Disco`s steering has gone stiff

Ok, I feel like a noob asking this, but I got the dam flu, and its cold/wet/horrid out there.
during the week I`ve noticed my power steering has become "heavy or stiff"
it does work still, and I can still "palm the wheel round" in tight parking spaces,
but get a feel that its not self centering as you drive out of a turn like it used too.
I also noticed when driving straight ahead, it has a reluctance, a sort of " I dont want to turn right" feel about it too, but it does with a sort of a lurch from the steering.

yes it has plenty of power steering fluid, but I bought some of ebay that said it had properties to stop leaking steering boxes and pumps, to which it seems to have done - if not at least slowed it right down.
It did seem much thicker than normal red PS stuff I normally use.

I normally would kit up with overalls and get under me landie - but I am "poorly" as my 5 yo grandchild calls me

couple of things I can think off.
I had previously used the brake fluid trick last summer - but it still leaked in the heat,
would that have caused the PS rubber pipes to deteriate and swell internally thus reducing the flow/feed to the steering box from pump...

or maybe got air in the system, coz I noticed a bleed nipple on top of the steering box itself...


sorry guys, but I is old and "poorly"....

anyway, now off to the shower as I got to take out my 5 yo grandson...
in my weird steered disco..

Could well be the steering damper fubarred, when mine went last year it was ok turning one way but stiff as hell turning the other, made the steering feel "notchy" at best and bloody awful at worst, if you have fluid and its not p155ing out everywhere worth checking the damper IMO.


HTH

I had a similar thing, my steering went heavy and notchy etc,

I sprayed some WD40 on the two uj's between steering column and steering box, I couldn't believe the difference, like new straight away! i'll be replacing them with new as there is a bit of play, but worth a go you might be lucky!

Alex

thanks Pol and 199,
both suggestion I never even thought of....

will look/try both things when the weather
improves a bit..
or dam flu goes away a bit more...

I`ll get back to you when I look - ok..

well, its about time I updated on this steering problem.
I ordered and had delivered a noo steering damper about a week ago.
I`ve been ****e,
the weathers been ****e, so the dampers still in its wrappings.
about a week ago, dont know why, but I parked up my disco oh hard right lock.
left it like that for a day or so, and when I went to use it, I done my normal winter OCD of starting it, jamming my walking stick down the side of the throttle and side of the seat giving it a few more revs while I unlocked my gates- and opened them.
take walking stick out of its "warming up" mode, get in, seatbelts, some left lock and drive off..
it was when I was up the road a bit I realised NO heavier than normal effort on my steering, just as it was before the "fubarred" damper experiance.
been driving it about for the last few days, and....Its all back to normal....
done roughly 80 miles and "its just fine"

strange or those who know more - know more..



still waiting for a "nice day" to change my damper

easye1 said:

well, its about time I updated on this steering problem.
I ordered and had delivered a noo steering damper about a week ago.
I`ve been ****e,
the weathers been ****e, so the dampers still in its wrappings.
about a week ago, dont know why, but I parked up my disco oh hard right lock.
left it like that for a day or so, and when I went to use it, I done my normal winter OCD of starting it, jamming my walking stick down the side of the throttle and side of the seat giving it a few more revs while I unlocked my gates- and opened them.
take walking stick out of its "warming up" mode, get in, seatbelts, some left lock and drive off..
it was when I was up the road a bit I realised NO heavier than normal effort on my steering, just as it was before the "fubarred" damper experiance.
been driving it about for the last few days, and....Its all back to normal....
done roughly 80 miles and "its just fine"

strange or those who know more - know more..



still waiting for a "nice day" to change my damper

Click to expand...

I love it when they fix themselves.


Good work fella, and keep that damper handy for when it breaks again

I it will have fixed its self, the problem will be back in the next bit of wet weather it will most likely be your steering column UJ's spray them up WD style work them hard full lock a good 20 times and then white grease to preserve, strange as it is but when they get wet they get notchy weird ?http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

remedave said:

I it will have fixed its self, the problem will be back in the next bit of wet weather it will most likely be your steering column UJ's spray them up WD style work them hard full lock a good 20 times and then white grease to preserve, strange as it is but when they get wet they get notchy weird ?http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Click to expand...

Indeed, as I write, I have 2 cans staring at me, 1 of a WD type spray,
and 1 of a 151 super grease spray.


note to self - get of thy ass and get spraying



cheers lads....ian.

my steerings very stiff again, partly due to my engine going titts up, but when moving the disco about on the key in 1st or reverse the power pump took over.
love my twin linked batteries


must get off my old tired ass and see whats gone wrong -think timing belt again..FFS..

I wish my UJ had fixed it's self!

Andyzwright said:

I wish my UJ had fixed it's self!

Click to expand...

I`ve only done one on mine so far, but now grease my nipples more

now I`m forced into playing Mr Mechanic,
I`ve found my new but so far unfitted steering damper..
added to the list of bits to do while awaiting my cam belt kit arriving

oil pressure switch.
new disco alternater, still in its box, got a 2011 date stamp on it....tut tut..

other wonders of the underside to be found also no doubt...