all over the road

just got my 109 pick up on the road and thesteering seems crap, i have driven/ owned series in the past and nothing compares to this, i have fitted a steering damper and doesn't seem to help, it wanders bad and i can't, or daren't go over 30 mph, i have got 7.50x16 tyres on, anybody got any idea's

Ideally, to check the steering you'll need a helper. If the helper swings the wheel from side to side repeatedly, just enough to start turning the wheels while they are on the ground, you can check for movement.

Common problems are the steering arm on the steering box loose or the steering box fixing bolts are loose, the steering arm on the relay loose, the relay itself loose in the crossmember (seen from below) or a duff track rod end.
All of those can be seen quite easily, and you can feel a track rod end by wrapping your hand around it and feeling for a 'clunk'.

Also check the swivel pins on the hubs by jacking up, gripping the wheel top and bottom and trying to rock it. If you feel movement, try it again with your helper with their foot on the brake - if the movement stops it's wheel bearings. If there's still movement, you need to check swivel pins.
It's also worth checking the axle U-bolts are tight, that spring/chassis bushes are OK with no play and while you're at it - the state of the shocks and rubbers.

If that all looks good, you can tighten the steering box adjustment, but just do it a bit at a time, with both front wheels jacked up. You're looking to reduce the amount of free play at the steering wheel, without it feeling tight when going from one lock to the other.

It's bound to be something in that list, or perhaps tracking which is easy enough to check with a tape measure and a stick

Hope that helps,
Robin.

Hi thanks for that, i would have thought the mot man would have picked up on any on that list but they did comment that the steering box has very little play, as i had allready taken the play out before,

as suggested by Robin check all TRE's and that the relay doesn't move in the crossmember

swivel pins and wheel bearings along with any other points in Robins list

and definitely check the tracking

you say you have 7.50s but you don't say what make, pressure or whether they are crossply or radial or even what type of tread they have, some tyres are more susceptable to road surfaces than others and pressures can aggravate it

steering can be fun to diagnose especially if it's scarey

Ah, if you've taken all the play out of your steering box, is it possible it's a little tight?

Tight steering is as bad as sloppy steering as the steering won't self-centre so you're always having to correct it!

We bought an 88", fully restored with all new steering and fresh MOT - the swivel pins hadn't been set up properly (too tight) and it was frightening to drive, especially at speed on the A1 on the way home.
When I checked, the pull test came up at 25lbs (should be about 12lbs) on one side. Shimmed it properly and it was great to drive after that.

Just check your steering box again - jack the front up so both wheels are off the ground and see if there's any tightness when turning the steering wheel.

The MOT wouldn't necessarily pick up on tight steering, and tracking wouldn't be checked either - if that's wildly out that could be your problem.

Cheers,
Robin.

yes it definiteley doesn't self centre, so possible to tight, ill check that,

Check the tracking. I got mine done at two separate garages and both set it toed out, every rain grate, bitchumen join, cat's eye sent me into the ditch or incoming traffic.

I reset it myself using a tape measure to about 1/16" toed in (i.e. wheels slightly closer at the front). Way I did it was to paint a fine white line inside a tread on each wheel with a correction pen. then measure front and back until you're happy. One thing to stress though is that you MUST measure the distances only after pushing the car forward so.

1) Push car forward, mark wheels, measure
2) Pull car back until wheels rotated once (i.e. marks back near front) then push forwards until your marks are at back of wheels and measure
3) push car forward until marks at front, measure
4) Adjust steering, repeat 2-4 until happy.

Took me about an hour and the thing drives like a dream. Like you I was ****ting bricks at 40MPH now I can happily go at 60 on the bouncy back roads and cruise at motorways speeds. It's still a handfull on the bouncy roads but no longer dangerous

D

both garages used to doing front wheel cars then

One supposed to be for performance cars too so you'd think they'd know about rear wheel drive....the other garage said they'd looked it up in their book...goes to show all the laser guided gizmos in the world don't help if there's an in idiot operating them!

NiteMare said:

as suggested by Robin check all TRE's and that the relay doesn't move in the crossmember

swivel pins and wheel bearings along with any other points in Robins list

and definitely check the tracking

you say you have 7.50s but you don't say what make, pressure or whether they are crossply or radial or even what type of tread they have, some tyres are more susceptable to road surfaces than others and pressures can aggravate it

steering can be fun to diagnose especially if it's scarey

Click to expand...

the tyres are 7.50x16 LT and think they are crossplys

haven't got around to sort it till monday, but will try your suggestions and thanks a lot i will report back

well did what dominicbeesly, suggested and it is now fine, i did find that it was actually towing out, but now set to 1/16th" tow in and is a pleasure to drive, thanks all