Bad Vibes

I'm thinking new shocks would be the solution but I would like to hear what you guys and gals think.
Every now and then I get the most awful vibration which feels similar to a badly balanced wheel only 100 times worse. Its usually on rougher roads when it happens and it feels like the front wheels are about to wobble off. On smoother roads its fine. I have had a good look round and everything seems tight and tidy. Track rod ends etc are new and so is the steering damper. I was planning to fit new shocks and springs anyway but it would be great if I could use this recent problem as a real excuse to spend more money on my P and J
Cheers and muchos mucky motoring to all

Hi,
You say a very bad 'vibration' especially on rough roads ? do you mean the steering wheel 'judders' especially if you hit a bump, or rutting as a reasonible speed ??
If so, this is known as wheel shimmying (I think tht's how it's spelt) and is more common on older 109's etc (which didn't have steering dampers or P/S)

It may be worth checking the following before you spalsh out on Shocks:-

Wheel balancing, tracking and alignment, and I know you said the steering damper is ok, but make sure it is, and also most importantly check for steering backlash or play in the steering box !!

This is an easy check (for the home mech) disconnect the ball joint at the bottom of the steering box crank arm, and see if there is any play in the crank arm itself, if there is (even a tiny amount) loosen the lock nut on top of the steering box and turn the adjusting screw until the play is eliminated, then holding the screw, tighten the lock nut and re-connect the ball joint - just may be the problem

It was this on mine !!

Has the suspension been lifted atall? "bump steer" is often caused by lifting without cahanging the castor arms to suit.

Hey steve, cheers for that. The tracking is slightly out, so I will get that sorted and have another look round. I have to admit to being a little confused by your steering backlash remedy - having difficulty visualising the lock nut and adjusting screw?! (been a long day) - you say this solved your problem, was this on your Disco?

Thanks again for the pointers, will let you know how it goes
Nick

Hi Landysrule (so true
It's not been lifted, but thanks for the suggestion.
Regards
Nick

ikklenick said:

Hey steve, cheers for that. The tracking is slightly out, so I will get that sorted and have another look round. I have to admit to being a little confused by your steering backlash remedy - having difficulty visualising the lock nut and adjusting screw?! (been a long day) - you say this solved your problem, was this on your Disco?

Thanks again for the pointers, will let you know how it goes
Nick

Click to expand...

Yep, I have Disco TD5 !!

The screw and lock nut is located right on top of the steering box itself !

Open the bonnet, and look down and under the battery (torch helps) you'll see the steering box (just about) to gain access, it can be got at just from underneath, but is a whole lot easier if you remove the battery and the tray it sits in (only 4 No 13mm bolts)

If you have a haynes book, look up 'steering backlash adjustment'

Hmmm, That could be it - Mine is a lowly 200tdi and I suspect that your "fancy" TD5 has a different steering box with "backlash adjustability!!" -
There is no mention of this in my Haynes Bible 89-98, but I will have a look just to be sure. I think seats and brakes were an optional extra when they built the 200tdi : (
Cheers for the follow up though. I think this weekend has just been mapped out for me, what d'you think?!

the 200tdi disco also as adjustment at the top of the steering box..

as for your problem i had this kinda thing happen on my classic and changed everything i could to remedy it...but nothing seemed to work..

then one day while driving, a friendly police officer(who had had alsorts of landys himself) pointed out that my bottom panhard rod bush had split allowing play in the whole steering system and suggested i changed both then handed me a fine for a defective vehical..

how he showed me to test this was turn the wheel lock to lock and see if the body give's movment when it hit's either end of the travel..it should have a slight movement but not to the point you see the front end step over a little.

as for backlash ajustment the police work to a 2 inch rule(if your steering wheel can travel two inch either direction without moving the wheel's it need's adjusting imidietlly)...

hope that helps.

The Police story is amusing to say the least . .

Some years ago now I was stopped whilst driving too slowly one night in a Series 109, and I explained I was trying to find a house name (in the dark etc) but got the preverbral 'free MOT'

The officer pointed out the same steering 'play' on my 109, what he had overlooked was he had stopped me in a (yep you guessed) a 90, so I quickly demonstrated how much play he had in his steering as well . .

I hasten to add the story had a happy ending (for me anyway) as he decided to sculk off back to his station

Almost all series, defenders, and Disco's all have what appears to be 'sloppy steering' - it is worse when the engine in not running (the PS pump pressurises the system and takes up some of the play)

Thanks Spudy. I will give them a look over too. Nice to hear your stories fellas. Its kind of heart warming knowing my problems are sending you on a nostalgic trip down memory (green)lane. Hopefully some of that warmth will find its way to my finger tips because its going to be freezing this weekend - which I suppose is all due to the laws of sod, which state "all dodgy wiring jobs happen in summer and all exterior/ running gear jobs happen in winter"

Thanks again. Have a good weekend