2010 Defender Steering Issues and other issues...

[Robmacca]

Guys...
Just got back from a 17.5k trip around Australia taking in the CSR and The Gibb River Rd (incl's up to Kalumburu & Truscott areas). Over the 17500kms my 2010 Defender 110 Puma went extremely well and got us back home w/o any major issues, but it does now need some TLC from the Trip


Issues that I now need to look at:


(1) Steering Issue - This started early in the trip - It seems as though I had damaged to the top king-pin bearings or something as the steering was hard to do full L/R turns. It was like the Power Steering wasn't Working.


I've removed the Steering Dampener (all good); checked P/S fluid (level all good), put the car on jack stands and disconnected the Drag Link(?) to test if the King Pins (all good as they were replaced only 6mths ago).


With the engine turned off and Drag-link disconnected, I tried turning the steering wheel - problem still there.. so, from that I can assume there may be an issue with the Steering Box ?? - Have anyone else had issues with their steering boxes?


(2) The Front Diff housing - it had a dent in the pumpkin from the previous owner but never caused an issue until now - On our return trip homewards, I found that a hairline crack had developed in the pumpkin where the dent is. The leak was minimal and didn't cause an issue on the drive home but now I need to repair it...


What is the best course of action here? Just remove it and have it repaired/strengthened or but a H/D Diff housing to prevent further issues?


(3) A creaking sound under my feet when suspension flexing. This was only when I was offroad in the desert but now I feel it on road when I turn Right/left. I checked underneath for something in the area where I'm feeling it and I cannot see anything. I've checked the front radius arm bushes (chassis end) and they seem ok (Superpro bushes about 12mths old).


Does anyone else have suggestion as to what might be causing these creaking sounds?




(4) Speedo momentarily stopped working up in the Kimberleys which caused me to lose power and not be able to get above 70km/hr (no dash warning lights up). This happened I think after doing a water crossing. It only lasted for 5mins before the speedo started working again and all things returned to normal and has never happened again.


Does anyone else have suggestion as to what might have caused this? (Water in the speed sensor on TC?)




Other then those issues mentioned above, the Landy performed faultlessly. I must admit though... it does not like corrugations though. We struck some really bad ones on the Canning Stock Route that would rattle your teeth loose. The noise inside was LOUD too and not really an enjoyable experience either when compared to my mate's 80's Cruiser. We had tyre pressures down to F13psi/R19psi and adjustable remote res shocks dialled down to soften the ride, varied our speed - but not with much success...


thanks in advance

[JDNSW]

1) From what you describe, it does sound like the steering box - but - There are another couple of possibilities. One is that there are two universals on the steering shaft, and bearings on the final shaft below the wheel. Could any of these be binding? When I had a similar symptom with my County thirty years ago, it turned out to be the top U-joint on the steering column had fouled the air intake hose from the mudguard to the air cleaner, and I had several turns of the reinforcing wire from this wrapped round the steering shaft. Is there anything fouling the shaft?

2) I have welded craks on my front housing several times!

3) Creaking under your feet on suspension movement could simply be the bush below your feet moving in the hole or around the shaft, more likely if it is a polybush rather than rubber, or more sisterly, it could be a crack in the bracket holding the bush. Look carefully. I had a failure here on my County, entirely attributable to the fact that one weld was not dome attaching the bush tube to the bracket!

4) No ideas

[POD]

Agree I'd be looking at the uni joints in the steering shaft- to be clear (sorry JD it took me a few moments to realise what you were referring to) we're talking about the shaft between the steering column at the firewall, and the steering box. There are 2 little universal joints which never get any love. Seems much more likely than the box itself.
Years ago on the Tanami Track I had a crack in the weld around the diff pumpkin on the front end of a RRC. Welded it up and never had a problem again. Be cautious as there's not a great deal of clearance between the front of the diff housing and the crown wheel. Could you weld a slide hammer to it and pull the dent out before repairing the crack?
Creaking noise- I'd be checking the tightness of the cross-member bolts, check all the suspension bushes (obviously), check for coils rubbing on the chassis.
The speedo drive connection sounds most likely for your electrical gremlin, although I've never had a problem there- is there a weather seal in the electrical connector behind the park brake drum?

I really dislike severe corrugations. Our olive oil turned to butter on our recent trip. I don't know how anything stays together. Driving slower than you want helps a bit.

[MLD]

2) being the front diff, might be easier to remove the third member and bash it out rather than try to slide hammer it. you can buy HD pan covers whereby you cut off the thin factory cover and weld on a thicker pan cover. I haven't seen them advertised for years, but nor have i looked.

4) the speedo, if it was a problem after a water crossing, is most likely a shorting/water contamination at the transfer sender or plug. In the MY10, the speedo is a traditional VSS from and return to the instrument cluster. As for why it went into reduced speed mode, i'd take a punt that it was indirectly related to the loss of a speedo signal. in otherwords, the ECU did not receive a speed signal from the instrument cluster (over canbus) and that put the ECU into a safety mode. Might be worth removing the VSS sender and check that it not damaged. Check the plug for continuity, exposed wires, compromised crimps on the terminals, damaged wire seals if its a weatherpack type plug etc. Sounds like it's electrical and an easy fix.

[Robmacca]

Thanks for the ideas in regards to the small Uni-joints in the steering shaft - never thought of that so I will look into it...

BTW - can some tell me where the Horn is located in a 2010 110 defender? is it behind the RH Headlight? Mine stopped working for some reason...


re: Diff Housing

I notice that KLR sell a HD Front Diff housing replacement (expensive though) - has anyone had any experience with these HD diff housings before?

[POD]

One horn behind each headlight in my '08

[Robmacca]

Thanks Guys...

Replaced the seized uni-joint on the steering Shaft - hopefully the steering will be back to normal when I take it for a drive in the morning