steering wander and noise

[rar110]

Just after an opinion here about steering problems before off to find a mechanic who knows land rovers.

Background
steering box is new (reco 8 wks ago), ball joints are about 2 years old, steering strut is no name brand 2 years old.

The steering is vague and wanders a bit when up around 80km. My mate drove it and said it tends to wander one way on deceleration and the other on acceleration. He thought front radius arm bushes need replacing.

Also, when turning the steering wheel there is a clanging noise from some where in the front. Can't work out where.

Anyone opinions about what the problems are?

Any suggestions for where to take it - live Wynnum work city.

thanks

Peter

[isuzurover]

The "clanging" noise sounds worrying - any more info?

Apart from that it sounds like bushes or tyres, have you checked them?

[JDNSW]

Wandering one way on acceleration and the other on deceleration is a sure indication of a problem with bushes locating either the front or rear axle, most likely the bushes where the rear lower links attach to the rear axle, but could be any of the rear or front location bushes. The clanging noise when moving the steering wheel suggests something is loose, perhaps the steering box itself, but I would suspect that one end of panhard rod is moving on its pin, either a collapsed bush or just loose. Other suspects would be loose swivel pins or possibly wheel bearings. Someone swinging the wheel and someone else looking for movement should find this.

John

[discowhite]

panhard rod bushes make a clanging noise, when the bolt shifts in the housing and bush, its amplified threw the mount on the chassis.
swivell housing preload
ball joints, 2yrs old is a long time for something that see no greese.
radius arm bushes, diff and chassis end

any or all of them will cause your problem

cheers phil

[lambrover]

I am just fixing a few problems like that myself and I have found pan hard rod bushes, and tie rod ends are both shot, the symtems where the same as yours.

[Bearman]

Peter,
Check your rear radius arm bushes where they join the rear axle. Most likely it is wear on the bolt but could also be the bush. Either will give you the wander on accellerate/decellerate. The clanging noise when you turn the wheel could be a loose outer cover on your steering stabiliser/shockie..........Brian

[JDNSW]

.........
ball joints, 2yrs old is a long time for something that see no greese.
........

Actually ball joints (tie rod ends) last quite well unless the rubber boot is damaged. While I have had to replace the one on the pitman arm of my 110 (because of damage to the boot) the one on the other end of the drag link is, I believe, the original, 22 years old, and the tie rod ends are about twelve years old (replaced when I bent the tie rod). On the 2a, four of the six joints are at least eighteen years old. None of these show any play at all.

The suggestion that two years is a long life for these is incorrect. As stated above, provided the rubber boot is not damaged, they are very long lasting, and the same applies to the similar joints in almost all modern cars, although in my experience the Landrover ones are more durable than most (note that the same cannot be said about some aftermarket replacements).

John

[rar110]

the rubber boot is split on all ball joints. So this could be a problem.

How do you test bushes and ball joints for wear?

The noise with the steering is intermitent, so difficult to locate source of noise. It happens frequently but not always.

[PAT303]

With the noise in the steering,you haven't got a center steer dampner have you,they have a spring on them?.If you do as you turn L-R the spring flicks the thing forward and back making the clanging noise.I chased the noise for ages before finding it,and mine makes a good clang. Pat