Thread: Handling

Originally Posted by D3Jon

When you say it just wants to keep turning in, is this related to the new steering box you've just fitted as mentioned in another post? Could be the box is adjusted too tight and doesn't self centre, so it keeps wanting to turn even if you let go of the steering wheel?

Jon

good point in-fact backed the box off a bit today for a play, all it did was introduce a bit of slop.

imagine this, you are driving down a strait road ( at any speed) and the vehicle leans a little or sways to the left, then moves to the right, so you turn to the left, vehicle moves to the left, you center the wheel and she sways to the right then turns to the left. etc. its a small movement, it was exaggerated by the old sloppy box but then you could hold it against the camber, now with the new box with no slop the movements are smaller but more constant.

and yes counties did come with sway bars, but it now has a rather large tank back there

Check or replace the uni's on the steering column, they can bind and need lube every once in a while. This made a huge difference to mine, everything pointed to a steering box problem, I loosened it off, tightened in up, but no difference until I replaced these. Well there was a difference, when loose, it wandered all over the road, when tight, it went straight, but would not center, either way a total pain to drive. Also, you've obviously done you're front wheel bearings recently, or made sure they're nice and tight.

Originally Posted by 1103.9TDI

Check or replace the uni's on the steering column, they can bind and need lube every once in a while. This made a huge difference to mine, everything pointed to a steering box problem, I loosened it off, tightened in up, but no difference until I replaced these. Well there was a difference, when loose, it wandered all over the road, when tight, it went straight, but would not center, either way a total pain to drive. Also, you've obviously done you're front wheel bearings recently, or made sure they're nice and tight.

Thanks didn't think of the unis, will check tomorrow, but i think they are ok having just changed the box i didn't notice any thing.

wheel bearings LOL good point will check them tomorrow as well.

I'd try changing to 1mm toe-in.
Both my other cars had wandering issues solved by more toe-in, they had tyre wear problems as well which will hopefully be solved.

I need to check the toe on my rangie, it has a similar wandering issue.

The leaning and lurching can be tolerated as mine do but I'm used to it. But not wanting to hold its line is a worry. It should just lean over then hold its line fine and then still run true.
Looking at what you've done so far nearly comes down to a binding effect in the steering setup. Damper, swivels,Tie rod end, Steering column etc.

What tyres are you running ATM?

Originally Posted by clean32

all the bushes check out OK, it dont deal like a geometry change or like over steer from the rear.

the load leveler is a point, i could say that it feels that its sitting on a higher center point rather than the springs however the rear floats and the ride is good and the load leveler will jack the rear up when loaded. i know what that feels like so i think we can eliminate that but i will check it out tomorrow.
......

As far as I know, all the ones with load levellers had sway bars - must be a reason for this, and I wonder if what you are experiencing is simply the behaviour you get with the load leveller and no sway bar?

John

Originally Posted by Rangier Rover

The leaning and lurching can be tolerated as mine do but I'm used to it. But not wanting to hold its line is a worry. It should just lean over then hold its line fine and then still run true.
Looking at what you've done so far nearly comes down to a binding effect in the steering setup. Damper, swivels,Tie rod end, Steering column etc.

What tyres are you running ATM?

31X10.5 R15 on 8" sunies.

ok todays effort.

about 1mm toe in, nicer but not the answer.
also read the book and realized its the first time i have ever had to bleed a power steering that waist a rack and pinion. so i had done it wrong even after about 120 klm there was still air in the top of the box. fixed this nicer but not the answer.

also changed the oil, as it was an older box that went in and the oil in the original didn't look so nice any way, in short i was pleased i did it the crap that came out, also cleaned the filter ( TY YT110), nice but not the answer.


now i said that the bushes seem all ok. i have driven plenty of cars where the rear bushes are slack and the county don't feel anything like that. how ever i stopped of at Lens and was told rear bushes. Sheesh i thought i know better went home chucked a bar under there and i think hes correct. with luck tomorrow afternoon all depend on how hard they are to hammer out.