HELP - Dangerous Problem with Classic Range Rover

I have a rather strange and dangerous problem with my 1972 Range Rover.

On five seperate occasions now, the whole car has seriously shuddered whilst moving (at various different speeds), meaning you lose control of the steering - when it kicks in you have to fight the steering wheel in order to keep her in a straight line. It lasts for anywhere between 20-60 seconds and requires you to stop. [FONT=&quot][/FONT]

I thought I’d perhaps caused this by replacing the old oil filled front damper with a gas upgrade, but having swapped with a new oil filled damper, it still does it.

This leaves me with a car that is useless, for fear of it ending up in a ditch or me and/or other folks in casualty.

Here's what I've tried to rectify:

- Replaced Steering Damper with a gas filled upgrade (and back to oil filled)
- Replaced ALL Poly Bushes (including the pan hard bushes)
- Replaced Shock Absorbers
- Replaced Front Springs
- Adjusted Tracking
- Adjusted Steering Box

If anyone can help with this I’d be VERY VERY grateful, as I'm lost for ideas and am becoming increasingly depressed about it.

Thanks in advance.

Peter

Wheel Bearings? Even wheel nuts?
More likely I think, swivels, check for play, then tension.
Track Rod ends, and the drop arm ball joint.
If none of that helps, is the problem actually at the back? If the back of he car starts shaking, that could easily set the steering off.

i know you have changed bushes but did you do the panhard bushes, as it sounds as though they are the problem.

Check rear A Frame and trailing arm bushes too.

Also check the drive shafts, a bust UJ gives bad shuddering.

Sounds like the swivel bearing tension to me.

CV joint?Is it always the same direction?

rewmer said:

Sounds like the swivel bearing tension to me.

Click to expand...

Rewmer and Davec might be on to something there, I think I remember that this can cause really serious handling issues if its wrong. There's a section in RAVE on how to check it.

Easiest way to distinguish between wheel bearing slack and swivel movement is by getting a helper to stick their hoof on the brake. This will hold the hub steady and show up any room in the swivels.

You can sort the issue then when you know what it is....

Swivel bearings get my vote. As BoB says easy enough to check, you can do it on your own. Jack up front of car (one side at a time is fine) check for play by grabbing the wheel top and bottom and rocking it back and fore. Then grab the wheel at the sides and rock again. If there is play all round then probably wheel bearing, then you would need to do what BoB said to hold the hub. If there is play side to side but not top to bottom,(I think that's the right way round) then probably swivel bearing.

Thanks to all those who have posted replies... much appreciated.

I'm trying numerous things this weekend including the swivel joints.

If I hit on the solution, I'll post it for all to see.

Thanks again.

Peter

I`m very curious as to what you will find... I have a similar problem with my 300TDI. It appears only when I drive above aro. 60mph and then only when both frontwheels hit the right kind of bump in the road (it doesn`t happen with smaller bumps, only larger bumps). The steeringwheel starts shuddering and this get`s so bad that it won`t stop before you stop the car. It can lead to very dangerous situations.
My 4x4/Land Rover specialist has not been able to trace it yet, they are now trying to fit a larger steering damper (has been ordered and has not arrived yet).

Robert

If a new standard steering damper doesn't cure it, fitting a bigger one is just curing the symptoms, not the problem. Don't do it, find out what is really wrong. You only have one life.

hmm, there you have a point.... I`m relying in the 'specialists' in this matter since I am not a mechanic. I`ll see what we can find in the swivel bearings.

tnx!

Robert