Front axle questions...

[Iain C]

Ok I am slowly running through the jobs that need doing on my Disco prior to MOT time in May.  I have a few questions WRT the front axle, and I was planning on changing all the oils tonight.

One of the chrome balls is fine (although a little bit leaky) the other is a bit rusty (and probably leaked most of it's contents already!).  I was planning on wire brushing the bad bit prior to MOT and giving it all a wipe, hopefully it should be OK (my old S3 went thorugh in a worse state)  However, if I change the diff oil tonight, will I have to drain the axle again (and waste the oil) if I do change the chrome ball?

If I drain the swivles and replace with the one-shot grease, presumably the stuff is much more viscous, is it less likely to leak round the chrome balls, or when it warms up does it get quite runny?

Manoevering...sometimes you get a low groan whilst going from lock to lock whilst stationary.  Any ideas what this could be? PAS pump? Damper?

Steering wheel position...the truck seems to handle fine and track straight, no uneven tyre wear, and none of this steering wobble at speed that some people have been speaking of.  However, the steering wheel seems to be one spline off to the left, is it best to get the whole vehicle tracked (something I am loathed to do just in case it needs any steering balljoints come MOT) or is it OK just to remove the wheel and turn it a little?

Thanks for your help!!

PS...300Tdi, is the digital clock supposed to light up at night?

[Budgie]

If you change the swivel then just jack that side up in the air and all the axle oil will run to the other side and not leak out so you don't need to drain it again.  

The one-shot grease is less likely to leak, it does get thinner as it heats but not as much a EP90 does.

You could have air in the PAS system that's causing the noise, top up the reservoir, start the engine and go from one lock to the other a few times and see if that does anything. If not then there is a bleed nipple on top of the steering box, attach a tube to it, start the engine and undo the nipple (the same as you would to bleed the brakes). You're looking for no air bubbles in the fluid. WARNING: Do NOT turn the steering wheel with the nipple undone! Otherwise you get an ATF fountain in your engine bay!!

Before you alter the steering wheel position, with the wheels dead ahead, check that the steering drop arm on the steering box is correctly aligned. On the rear of the drop arm there is a slot, this should line up with a hole in the underside of the steering box. If it doesn't then release the clamps on both ends of the front steering tube and rotate the tube until it lines up. Then look at where the steering wheel is siting and adjust accordingly.
You can us the front tube adjustment to fine tune the steering wheels position if necessary.  

[Iain C]

Brilliant advice, thanks very much!!!

[cardiff_gareth]

Iain, my steering wheel was right off as tracking needed doing, tracking is now done and steering wheel now sits correct. Is it worth a quick trip to Kwik Fit or someone simular for a free check :?:

[Skibum346]

Needed to replace my lower steering column due to play... did so... with a few choice words thrown in to aid the project...

Was very careful...

My formerly lined up steering wheel is now 30Deg off!    :shock:  #-o  :(bigangry):