Mud-club

Vehicle & Technical => Defender => Topic started by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 20:47:59

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 20:47:59

When driving down hills of on dual carrige ways sometimes i find controling it in a straight line scary,i have a new steering box and no movment in any steering links,but i have a 2" lift.the wife wont drive it ,she said she would if it didnt wander about .If i cured it i could sell her car and spend it on landy bits!

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: richo on April 07, 2007, 21:00:33

Are you running wide tyres? that might be the problem

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 21:09:22

muds 265x16

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: paul_humphreys on April 07, 2007, 21:16:40

What make of tyres and at what speed?

Paul

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 21:33:16

25mph upwards chagos

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: Disco-Ron on April 07, 2007, 21:35:28

Could be worn bushes, tracking could be off.... could be slightly as a result of the lift and panhard rod pulling the axle off centre, could be lack of castor...... need i go on??

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 21:38:45

hi i have no bush where i have done them ,What is caster

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 21:39:54

if the tracking was out would this ware my tyres

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: Disco-Ron on April 07, 2007, 21:42:35

When you lift the truck, the front radius arms effectively remove the castor from the front geometry, difficult to explain, but it does make a difference.... if the tracking was a long way out, it would wear the tyres, but, not necessarily that quickly......
this might help...
http://www.ep90.com/index.php?id=60

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 07, 2007, 22:15:30

disco -ron that was well put i will check the toe tomorrow and i have a funny feeling that is it my front wheels look they point outwards

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: muck_truck on April 07, 2007, 22:50:09

what about the hub pre-loads, have you checked to see if you have any play ?

new steering damper needed ?

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: Cassillis on April 08, 2007, 09:39:07

Do you have a steering wobble, as if the tyres aren't balanced properly, or does your motor wander, as if the steering wheel is not working?

My 90 developed a horrendous wobble at 40mph which died if you pushed through it but soon returned on breaking into hazards, made it bloody awful to drive.
I checked most things that the group had advised just as they are doing for you. I even changed the U/J in the steering column( this was knackered and needed changing anyway) put on a heavy duty steering damper, checked the pre-load on the swivels tyres balanced and toe in/out checked, ball joints replaced etc all to no avail :cry:

It turned out to be the after market poly bushes i had fitted to the panhard rod weren't up to the job. They didn't move during testing and gave no clue as to their movement :?
I have gone back to Land Rover metalastic bushes for this application and this cured the problem.

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: Range Rover Blues on April 08, 2007, 14:22:09

DO you get any steering kick back when you hit a pothole?

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 08, 2007, 17:34:15

my toe out is 6mm out now just got to work out if it is the back bar or front bar to adjust? anyone no

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: jjsaul on April 08, 2007, 18:18:04

dont worry most of them dont go in a straight line!

i just got used to it...cant drive a normal car now  :twisted:

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: Range Rover Blues on April 08, 2007, 18:50:23

The back bar adjusts the toe-in, the front bar centres the steering wheel.

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: Litch on April 08, 2007, 18:59:45

"dont worry most of them dont go in a straight line!   i just got used to it...cant drive a normal car now "

Unless they are set up correctly of course!


With everything working and adjusted as it should be then the vehicle should steer straight and go around corners smoothly. As long as nothing is worn/mis-adjusted then things which will prevent this are oversized and/or mud pattern tyres which will obviously have an effect on road-holding (BFG Muds have excelent road-holding qualities and 265/75 is not oversized) or a suspension lift which will increase the COG and increase the body-roll/stability.
A normal spec or slightly modded vehicle should have no abnormal handling characteristics, if it has then there is something wrong but most of the likely causes seem to have been listed in the previous posts.

In reply to an earlier question, mis-adjusted tracking WILL have an effect on handling and tyre wear. Doing it buy eye is ok as a get you home but rapid tyre wear will follow and handling will be compremised. Once again this might not be so apparent on a vehicle which does not handle too well anyway but if the rest of the vehicle is set-up correctly then it is very apparent (been there).

Title: Does yours frighten you
Post by: bombx3 on April 09, 2007, 13:19:18

i have now adjusted my toe  and it has made a big difference.i have to get  my tyres resealed so i will get it all checked on the lazer.any one no why it should be out so much