Thread: Urgent Advice - Car Crabbing

Sounds a bit like the centre diff is locked and you have transmission wind up.

Have you checked your rear trailing arm bushes? If they are flogged the rear diff will torque on acceleration and un-torque on deceleration which feels like rear steer. It's too early on a Monday to mentally work out which way it will steer the truck but to the right is my vague recollection.

A very long time ago I had the misfortune to own an Alfa 1750 Berlina money pit.

At one stage it did the same thing and it was some of the rear suspension bushes. With the rear jacked up by the body I could push and pull the rear wheels back and forth and with LOTS of pushing the whole rear axle could be moved sideways. The hand induced movement was only a few mm or so. A new set of expensive and hard to fit bushes and all was well again.

And if you think a Land Rover can be a money pit try an Alfa on for size.

Yeah, first things I'd look at are for play in the trailing arm bushes.
Chassis end are notorious for wearing. check nuts for tightness.
Also check rear balljoint for wear/play too. But if it is worn, they usually clunk/thunk before they get badly worn.

Originally Posted by harro

Sounds a bit like the centre diff is locked and you have transmission wind up.

I dont think that is the problem, have had diff wind up before and quite different. This almost feels like you lose drive & steering. A bit disconcerting. Started suddenly this morning.
Cheers
Craig

Originally Posted by AK83

Yeah, first things I'd look at are for play in the trailing arm bushes.
Chassis end are notorious for wearing. check nuts for tightness.
Also check rear balljoint for wear/play too. But if it is worn, they usually clunk/thunk before they get badly worn.

I will check them, have a spare set if required, but onset was quite sudden. I would have expected gradual issues.
I do know the trans case bearing has started to make noise.
Only thing different is I changed the rear diff oil day before yesterday.

Originally Posted by AK83

Yeah, first things I'd look at are for play in the trailing arm bushes.
Chassis end are notorious for wearing. check nuts for tightness.
Also check rear balljoint for wear/play too. But if it is worn, they usually clunk/thunk before they get badly worn.

I have an adjustable a frame ball joint, so should not be that.
If it was bushes would it not do it all the time? This seems more to be when unloaded / taking foot off accelerator.

Originally Posted by MLD

Have you checked your rear trailing arm bushes? If they are flogged the rear diff will torque on acceleration and un-torque on deceleration which feels like rear steer. It's too early on a Monday to mentally work out which way it will steer the truck but to the right is my vague recollection.

Yeah maybe and will check as it does seem to push more to the right and feel like rear steering.
Pretty sure I have a new set of bushes in the shed, so will swap them out.
Just weird that it came on suddenly.
Will have to wait until Friday to repair though. Will park it up tonight as I consider it to dangerous to drive, pushed me over the centre line a couple of times on downhill corners. Slow trip home tonight at no more than 80kms per hour I think.
Could also explain the clunk that does not seem to be the A Frame Ball Joint.
Cheers
Craig