could you help an idiot please?

hi there, just got me first disco, its a p reg 5 door tdi i presume it is a 300 tdi, is that correct?
basically there is a bit of play on the steering and i have been lookin around and found out about some nut to adjust it a bit i presume it is on the steering box, but being a total novice i dont know where it is, i have seen what i thought looks like the steering box but the nut on top of that one has no allen or scrrewdriver bit in the middle like what i think i am looking for, can anyone offer any advice, i would like to have a go myself to fix it but have fallen at the first hurdle lol!

keef said:

hi there, just got me first disco, its a p reg 5 door tdi i presume it is a 300 tdi, is that correct? Yes
basically there is a bit of play on the steering and i have been lookin around and found out about some nut to adjust it a bit i presume it is on the steering box, but being a total novice i dont know where it is, i have seen what i thought looks like the steering box but the nut on top of that one has no allen or scrrewdriver bit in the middle like what i think i am looking for, can anyone offer any advice, i would like to have a go myself to fix it but have fallen at the first hurdle lol!

Click to expand...

Best advice mate is to buy a manwell, it'll have lots of pictures.

Oh! and by the way, most steering box's have a bit of play.

Steering Box adjustment
This is what RAVE says for a 300tdi ... .

1. Apply park brake brake, chock wheels and Jack
up front of vehicle until wheels are clear of
ground.
2. Support chassis front on axle stands.
3. Disconnect drag link from steering drop arm.
4. Check torque to turn See Fault diagnosis,
Stiff Steering Checklist.
5. Centralise steering box See Centralise
Steering Box.
NOTE: Only check for no backlash when
steering box is in central position.
NOTE: If steering wheel is not straight, it
should be repositioned See Repair,
Steering Wheel.
6. Adjustment is obtained by rocking the drop arm
about centre whilst an assistant slowly tightens
the steering box adjuster screw.
7. Tighten locknut when all backlash has been
removed.
8. Repeat the check for backlash. If backlash exists
loosen locknut and repeat adjustment
procedure.
9. Turn steering wheel lock to lock and check no
tightness exists.
10. Ensure front wheels are aligned and in straight
ahead position.
11. Adjust drag link 924 mm between ball joint
centres.
12. Connect drag link and tighten to 40 Nm (30
lbf/ft).
13. Lower vehicle to ground level and remove
chocks.
14. Road test vehicle

thanks for the replies, some good info. i dont think that he play is too excessive but mr mot does! i have to replace the drag link ball joint so im hopin that will take up some of the slack, is that a possibility?
also the failure sheet says (nearside and offside swivel) steering pivot point has excessive play but i dont know what they are but im presumin by the time both of them and the drag link are done all the play will be all but eliminated, heres hoping!

keef said:

thanks for the replies, some good info. i dont think that he play is too excessive but mr mot does! i have to replace the drag link ball joint so im hopin that will take up some of the slack, is that a possibility?
also the failure sheet says (nearside and offside swivel) steering pivot point has excessive play but i dont know what they are but im presumin by the time both of them and the drag link are done all the play will be all but eliminated, heres hoping!

Click to expand...

It sounds to me like most of the play you can feel is everywhere BUT the steering box.

The swivel joints are the round globe-looking things you will see if you look underneath, inside each front wheel.

The are bearings top and bottom that wear and sometimes the play can be reduced by taking some of the shims (thin spacers) from the top one. Alternatively you are better off taking the old ones out and putting in new. The costs of parts is relatively tiny, if you can do the work yourself.

Get a Haynes manual or similar and start to have a look. This is one of the first jobs I did on our first Disco and it made a massive improvement to the feel of the car on the road. Much better steering and less wandering.

These people do useful kits for swivel joint repairs:

- Swivel_Kits

You don't usually need to replace the ball !!!

Good luck
Dave

great thanks for the help, how do i check which one i need? im presuming my disco has abs!

Good god! i would hope you'd know that...

Check for an abs light on the dash when you turn on the ignition, it should (but being a land rover - probably won't!) go out after you start moving

keef said:

great thanks for the help, how do i check which one i need? im presuming my disco has abs!

Click to expand...

To check to see if you have abs or not, open the bonnet and look to the right hand side. You will see a white washer bottle and IF you have abs you will see next to it a large block thing with 4 or 5 metal pipes coming out of it with WABCO written on it, that is the ABS pump.

If it's not there, you don't have ABS.