab the wheel through the open window.  Wiggle it hard left to right.  If the car moves left and right then the panhard rod bushes are goosed, if the RHS wheel turns well in response to steering inputs then they are not bad.

Of course if you have a mate to help you then you'll be able to check all the joints in the steering quite quickly.  Feel each balljopint for slight knocking.

checklist
1) tyre pressures
2) steering box play, can you feel any clunking in the wheel or at the drop arm?
3) drop arm balljoint, you won't feel the clunk at the steering wheel but you will feel it or see it from the wheelarch if you turn the wheels right
4) check the balljoint at the front of the LHS knuckle, these 2 joint on the front drag link work hardest and are most prone to wear.
5) check the 2 balljoints on the rear track rod and also check the tightness of all the threaded joints

Any significant wear will show up when you are wiggling the steering wheel, you might notice that the road wheel doesn't respond to inputs on the steering or that is jerks when moving.

Have the tracking checked, excessive toe out will make the steering very dead, slow and unresponsive, it's a heavy handed cure for steering kickback.  Excessive toe in would make the steering twitchy

Unlikey but check the steering swivel bearings, jack up each front wheel and check for free play up and down, beyong the wheel bearings (which should have play).  Worn out swivel bearings also cause leaks in the swivel seal ;)

One other thing to check, the steering shaft has 2 UJs working at considerable angles.  if you are careful with lining them up you can sharpen the steering response to small inputs on the steering wheel, though at 90degrees input you get the reverse effect.  If the steering shaft has been installed carelessly it could be having an effect.

I was thinking it might be something to do with the steering shaft as its been clunking for quite a while now, when hitting bumpy roads. Also there is a knock when you turn the steering back straight again & also when going up inclines .

[Range Rover Blues]

That could be the steering box.  I've seen a loose steering shaft but TBH it doesn't make the car wander, just that you get lots of rattles in the steering wheel.  The clunk on return to centre sounds ominous.  Ours had so much wear in the box that when it returned to centre it as like the steering was disconnected, I've never seen another that bad (ours might well have been a police car, mega high mileage).

But also worth a check (and I forgot to mention) is excessive play in the steering UJs, it would have to be bad to effect your control of the car bvut could be causing the clunk and a stiff Uj would effect the steering feel.  Try loads of plus gas on them, they should be oiled once in a while.

I can't think what is causing the clunk when going up inclines at all :-k  unless it's the steering box drop arm/balljoint as the angle changes due to the nose lifting :?

[Reggieroo]

180,000 miles its got on it now, probably as high as a ex-police one.

Most parts have been changed over the miles/years buy the previous owner & me but not any steering parts as far as I know.

I've got the history & receipts as well from previous keepers, but nothing to do with steering so I'd imagine the steering parts are original.

[Range Rover Blues]

In which case i'd expect to find a number of culprits then.