Steering Arm

I've often wondered about the steering relay...why is it there?

It seems a horribly heavy, awkward, complex design for a component that takes angular movement at one end, and gives exactly the same movement at the other! Surely something more simple could have achieved the same effect, just as effectively. Why does it need to have such a big spring inside it?

What am I missing?

I have the same kind of thoughts about the throttle linkage - that's a really convoluted series of shafts and levers, where a simple cable would potentially have done the job a lot more cheaply.

TheMegaMan said:

I've often wondered about the steering relay...why is it there?

It seems a horribly heavy, awkward, complex design for a component that takes angular movement at one end, and gives exactly the same movement at the other! Surely something more simple could have achieved the same effect, just as effectively. Why does it need to have such a big spring inside it?

What am I missing?

I have the same kind of thoughts about the throttle linkage - that's a really convoluted series of shafts and levers, where a simple cable would potentially have done the job a lot more cheaply.

Click to expand...

The relay has several functions, it turns the movement of the rods through ninety degrees and lower the movement down to the level of the axle, through the front cross member. Also puts an extra ball joint into the system to allow for axle articulation.
It also provides a bit of damping in the system, so that shocks when the wheels hit a rock or similar are less unpleasant at the steering wheel.

Yeah, I get that about dropping the movement down through the chassis, but I'm sure it could be done in a much more simple way. I (and many others) have got a separate damper, so don't really need it to do that. It just seems like a completely over-designed unit for what it actually achieves.

TheMegaMan said:

Yeah, I get that about dropping the movement down through the chassis, but I'm sure it could be done in a much more simple way. I (and many others) have got a separate damper, so don't really need it to do that. It just seems like a completely over-designed unit for what it actually achieves.

Click to expand...

It could, but you might not be able to turn the steering. There are vehicles, for example a Fordson tractor, that have the arm of the steering box attached to the quadrant arm on the steering linkage direct. The steering is very heavy in operation.
There are also considerations of getting the movement of the steering round the engine, but inside the wheel arches, and still keeping the vehicle fairly compact.
You get the idea if you drive an early Ninety or One Ten. They have no relay, and the steering box is mounted in a different position, with no relay. The steering is very heavy, and power steering was added shortly after.

As @Blackburn says above be aware of the cheap relays and dodgy shafts, there were a few reported a few years ago on the series 2 forum.

Its also of its time. The steering columns / box and drop arm is a very traditional set up you would see on many vehicles from the 30 onwards. There is always a rod going forwards, often to an arm on the O/S front hub, but this gives a lot of bump steer so LR put the relay into get a long transverse rod for axle articulation. Its friction damped and automatically compensates for wear. Its a lot better than many vehicles of the same period and it lasts, typically 40-50 years