help stiff steering!!

I have a Defender 90 200tdi '93, and recently had the drop ball joint replaced at a independent specialist 2 weeks ago or so and now expierencing very tough and notchy steering and has been gettting worse so my idea list is

1. Steering Damper starting to fail (checking this on sat)
2. Badly fitted ball joint
3. PAS pump on way out (please not)
4. Build up of winter salt (wash this sat)
5. Any ideas??????

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this is gonna be a really expensive fix.

Pop the bonnet. Oil the steering u/j's on the steering shaft and turn the steering from one lock to the other numerous times. When you are happy that it has loosened up. Coat the u/j's in grease to help stop it happening again.

Or steering box is on it's way out.

discomania said:

Or steering box is on it's way out.

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Thats possible too. They usually go stiff or solid rather than notchy though. Cos he said notchy it makes me think it's the uj's.

On a similar vein my steering column makes a shuddering noise when manouvering and turning the wheel anti-clockwise. I figured it was one of the column bearings, but the bottom one (built like a tank) is sealed so I figured lubrication wouldn't help.

Any other ideas?

jzcktv said:

On a similar vein my steering column makes a shuddering noise when manouvering and turning the wheel anti-clockwise. I figured it was one of the column bearings, but the bottom one (built like a tank) is sealed so I figured lubrication wouldn't help.

Any other ideas?

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Looked into this the other day and was told to maybe get another column or take it to a local engineering place that's done this type of thing before. Had a look at the local indies shop microcat and it doesn't show part numbers for the bearings.

If the steering UJs are OK, maybe some expert at the dealer place that the car was in ADJUSTED the steering box trying to be helpful?

he said "recently had the drop ball joint replaced at a independent specialist 2 weeks ago or so and now experiencing very tough and notchy steering"

If it happened suddenly, like as soon as it came out of the garage, you have to think there's a connection. Possibly or even PROBABLY the adjuster has been tightened down hard with the steering in the straight ahead position, which will often make it tight and notchy as soon as you turn the wheel.

Better method of adjsting ... ... jack the whole front axle off the ground ... slacken the adjuster lock nut on the steering box .. raise (unscrew) the adjuster one full turn ... turn the steering to full lock left ... send the adjuster down till it bottoms-out gently but DO NOT horse it in tight! .... turn steering full lock right .... try the adjuster again .... snug it down gently but not like it's holding on the QE2's propeller ... then tighten the locknut, and see if that helps. Fine tuning this adjustment may be required to get it sweet.

CharlesY

scotsdef said:

I have a Defender 90 200tdi '93, and recently had the drop ball joint replaced at a independent specialist 2 weeks ago or so and now expierencing very tough and notchy steering and has been gettting worse so my idea list is

1. Steering Damper starting to fail (checking this on sat)
2. Badly fitted ball joint
3. PAS pump on way out (please not)
4. Build up of winter salt (wash this sat)
5. Any ideas??????

Click to expand...

followed all advice and oil'd the UJ's and sorted the problem only untill i drove to work and was down a back lane, i was cut up by a car on a blind bend so i came to a halt and was hit up the drivers side rear by a large white van... she's now awaiting recovery from my insurance folk to asses the damage. oh why did he hit my pride and joy!

scotsdef said:

followed all advice and oil'd the UJ's and sorted the problem only untill i drove to work and was down a back lane, i was cut up by a car on a blind bend so i came to a halt and was hit up the drivers side rear by a large white van... she's now awaiting recovery from my insurance folk to asses the damage. oh why did he hit my pride and joy!

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Sorry to hear that mate.

Post up some piccies so we can see the damage.

:nopics:

Depending on how bad it may be worth buying back if it's written off. Who's the insurance company?

here's the damage pics!! i think it could be panel repair job...

yer crossmember looks bent but this could be pulled out with a winch and a good hammer to flatten the crease. the rest like you say is a rear wing, lights, vertical capping and rear panel. Easy job by the looks!

scotsdef said:

here's the damage pics!! i think it could be panel repair job...

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I rekon that'll be enough for your insurance company to write it off. I bought a new n/s rear quarter panel for my 110 after I stoved the back in. It was £509 from landrover for the genuine part. I didn't pay anything like that though. A new crossmember is around £100. They will usually repair up to 60% of the vehicles value.

I rekon it's worth you letting the insurance company write it off and then buying it back to repair yourself.

yes fingers crossed, if had done the damage myself then i'd got it all sorted but as the insurance co are involved i'll leave it to them to get all sorted, when they finaly take my def away to get it sorted.

insurance are pretty crap in my opinion, take forever to get any sense out of them normally. if they will let you get some quotes for the work then do it that way as they will be minimal compared to their quotes as they will be using genuine stuff only.

Ask the insurance company if they will "pay cash in lieu of repairs".

Usually an insurance company will agree if it might save them even a little.

Remember, the insurance company is not doping you a favour. they are not being charitable. You paid them for a contract of INDEMNITY, that is to put you in the same financial position as regards the Landy AFTER the accident, as you were in before it. The upper limit is the pre-accident value of the vehicle. A fair deal for them if they think it is beyond economic repair (like at main stealer costs) is to write it off, but let you keep the "salvage" for a small sum. For good DIY people like us, that can be a very good way to go.

Remember too, the car belongs to YOU till they have bought and paid for it. If you agree to write it off and let them have it, do NOT hand it over to them or the Log Book until AFTER you have a settlement agreed IN WRITING with them.

CharlesY

going to chase them up tmrw and see what they say, as i am driving about in a 58 plate Navara as my courtesy car but not liking it and want the def back soon, they are a landy specialist insurer advertise'd in most landy mags and seem fairly resonable so just watch this space..

Shes back and looking real good all repaierd and new panels. looking great. attached pic.

tis a shame yer cross member plate survived

scotsdef said:

here's the damage pics!! i think it could be panel repair job...

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K'inell. They took their time.

tell me about it.... 3months in a NISSAN!!!!!