Steering not self centering
Advise please
230GES 1988
My steering has just started not to self centre i.e. you have to turn the wheel back after turning a corner. Steering is not any heavier than normal and has had recent drag link / track rod ends etc.
Any ideas. Steering damper ?
Thanks in antisipation.
Hello panzer,
If the problem started after replacing the tie-rod (bar rear of front-axle with two adjusting track rod ends) being out of adjustment will mean you need to adjust the tracking. This will affect the self centering of the steering wheel. Have the tracking set to parallel or zero- degrees.
Replacement of the drag-link (bar in front of the front-axle with only one adjustable or replaceable track rod end). The adjustment here does not affect the tracking, simply the steering wheel alignment.
If, the tracking is fine and the steering wheel still does not self centre, check front tyre pressures, wheel bearing play, ease of steering
movement from lock to lock (checking with front axle jacked and suitably mounted on axle stands!). Check for tyre wear pattern.
Other than these basic checks, if you still have a problem, then you need to turn your attention to more major components to check and see if they might be bent. These could be front stabilizers, worn bushes, broken coil spring or a combination of them all.
Cheers,
Hi
Steering damper would be my guess
or steering swivel bearings ..try lifting both wheels of the ground and swinging the steering through the full arc ( engine running )a few times you may feel a roughness for either suggestion
Could low fluid level in the reservior cause this?
Just a thought as its quick and easy to check...
Gav
The wobble is indicative of either a wheel balance issue or steering damper. To check the damper is very easy. Disconnect one end of the steering damper and feel by hand the strut pressure. If the strut pushes in and out with ease, it needs replacing.
Otherwise it is a wheel balancing issue.
You have mentioned that, the self centering improves after a while suggesting a seizure becoming freer after some warming up or so.
Therefore, it may seem as fixwin38 has mentioned, swivel bearings. As suggest by him and myself, jack the front axle and turn the wheels lock to lock to feel for any resistance. In my opinion, the engine need not be runing but should you want to compare the difference, with or without engine runing, nothing is to be lost.
Awaiting further reports from you after doing the tests suggested. Further procedures can be given.
REPLY TO THREAD No: 4
Low fluid would give a noisy pump and erratic power steering assistance, none of which has been the complaint and yes, it is easy to check, but in this case not the issue I suppose. However, a valid point.
Cheers,
Steering swivel bearings are fairly recent and fluid to level and again farly new - not done the filter though.
On balance must get it tracked and find a new steering damper. Car has wide alloys and arches from new (may make a difference to damper spec?)
Does anyone have the part number and advice where to find one?
Many thanks for all the help
Try this number: A000 463 60 32. I do not know if this number is for the heavy duty damper; my EPC source does not finitely make such distinctions.
I do know the difference in price of the standard and heavy duty damper is almost double the cost; the last price I was aware was is the heavy duty price is around £120 - £160. You can always check with your dealer to confirm.
Further, check the freeness of the steering column uj's. If these are slightly seized or seizing self centering could be a possibility. Disconnect to check for full and free articulation.
Hi
Latest update......prices as of 16.11.12....
Steering Dampers....
A) A0004636032 38MM DIA £72.00 + VAT at MBUK
STD ON MOST W460’S – W461’S – W463’S ex ALL W461 - W463 CDI’S – MOST W463 V8’S
B) A0004636632 50MM DIA £86.50 + VAT at MBUK
UPGRADE ON ALL W460’S – W461’S – W463’S ex ALL W461 - W463 CDI’S – MOST W463 V8’S
C) A4634630132 50MM DIA £106.00 + VAT at MBUK
STD ON ALL W461 - W463 CDI’S – MOST W463 V8’S
Option B) will be the one you require i would think depending on confirmation with chassis number.
This information is just for reference and as a guide the part should be checked to specific vehicle Chassis Number before ordering and fitment.
Many many thanks for all the assistance - and I think the answer is......
Both steering column UJ's clogged with thick mud - well the car is used as was intended.
I have pressure washed the UJ's and sprayed with WD40 and the steering feels far better. Will road test later today.
I will get the damper checked out and now have the number and price if it is needed.
Many fit Disco 2 after market h/d steering dampers - see earlier posts - better damper and £50 on ebay
I just got a steering damper for a Discovery 2 in the post.
Its too big to fit my w460. Either I have been sent the wrong part or I've ordered one for the wrong Land rover.
The length of the metal mounting 'eyes' where the bolt goes through is 35mm. This is way too long to fit the existing brackets.
It wount go between the bracket on the passenger side and a nut can't fit on the bolt on the drivers side.
Also the length is massive. Can anyone measure the length of their steering damper in the staright ahead position please.
It does look well made mind you but I think it's a suspension damper I have.
D
Ok... It seems that Russ has a w463 and has fitted his Discovery 2 damper to this.
As mine is a w460 I think I need a new bracket which mounts the damper using a bolt through it rather than the original w460 bracket which has a bolt welded to it which goes thru the damper. I think this then allows a longer one to be used to fit the 35mm Discovery 2 damper.
So what about the other side?? Do I need a complete w463 tie rod now? Is the bracket on the w463 tie rod bigger? Is it the same as a w460?
As the Heavy Duty w463 damper can fit the w460 I'm guessing that the passenger side/tie rod end must be the same and only the drivers side/bracket side is wider?
Can someone tell me how much the bracket costs and the cost of a complete tie rod (my track rod end does need doing so I might replace the whole thing).
Del
Following the pressure wash of the upper and lower steering column UJ's steering is much better - but following a service and check over it appears the lower steering column uj is worn and will need replacing.
Any advice on where to obtain a replacement would be much appreciated - 230 GES 1988
PS it appears the steering damper is OK
This, usually is a dealer part only. Some one on the forum a few months ago had one reconditioned from a prop.shaft reconditioner.
It was either fcp (Ben) or JasonGDS if you PM them
Gav
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Hi Rakesh
Tie rod and drag link both replaced about six months ago and all was fine untill yesterday. the self centering does improve slightly afer a few miles.
Bearings all good and not offroaded for a couple of months so should not have bent anything. Tyre pressures ok.
Have detected a slight rattle/wobble on steering at 50mph like an unbalanced wheel.Steering damper has been on the car for 10 yrs at least.
Many thanks for your advice