Harshness in RRS Steering

[101RRS]

My RRS has not done 84,000km and has now developed what can best be described as harshness in the steering on smooth roads. It is not a vibration and is not wheels balance as the steering wheel has not visible vibration. There is no slack in the steering and no slackness or clunking in the suspension.

On coarser bitumen roads or gravel this harshness is masked by the unevenness of the road. I have GG ATs that have covered 15,000km and am hoping it is just tyre noise.

I am am aware of suspension joint wear and steering box wear but if this harshness was either I guess it would be more obvious even on coarse bitumen.

Any suggestions what this might be.

Thanks

Garry

[Graeme]

If the tyres have been on the front for a while maybe they need a stint on the rear.

[101RRS]

Yes I agree (and hoping that) but the car will be going up on the lift for its service and I am wondering if I should be looking for something in the front when I am under it.

Cheers

Garry

[Epic pooh]

I'm not totally sure what you mean by harshness, but I will contribute that my GG AT's are 'quite obnoxious' as far as noise and harshness goes - they are quite noisy at certain speeds on certain surfaces yet on others they are no noiser than a normal tyre (coarse chip). Mine get rotated very regularly as uneven wear (slight feathering for example) makes the noise far worse.

Another thing to check may be front wheel bearings - my GG's masked the noise of a failing wheel bearing for a long time (bearing had no play or obvious issues when inspected on several occasions) until the bearing self destructed after a prolonged high speed run.

HTH & good luck !

[camel_landy]

Check the usual suspects:

ARB Drop links
Bushes
Ball joints
Bearings

...obvious fluid leaks, blah, blah...

M

[101RRS]

I'm not totally sure what you mean by harshness, but I will contribute that my GG AT's are 'quite obnoxious' as far as noise and harshness goes - they are quite noisy at certain speeds on certain surfaces yet on others they are no noiser than a normal tyre (coarse chip).

Another thing to check may be front wheel bearings - my GG's masked the noise of a failing wheel bearing for a long time (bearing had no play or obvious issues when inspected on several occasions) until the bearing self destructed after a prolonged high speed run.

HTH & good luck !

What you describe is exactly what I have except for the noise (mine are quite quiet) so maybe the tyres - am rotating them soon so hopefully that is it.

Thanks for the tip on the wheel bearings - I will check that along with the items mentioned by Mark.

Thanks

Garry

[sniegy]

Steering Box? I know you meant Steering Rack!
Don't have too many issues, normally the outers play up.
Cheers

[Stuart02]

I don't recall seeing Garrycol on the forum for a while, but does anyone know if the harshness issue resolved?

Our car doesn't drive as smoothly as it did when we bought it. It's hard to describe but there's just a kind of harshness or grittiness that feels like it comes through the whole driveline and steering. Possibly accompanied by what started out as a weird harmonic hum and now possibly more of a persistent low 'groan', but not like a diff whining.

There is a bit of what feels like a wheel balance issue which increases under load, but I don't know if that's related or not. I've had the front wheel bearings replaced.

I'm concerned it's the auto giving out (coming up 197000 kms), getting it serviced did seem to help a bit - certainly improved the shifts.

Thanks in advance

[sheerluck]

Garry was on only a few hours back. :)

[Stuart02]

Garry was on only a few hours back. :)

Oh I'm not saying he's not lurking around, I just haven't seen him! :D

Cheers to the recently resurrected! :)

[SBD4]

Garry was on only a few hours back. :)
It must be killing him not to jump in and respond - he was partial to a chat.

Come on Garry, isn't it about time you dropped the stubborn stance and came in from the cold? You know you want to!:D

[Stuart02]

Ok, so keeping positive for the moment and assuming it's not transmission related, what are the other vibration/harshness candidates?

Engine/gear box mounts?
Steering column coupler?
Other suspension components like upper arms?

Sometimes between 60 and 80 on smooth roads I reckon there's a kind of 'harmonic' hum that comes in and out - at first I thought it was a hint of wheel bearings but they've been swapped out now. And I reckon I can feel vibration when barely moving on steep hills with the revs up toward 1000 rpm...

[3rr]

Ok, so keeping positive for the moment and assuming it's not transmission related, what are the other vibration/harshness candidates?

Engine/gear box mounts?
Steering column coupler?
Other suspension components like upper arms?

Sometimes between 60 and 80 on smooth roads I reckon there's a kind of 'harmonic' hum that comes in and out - at first I thought it was a hint of wheel bearings but they've been swapped out now. And I reckon I can feel vibration when barely moving on steep hills with the revs up toward 1000 rpm...

Hi Stuart - did you sort your problem out ? My TDV8 has developed a similar vibration/hum - seems to be from the FRHS. I'm hoping it is tyres which will be replaced this week, but what is interesting is that on LH bends there is no noise/vibration, but straight ahead and on right-hand curves, the vibration/hum occurs. Its doing my head in. There is a clunk, presumably the rack end on the RHS - possibly allowing wheel shimmy? The car has done 275000 with the tranny just rebuilt. In any case the noise was there prior to the rebuild. Wheel bearings have been replaced once at abut 150k.
Anybody out there offering enlightenment, preferably restricted to the problem at hand rather than life, the universe and everything?

[Stuart02]

Sorry, no joy. I'm pretty sure front sway bar bushes are next on my list, I don't know whether new ones might absorb a bit of vibration?
Depending on the make of the bearings it's not impossible you've worn one out?

[Nomad9]

Hi Garry,
You haven't replaced the bottom wishbone bushes recently have you? My front end went "harsher" when I changed the bushes from the standard set-up to the nolathane option. Also tyre pressures I noted made a big difference on the more aggressive treads. Apart from that all the stuff mentioned by others.

Cheers Marty.

[Stuart02]

Hi Garry,
You haven't replaced the bottom wishbone bushes recently have you? My front end went "harsher" when I changed the bushes from the standard set-up to the nolathane option. Also tyre pressures I noted made a big difference on the more aggressive treads. Apart from that all the stuff mentioned by others.

Cheers Marty.

Lower pressure less harshness? The tyre treads themselves or road surface being transmitted cos of stiffer construction?

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