"Classic" transmission - Help please!

Hi all, technical help required if possible for '95 Classic Rangie (300TDI)....

The problem is weird action from the drive train which gives massive shake on the steering wheel (usually on LH bends). Hit a bump in mid-bend and things get quite exciting!

At modest speeds on a normal road it feels as if there is uneven wear on the tyres with an all-round rumbling noise. All tyres Bridgestone Dueler with brand new on rear and no evident wear problem.

At higher speeds on the motorway this becomes a general "roughness" but there is no obvious transmission noise.

I've had the shocks checked - all OK.
Steering damper seems OK.
Jacked up, the wheels spin freely with no noise and no free play.
Turning tight circles at crawl speed on a loose surface there is no transmission noise tho' all wheels take an occasional "skip" (presumably to correct wind-up).

I suspect a problem with the front right hub if only because this tyre consistently wears faster than any other but am now out of ideas what to check next! Situation complicated by the fact that I live in France and there's nobody within 100 miles who would have a clue - including the main dealers (and they would want a cheque written in blood).

Any ideas?

Check all ujs and wheel bearings. The skipping could be a sign of the viscous coupling being shot.

Sounds to me to be classic (no pun intended ) swivel bearing pre load issue (Oh alright then, pun intended) you need to remove the tie rod and use a spring balance to pull the hub around and measure the force required.

I will take a stab at remebering the figure which I believe to be 14 Ilbs with the wiper seal inplace or 4 with it off. Please bear in mind I havent done this job in 10 years so please check these figures.

How did you test the steering damper?

Swivel pre-load on a later model (I assume with abs) is set to a torque figure. You will need to make an adapter to set it but you also need a very sensitive torque wrench as the torque figure is low, something like 4 - 6lb/ft. I also seem to think (and I stand to be corrected here) the spring balance method is for measurement with wiper seal in place but hub and shaft removed. All up with hub, shaft, calliper and seal in place the figure is much higher. I never found a spring balance pull figure for an abs Classic so I cheated. I assumed the nearside was O.K. so took the wheel off and then measured the pull on that side (all up hub) then set the side I was working on to the same (yes the track rod and drag link were removed!). That and a new steering damper and re-tracking the front cured a dose of death wobble.

You might also want to check your steering box for play together with the lower steering shaft UJ's. (just in case).

rewmer said:

Sounds to me to be classic (no pun intended ) swivel bearing pre load issue (Oh alright then, pun intended) you need to remove the tie rod and use a spring balance to pull the hub around and measure the force required.

I will take a stab at remebering the figure which I believe to be 14 Ilbs with the wiper seal inplace or 4 with it off. Please bear in mind I havent done this job in 10 years so please check these figures.

Click to expand...

I second that

Thanks all of you. Looks like swivels are the place to start.

Incidentally my Haynes gives 2.5 to 3lb (1.2 to 1.3kg) on the spring balance so I guess that's it then. On with the overalls (as soon as the sun stops shining).