110 Steering Problems

N

Neil Cummins

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #1

Hi

My 1983 110 V8 CSW has developed a rather alarming problem with the
steering. The steering appears quite light and the vehicle tracks down
grooves in the road, such as those on the inside lane of the M3 to a
worrying extent - I ended up stopping on the hard shoulder asI was convinced
that I had a flat tyre! I think the problem has been coming on for a while,
but seems to have been exacerbated by the fitting of a pair of new tyres on
the rear axle (although I might be grasping at straws!)- the front has Sime
Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16 radials.

The suspension seems quite hard - could the problem be shot/seized front
shock absorbers - the rears are 3 years old, but the front are of
indeterminant age?

Any thoughts as to the likely problem much appreciated.

Regards

Neil

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #2

Neil Cummins wrote:
> Hi
>
> My 1983 110 V8 CSW has developed a rather alarming problem with the
> steering. The steering appears quite light and the vehicle tracks down
> grooves in the road, such as those on the inside lane of the M3 to a
> worrying extent - I ended up stopping on the hard shoulder asI was convinced
> that I had a flat tyre! I think the problem has been coming on for a while,
> but seems to have been exacerbated by the fitting of a pair of new tyres on
> the rear axle (although I might be grasping at straws!)- the front has Sime
> Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16 radials.

Toe in and/or caster angle. Most likely caster angle given that
changing the rear tyres (and thus ride height) seemed to have mad a
difference.


--
EMB
change two to number to reply

 

N

Neil Cummins

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #3

"EMB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Neil Cummins wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > My 1983 110 V8 CSW has developed a rather alarming problem with the
> > steering. The steering appears quite light and the vehicle tracks down
> > grooves in the road, such as those on the inside lane of the M3 to a
> > worrying extent - I ended up stopping on the hard shoulder asI was
convinced
> > that I had a flat tyre! I think the problem has been coming on for a
while,
> > but seems to have been exacerbated by the fitting of a pair of new tyres
on
> > the rear axle (although I might be grasping at straws!)- the front has
Sime
> > Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16 radials.
>
> Toe in and/or caster angle. Most likely caster angle given that
> changing the rear tyres (and thus ride height) seemed to have mad a
> difference.
>
>
> --
> EMB
> change two to number to reply

Thanks. The workshop manual for the 110 says that the caster angle is
pre-set and cannot be adjusted - I assume therefore that I need to get the
toe-in changed to accommodate the new rear tyres?

Neil

 

G

Gmacz

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #4

the front has Sime
> Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16 radials.
>
Try switching the tyres around and see if this makes a difference.
Yours Gmacz

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #5

Neil Cummins wrote:

> Thanks. The workshop manual for the 110 says that the caster angle is
> pre-set and cannot be adjusted - I assume therefore that I need to get the
> toe-in changed to accommodate the new rear tyres?

Have you changed the springs for raised ones ever? That will affect the
caster angle. Also knackered bushes in the front radius arms will have
an effect on caster.


--
EMB
change two to number to reply

 

J

JD

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #6

Neil Cummins wrote:

> Hi
>
> My 1983 110 V8 CSW has developed a rather alarming problem with the
> steering. The steering appears quite light and the vehicle tracks down
> grooves in the road, such as those on the inside lane of the M3 to a
> worrying extent - I ended up stopping on the hard shoulder asI was
> convinced
> that I had a flat tyre! I think the problem has been coming on for a
> while, but seems to have been exacerbated by the fitting of a pair of new
> tyres on the rear axle (although I might be grasping at straws!)- the
> front has Sime Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16
> radials.
>
> The suspension seems quite hard - could the problem be shot/seized front
> shock absorbers - the rears are 3 years old, but the front are of
> indeterminant age?
>
> Any thoughts as to the likely problem much appreciated.
>
> Regards
>
> Neil

I think that the problem is unlikely to be castor angle - unless the bushed
where the front radius rods attach to the axle are well and truly shot.
Shot shock absorbers would show other symptoms, as would seized ones.

I would be looking first at tyre pressures, and then at wear or
deterioration on all the bushes, especially the panhard rod bushes.
And, of course check the steering for any play on drag link or tie rod ball
joints.
JD

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Aug 2, 2004

• #7

On or around Sun, 1 Aug 2004 16:43:09 +0100, "Neil Cummins"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Thanks. The workshop manual for the 110 says that the caster angle is
>pre-set and cannot be adjusted - I assume therefore that I need to get the
>toe-in changed to accommodate the new rear tyres?

is the vehicle standard height?

your description of symptoms sounds like a tracking error, but also check
the condition of the steering damper (they're only about 12 quid, so if in
doubt, replace it)

I tend to set the tracking as close as I can get it to parallel, and that
seems to work OK.

if you've lifted the suspension more than an inch or so, this can alter the
caster angle enough to give vague steering; I saw someone the other day
advertising replacement swivels for lifted vehicles to restore the correct
caster angle. Raising the disco's suspension by about an inch had a
noticeable effect on the steering, although not enough to merit remedial
action.


--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"The boys are dreaming wicked or of the bucking ranches of the night and
the jollyrodgered sea." Dylan Thomas (1914 - 1953) Under milk wood

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #8

Neil Cummins wrote:
> Hi
>
> My 1983 110 V8 CSW has developed a rather alarming problem with the
> steering. The steering appears quite light and the vehicle tracks down
> grooves in the road, such as those on the inside lane of the M3 to a
> worrying extent - I ended up stopping on the hard shoulder asI was convinced
> that I had a flat tyre! I think the problem has been coming on for a while,
> but seems to have been exacerbated by the fitting of a pair of new tyres on
> the rear axle (although I might be grasping at straws!)- the front has Sime
> Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16 radials.

Toe in and/or caster angle. Most likely caster angle given that
changing the rear tyres (and thus ride height) seemed to have mad a
difference.


--
EMB
change two to number to reply

 

G

Gmacz

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #9

the front has Sime
> Frontiers and the rear Avon Rangemasters, all 750R16 radials.
>
Try switching the tyres around and see if this makes a difference.
Yours Gmacz

 

E

EMB

Guest

• Aug 1, 2004

• #10

Neil Cummins wrote:

> Thanks. The workshop manual for the 110 says that the caster angle is
> pre-set and cannot be adjusted - I assume therefore that I need to get the
> toe-in changed to accommodate the new rear tyres?

Have you changed the springs for raised ones ever? That will affect the
caster angle. Also knackered bushes in the front radius arms will have
an effect on caster.


--
EMB
change two to number to reply

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Aug 4, 2004

• #11

On or around Wed, 4 Aug 2004 06:58:28 +0100, "Neil Cummins"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>Thanks. The vehicle is standard height. How would I test the steering
>damper (I think it is fairly new so it's unlikely, but worth checking)?
>Also, there is an auto-levelling device fitted to the rear axle - if this
>wasn't working properly (I think it is but will check) could it cause this
>effect?

if the auto-leveller seizes it can apparently cause silly handling, dunno
how it affects the steering though.

erm... steering damper... unbolt it and push it in and out. They're fairly
stiff when they're working. If it pushes in and/or out quite easily it's no
good.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"'Tis a mad world, my masters" John Taylor (1580-1633) Western Voyage, 1