P38 Steering left, any ideas & Other questions

SpacePig · Feb 7, 2012

Hi

I have changed pretty much everything from the Steering Gearbox, Steering damper, Drag Link, Track Road and fitted new tires, but my car seems to always wander to the left :doh:.

Went to 2 Official Land Rover Dealer and an Unofficial one specialized in in Land Rover and they all tell me the same, your car is FINE!

Now it is true that here in Japan roads always leaning to the left, and that I am fitted with 18" but this really turn me mad so I want to know if this is "NORMAL" or I should investigate more.

This said, when I find a flat road, mostly on the Highway the car is going straight, if the road lean on the right the car will move to the right, but never in my all carrier I had a car doing this so much (I was testing drive cars for Magazines).

Now, another question, I fitted my Range Rover with new tires but still wonder what pressure should I put, the PDF Manual I have in English state 2.0 and 2.7, is this ok ? (No one can give me a straight answer here in Japan)

Thanks

jt_armstrong · Feb 7, 2012

On the motorway mine stays straight as a die. On a narrow single lane highway it can pull to the left slightly but that is due to the road camber.
This is normal and from the sounds of it yours is normal too.

Datatek · Feb 7, 2012

Sounds normal to me. I run 18" Wranglers at 28psi all round unless it's loaded, I find it tramlines much less with these pressures.

SpacePig · Feb 7, 2012

Datatek said:
Sounds normal to me. I run 18" Wranglers at 28psi all round unless it's loaded, I find it tramlines much less with these pressures.

28psi = 2kg?

Anyway it seems after your comments guys that my P38 is doing ok... That still sound strange to me, or maybe it's because that I was only testing brand new cars and not 16 years old ones ;-)

Datatek · Feb 7, 2012

SpacePig said:
28psi = 2kg?

Anyway it seems after your comments guys that my P38 is doing ok... That still sound strange to me, or maybe it's because that I was only testing brand new cars and not 16 years old ones ;-)

Just google the conversion for psi to bar. Also worth checking the suspension heights.
This is a very crude design in suspension terms, beam axles located by panhard rods at both ends and an old fashioned steering box rather than rack and pinion steering is never going to compare with a modern setup.

clarkie · Feb 7, 2012

hand book says 28psi front and 38psi rear

SpacePig · Feb 8, 2012

Datatek said:
Also worth checking the suspension heights.

What do you mean? what should be the correct setting?

Datatek said:
This is a very crude design in suspension terms, beam axles located by panhard rods at both ends and an old fashioned steering box rather than rack and pinion steering is never going to compare with a modern setup.

That make sense then. And that's explain why some people try to modify their RR Steering (found a link on the web)

Datatek · Feb 8, 2012

clarkie said:
hand book says 28psi front and 38psi rear

Absolutely correct, and with 38psi in the rear unloaded it's tramlines dangerously whereas with 28psi unloaded it is very stable. I up it to 34 or 38psi when part or fully loaded. Most cars have a different pressures specified for loaded and unloaded running. The P38 rear is lighter than the front so there is no danger in running the rears at 28psi.

Datatek · Feb 8, 2012

SpacePig said:
What do you mean? what should be the correct setting?
)

From wheel centre to wheel arch

Standard 470mm +/- 7mm
High 510mm +/- 7mm
Access 405mm +/- 7mm

Side to side and front to back measurements should all be within 5mm of one another.
Car should le on a leval surface when checking

kooky_guy · Feb 8, 2012

There was a thread on this subject over on RR.net. They were all stumped too.

Mine's started doing it too, but I have a feeling it's caused by something at the rear n/s. Going to get it looked at imminently.

wammers · Feb 8, 2012

SpacePig said:
Hi

I have changed pretty much everything from the Steering Gearbox, Steering damper, Drag Link, Track Road and fitted new tires, but my car seems to always wander to the left :doh:.

Went to 2 Official Land Rover Dealer and an Unofficial one specialized in in Land Rover and they all tell me the same, your car is FINE!

Now it is true that here in Japan roads always leaning to the left, and that I am fitted with 18" but this really turn me mad so I want to know if this is "NORMAL" or I should investigate more.

