Steering Jammed

[JDNSW]

Interesting experience this morning with the 2a. Backed out of the carport to go down and get the mail - as I did, the steering jammed. So I stopped and lifted the bonnet to see what I could find, figuring the most likely problem was in the link between the steering box and relay.

Looking down between the battery and the headlight bowl - I spied a screwdriver that went missing before Christmas. The handle was jammed between the top relay arm (actually the nut on the tie rod end, I think) and the chassis.

I removed the grille, and after wiggling the steering a bit managed to remove the screwdriver, somewhat the worse for wear.

Moral; keep track of your tools!

John

[Gerokent]

Had a similar problem a few years ago with an old landcruiser. After rebuilding engine and fitting a second battery under bonne,t went for a test drive. Turning off the main highway towards home the steering jammed, scaring the bejesus out of me.
After yanking the steering wheel it managed to free up.
Once home, checked for fault and found battery cable had caught on steering shaft joint preventing movement.
A couple of zip ties later (and a change of underware) all good and a little wiser

[Judo]

Last time I changed my oil, I unscrewed the oil filter and the O-ring was gone. So I started searching under the vehicle but couldn't find it anywhere.

Oil filter is up on the right hand side of this image. Find the O-ring!! Took me a while to find that!!

[S3ute]

Looking down between the battery and the headlight bowl - I spied a screwdriver that went missing before Christmas. The handle was jammed between the top relay arm (actually the nut on the tie rod end, I think) and the chassis.

I removed the grille, and after wiggling the steering a bit managed to remove the screwdriver, somewhat the worse for wear.

Moral; keep track of your tools!

John

Something to be said for being on terra firma when this happens - although it could be nasty on the road.

A few years back I was out at Archerfield airport reading an air safety magazine which included a few findings of causes of air crashes.

The investigation into the crash of one light plane found a very bent screwdriver jamming the controls. Apparently, someone had dropped it at some time and it had worked its way into the steering controls.

Cheers,

[zulu Delta 534]

We had a similar experience with a S3 on a trip to the cape in 1983. Patsy was driving happily along the track dodging in and out of rather large anthills and suddenly found herself in a situation where she had to veer slightly left to miss one of these concrete like structures and the steering picked this opportunity to lock itself. In hindsight it would have probably still steered right but we didn't know this at the time. Anyhow to cut a long story short she managed to wipe off enough speed that the impending contact only did a little damage to the bumper and tended to dislodge a few loose articles around the vehicle. Lucky for us I had modified the rear of the vehicle to have canvas sides mounted on a hardtop roof and part of this modification included a cargo barrier cage of sorts and this kept most of the heavier stuff in place.
On inspection, firstly underneath, nothing was found, but on a closer inspection from the top it was eventually noted that the horn was also missing. It had torn loose from its mounting (constant corrugations has a funny affect on metal) and dropped down and done the same thing as your screwdriver, jamming the steering arm from turning in one direction.
All ended up well (obviously - we are both still here) but was a bit hair raising at the time.
Regards
Glen

[vnx205]

On inspection, firstly underneath, nothing was found, but on a closer inspection from the top it was eventually noted that the horn was also missing. It had torn loose from its mounting (constant corrugations has a funny affect on metal) and dropped down and done the same thing as your screwdriver, jamming the steering arm from turning in one direction.

That confirms a story I was told about 20 years ago by someone who had been involved in designing, building or testing Land Rovers in England. My Series III had a plate to stop the horn falling onto the steering. He said that during testing of earlier models, they had experienced exactly the problem you described, so that plate was added.

I don't imagine there was a recall back in those days for vehicles already on the road without the plate.

[chazza]

My Series III had a plate to stop the horn falling onto the steering.

I have just removed that plate so that I could fit an intercooler there - I wondered what on earth it was for

Cheers Charlie

[justinc]

!!! The old horn in the steering trick!!

This happened to my cousins in their 2a 88" soft top touring QLD many years back.

Something about reversing back and trying to rejoin the highway, then stuck steering and not many places to safely stop. The errant horn ending up thrown far into some hapless cane farmers paddock no doubt

JC

[bobslandies]

Had a similar thing happen many years ago in a 2A.

One of the clamping rings for the tierod ends on the longitudinal tube between the steering box and the steering relay box was obviously not tightened up fully and rotated enough so that it fouled the battery box support frame - steering jammed.

Fortunately it did not happen at a critical time.

On another occasion the steering column inner snapped at the fusion welded joint with the worm gear inside the steering box --that was a whole lot more interesting -- no steering at all Fortunately no damage as it was at low speed.

Bob

[JDNSW]

A couple of similar experiences in the past.

1. Driving north from Port Augusta in 1966 in the Series 2, about fifty miles out of Pimba the lower relay lever cracked from the split that allows clamping. Drove the distance into Pimba slowly, stopping and pulling the wheels round each time it wandered. (the wheels pretty much followed the hollows in the loose gravel, so it was not too bad) Got it welded in Pimba, and drove to Alice Springs, where the dealer had a replacement in stock (bit different to today!)

2. In about 1995, in the Qld gemfields in the 110 steering appeared to have lost power assist. Investigations showed that the bolt on the top universal on the steering column had hooked the wire spiralled intake hose from the mudguard vent to the aircleaner, and there was a mess of fabric and wire wrapped round the U-joint. Cleared the mess and found a new hose a week or two later in Brisbane - had to get a genuine part as it was a not readily available size.

John