Horizontal play in jacked up wheel?

[feraldisco]

Hi - I have horizontal (9-3 clockface position) but no vertical play (12-6 position) in jacked up wheel. I understand that vertical play only is likely to be swivel housing and play in all directions is likely to be wheel bearing. Is it likely to be a ball joint? Lowers have been replaced a couple of years ago so culprit might be uppers? Do these tend to deteriorate slowly or are they a risk...only a small amount of play at this point and might not get around to replacing before a 3000km return trip... Thanks

[Designosaur]

Have you checked the ball joints at the ends of the track rod and drag link? these will give you that sort of movement when worn.

[DieselLSE]

Hang on. You either have a swivel pin housing or upper and lower arms. Not both. Lateral movement can indeed be due to a worn swivel pin, but worn ball joints or other steering components are more likely.
Get someone to turn the steering wheel from side to side while you hop under the car and listen and feel for movement. The wheels can be on the ground for this or you can jack up both front wheels. Worn bits become really obvious when you do this.

[Tins]

To eliminate wheel bearings get someone to apply the brakes while you test for play.

[AK83]

Hang on. You either have a swivel pin housing or upper and lower arms. Not both. .....

???

D2 has upper and lower ball joints for 'swivel pins' ... not swivel pins in the Defender/D1/RRC design sense.

I'd check as designosaur commented .. the tie rod ends on both the drag link(front steering rod) and track rod(rear steering rod).

But also try to determine if it's the entire axle that has this horizontal movement, or is it just the wheel itself.
i.e. if it's the entire axle that has this horizontal movement then it could also be the leading arm bushes are worn. two on the axle itself and the main one to watch movement for .. the chassis end of the arm.

if you had worn tie rod ends on the steering, you would feel this through the wheel as a vibration, or knocking when cornering or hitting bumps.
If it's a worn leading arm bush it'll more likely wander and pull left or right, especially when braking(most likely pull hard left).

[feraldisco]

Thanks for the replies - some further info that may help:

> I replaced the hub with a 'European Bearing Technologies' one from Karcraft which I assume is reasonable quality coming from that supplier. Still have the movement but possibly needed to replace the hub anyway due to issues with ABS (sensor was contacting the teeth which I assume isn't normal? Seems to be a common problem that they've presumably corrected in aftermarket sensors?)

> The play is still there...most pronounced at 3-9 position and decreases around the rim until there is no play at all in 6-12 position. I would have thought if it was the bearing that there would be play in all directions as you rotate the tyre?

> I've checked receipts and upper and lower ball joints and tie rods have been replaced in last 50,000km and they all look in good nick and no signs of movement in them.

> The wheel with the play is drivers side front. No movement at all in other side.

[Tins]

Get underneath and have an assistant move the wheel while you watch.

[feraldisco]

Get underneath and have an assistant move the wheel while you watch.

I've done that...no obvious movement or sound coming from anywhere...can only sense movement when tugging on wheel itself. My local steering/suspension place reckons it could be one of the steering links, but I thought that would be felt through both wheels; not just one of them?

[feraldisco]

I'm increasingly thinking it's a steering link - very faint clunk when turning hard in both directions. Think I'll just wait for it to become worse so it's more obvious which link it is...

[JDNSW]

Sounds to me that it is one or both ends of the track rod. if it were the drag link or panhard rod, or earlier in the steering (e.g. steering box) both sides would be the same.

[mrs]

Best way to find the movement is Jack up one wheel at a time and get someone to move the wheel, even putting a bar under the wheel and wobbling it while you put your hand on the various components feeling for a knock