Thread: Disco Front End Shake

What do I try next?

My 1998 S1 Disco auto tdi experiences a front end shake sometimes on highways and bitumen country roads when it hits a slight ripple at speeds over 80km/h.

I have tried:

1. New steering damper (OK, only a Gabriel but it is new)
2. Checked wheel bearings (tightened passenger side)
3. Checked swivel preloads (removed 1 shim on both sides to set required tension)
4. Adjusted front tyres down from 36 to 28 and now back to 33.
5. Checked suspension bushes, including the hockey sticks.

The only thing that seemed to make a difference was the preloads in that the shakes last for a shorter time. However, the Disco's reaction to slight road ripples is a little overstated still.

No problems around town, just the highways and country roads.

It also handles really well on dirt roads, the problem only shows up on the bitumen.

I am running the basic 205's on the steel rims.

I am going to put the whole thing on stands this weekend and have another look at the bushes. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Originally Posted by DeeJay

The series Landies could get so bad they would nearly throw you out the window, always after a bump, and braking stopped it.
It was always the swivel pins, sometimes they needed bushes replaced, rather than shimming. There was a Railko upgrade that fixed it but that came later.
I can't see why a disco would be any different if the bearings are worn.

Just to clarify - are you saying there was a later change to the Railko bushes that I am not aware of? The actual change to railko bushes from the earlier spring loaded conical bushes was in early Series 2 production, although it could be fitted to all earlier ones except the 80" I believe.

John