Steering issue - quite important I guess!

Defender 110 2.4 PUMA 2008 100K miles

Feel of the steering has definitely changed mainly noticeable at junctions. Stiff to turn then will not automatically return to centre. Have to apply some effort to get it to return to centre.

Fluid level fine, belt tight

Any ideas

Thanks

Mike

Steering UJs? You need to Jack the whole front up & check all track rods.
With out the pressure on the road you may find the problem quicker.

+1 ^^^
I've just changed mine although they seemed ok, slight play in the bottom one, top one fine but decided to change both anyway. The top one was wrecked when worked off the vehicle and locked up in one direction.
Powered steering masked it I suppose.

Been off road ? Bumped a curb hard ? A slight bend in the track rod results in it binding in the diff guide bracket giving symptoms above. Worth a check.

Do these still have a steering box? Any oil in it?

Wd40 on the steering universal joints. If it gets better, time to change one or two.

My steering began to get stiff in odd ways when my power steering pump was failing. At first there seemed to be stiff spots going round roundabouts, then it felt as though there was very little power assistance at all. Fortunately a new pump was not too expensive and not too hard to fit.

Mine's a TD5 rather than a Puma but I believe the mechanism is very similar.

I've also had bearings go in the upper part of the steering column which gives a lumpy, grunchy feel, with stiff spots.

Gmacz said:

Wd40 on the steering universal joints. If it gets better, time to change one or two.

Click to expand...

Thanks, you hit the nail on the head (I think). Gave the UJ's a squirt then followed up with the oil can. Not been anywhere yet just driven it around the house/orchard but it seems to be very much improved. Makes me wonder what I get for the £1,000 I pay each year to have it "professionally" serviced.

Mike

To be fair the steering uj's are not a service item as such, however if you had reported the problem they should have sorted it. Giving them a squirt of oil is a short term solution, they will soon stiffen again. Replace as soon as you can.