This said, when I find a flat road, mostly on the Highway the car is going straight, if the road lean on the right the car will move to the right, but never in my all carrier I had a car doing this so much (I was testing drive cars for Magazines).

Now, another question, I fitted my Range Rover with new tires but still wonder what pressure should I put, the PDF Manual I have in English state 2.0 and 2.7, is this ok ? (No one can give me a straight answer here in Japan)

Thanks

Make sure the steering box is centralised properly or it will wander all over the place.

SpacePig · Feb 9, 2012

wammers said:
Make sure the steering box is centralised properly or it will wander all over the place.

According to two LR Dealer the box is centralized, now if you know a technique that could help me to have a look by myself, please let me know

SpacePig · Feb 9, 2012

kooky_guy said:
There was a thread on this subject over on RR.net. They were all stumped too.

Mine's started doing it too, but I have a feeling it's caused by something at the rear n/s. Going to get it looked at imminently.

What do you mean by "rear n/s"? And please whatever you find please let us know.

Thanks!

PS : I am Happy that I am not the only one!

wammers · Feb 9, 2012

SpacePig said:
According to two LR Dealer the box is centralized, now if you know a technique that could help me to have a look by myself, please let me know

Description of how to do it is in RAVE. But if it is not centralised it will cause steering wander. Look in technical bulletins for steering wander.

kooky_guy · Feb 9, 2012

wammers said:
Description of how to do it is in RAVE. But if it is not centralised it will cause steering wander. Look in technical bulletins for steering wander.

It's not very clear in Rave though - it just says align the marks, but gives no indication of what the marks look like or where they are. I've tried looking for them on mine, but my steering box was muddy and the lpg vapouriser is in the way which didn't help.

Someone did offer to post a piccie of the marks a while ago but it didn't happen.

As for my comment about the rear n/s, I have a feeling that something is not quite right in that corner on my car and that could be causing the pulling to the left. It's nothing that I can put my finger on, but that corner just feels 'soft'. Not sure how else to describe it.

To put it into perspective, it was pulling to the left. I had the whole front axle changed due to a problem with the diff and it still pulls to the left. So pretty sure the problem can't be at the front. They swapped everything at the front including the drag link and radius arms and it made no difference to the pulling.

SpacePig · Feb 10, 2012

kooky_guy said:
As for my comment about the rear n/s, I have a feeling that something is not quite right in that corner on my car and that could be causing the pulling to the left. It's nothing that I can put my finger on, but that corner just feels 'soft'. Not sure how else to describe it.

Sorry to insist but can you confirm that REAR N/S means REAR Air Suspension? If it is the case, my p38 was steering left before and after that I changed my P38 all four Air Suspension.

kooky_guy · Feb 10, 2012

SpacePig said:
Sorry to insist but can you confirm that REAR N/S means REAR Air Suspension? If it is the case, my p38 was steering left before and after that I changed my P38 all four Air Suspension.

Not quite sure what you meant by that. Yes, I do have air suspension, but have no idea where this problem might be at the rear - the rear n/s just feels 'soft', which I think could cause a pull to the left.

The heights all seem to be correct and the airbags are recent so I'm assuming it must be something mechanical, but no idea what.

SpacePig · Feb 10, 2012

kooky_guy said:
Not quite sure what you meant by that. Yes, I do have air suspension, but have no idea where this problem might be at the rear - the rear n/s just feels 'soft', which I think could cause a pull to the left.

The heights all seem to be correct and the airbags are recent so I'm assuming it must be something mechanical, but no idea what.

So sorry Kooky_guy I am must be dead stupid, but can you translate me what is "REAR N/S".

As far as Rear is concerned, I have some basic understanding of what that words mean : "Something behind"

but N/S Stands for What ? Not Serious? Never Shiny? Not Sexy?

rodntod · Feb 10, 2012

Rear n/s in the UK means rear near side or passenger side of vehicle and driver's side is referred to as o/s or off side.

kooky_guy · Feb 10, 2012

rodntod said:
Rear n/s in the UK means rear near side or passenger side of vehicle and driver's side is referred to as o/s or off side.

Wot rodntod said. Sorry, misunderstood what you were asking!

P38 Steering left, any ideas & Other questions

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