Disco 2 Steering Play - Likely Fixes

2003 Discovery 2 Td5 auto

Noticed recently there is a bit of play in the steering wheel, more noticeable as you go faster; when you hit a rough patch on the road it will pull to one side a bit and when there is a bit of camber on the road it will tug a bit on the steering wheel.

Nothing obvious visually and no previous work ever done on steering or suspension (front end parts all original).

I have started looking at RAVE as my knowledge of steering and suspension is only rudimentary. I understand structural members can get bent (though no 4WD "bush bashing" on this vehicle) and joints, bushes and bearings can wear out. I also read a bit about the steering box being adjustable (take out the slack/play).

Tyre pressures all checked and was taken for a front and rear wheel alignment two years ago - they said only needed a very minor adjustment.

Are there any obvious issues I should look at myself and is there anything I can fix without special tools (I have axle stands and a decent socket set with breaker bar). Should I take it to a LR mechanic for assessment?

A steering damper if worn will allow the steer wheel to 'twitch' when hitting a rough bit of road.
Play in the steering could be due to wear in the steering box, which if slight, U may be able to adjust out, the adjustment process is detailed in a workshop manual.

Our P38 had a very similar problem. Not sure of the Disco setup.
There’s a flexi uj in the steering column, new 1 of these fixed it. So worth a look if the disco has it.

J

discool said:

A steering damper if worn will allow the steer wheel to 'twitch' when hitting a rough bit of road.
Play in the steering could be due to wear in the steering box, which if slight, U may be able to adjust out, the adjustment process is detailed in a workshop manual.

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Okay, I know where the damper is - not quite sure how to test if it's good/bad. Will look at steering box adjustment.

marjon said:

Our P38 had a very similar problem. Not sure of the Disco setup.
There’s a flexi uj in the steering column, new 1 of these fixed it. So worth a look if the disco has it.

J

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Sounds like a big job getting to (removing) the steering UJ?

Getting to it is easy (p38) is in engine bay. Can also be seen through wheel arch too if liner taken out.
Actually changing it I am not sure, it was our U.K. car so the garage did the work on it back then.

J

discool said:

A steering damper if worn will allow the steer wheel to 'twitch' when hitting a rough bit of road.
Play in the steering could be due to wear in the steering box, which if slight, U may be able to adjust out, the adjustment process is detailed in a workshop manual.

Click to expand...

The Disco 2 Td5 is 2003 model (245,000 km on the clock with no serious off-roading). Stock tyres and no noises or clunks from the front-end while driving (power steering pump seems to be all good and PAS fluid all new/clean with no leaks).

Can turn steering wheel 2 - 3cm while driving with no effect. Can I take up this "steering slack" with a steering box adjustment?


Now, other issue is bit of a pull to one side when I hit a slight bump or sometimes when there is a sudden change in the camber/slope of the road; requires me to pull back on the steering wheel.
Had a look at a YouTube video for a Disco 1 steering damper replacement. It looked fairly straightforward assuming the Disco 2 is same/similar!

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All original front-end, so genuine LR steering damper currently installed is 17 years old. I noticed a LR genuine replacement (Rimmer Brothers) is AUD 470.14!!! Phew! Aftermarket is AUD 32.23! What a difference! Any thoughts? Seems the only way to test the damper is to remove it a see how easily it compresses/retracts?

discool said:

A steering damper if worn will allow the steer wheel to 'twitch' when hitting a rough bit of road.
Play in the steering could be due to wear in the steering box, which if slight, U may be able to adjust out, the adjustment process is detailed in a workshop manual.

Click to expand...

I have RAVE - I guess the procedure is in there, or is there a description of what to do somewhere else on the net do you know?

Intestinalworm said:

Okay, I know where the damper is - not quite sure how to test if it's good/bad. Will look at steering box adjustment.

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Testing is the same basic DIY test, remove the damper and push & pull apart, there should be some firm resistance in both directions if easy then replace. If in doubt replace they don't cost a lot it just a bog standard damper that loads of other vehicles with a similar steering arrangement have. It doesn't have to be a Land Rover product, much like wiper blades they don't have to be LR they just have to fit correctly
The basic test is the same with suspension dampers.

Intestinalworm said:

All original front-end, so genuine LR steering damper currently installed is 17 years old. I noticed a LR genuine replacement (Rimmer Brothers) is AUD 470.14!!! Phew! Aftermarket is AUD 32.23! What a difference! Any thoughts? Seems the only way to test the damper is to remove it a see how easily it compresses/retracts?

Click to expand...

A quick conversation gives me around £17 so not to sad.

discool said:

A quick conversation gives me around £17 so not to sad.

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Have heard of Monroe before - not on Rimmer Bros website, but they have Bilstein, Terrafirma and Cellular Dynamic there as well as LR Genuine (astronomically priced as you sometimes expect) and an Aftermarket offering. All much of a muchness? Worth looking at any particular brand/s?

Expect to find the damper stiff in all positions other then one, i.e. the normal "straight ahead" one, where it will wear.
Could also possibly be some or all of the 4 big steering ball joints, (especially after such a kilometreage (is that a word?)
such as these https://rimmerbros.com/ItemList--Di...MI9Lnm0trO6QIVB7TtCh2zxga9EAAYASAAEgJM_vD_BwE
But they require some special tools to change, I know cos I've just got them! and replacement looks like being quite a big job.
Do check everything else first!
But taking up the steering box backlash is an every 48K miles service item, so if it's never been done?????

discool said:

Testing is the same basic DIY test, remove the damper and push & pull apart, there should be some firm resistance in both directions if easy then replace. If in doubt replace they don't cost a lot it just a bog standard damper that loads of other vehicles with a similar steering arrangement have. It doesn't have to be a Land Rover product, much like wiper blades they don't have to be LR they just have to fit correctly
The basic test is the same with suspension dampers.

Click to expand...

So, the steering damper is a consumable? Guess 17 years is a good life - probably don't last so long if you do a lot of off-roading though! Might just buy an aftermarket one then given it's not so much of a critical item?

Stanleysteamer said:

Expect to find the damper stiff in all positions other then one, i.e. the normal "straight ahead" one, where it will wear.
Could also possibly be some or all of the 4 big steering ball joints, (especially after such a kilometreage (is that a word?)
such as these https://rimmerbros.com/ItemList--Di...MI9Lnm0trO6QIVB7TtCh2zxga9EAAYASAAEgJM_vD_BwE
But they require some special tools to change, I know cos I've just got them! and replacement looks like being quite a big job.
Do check everything else first!
But taking up the steering box backlash is an every 48K miles service item, so if it's never been done?????

Click to expand...

Okay, might go for the relatively cheap and easy first then - steering box slack adjustment and new damper? See how that goes and then take it from there I guess.

Is it easy to take up the steering backlash - RAVE the way to go?

Not sure about kilometreage as an equivalent to mileage? Kilometres maybe?

Intestinalworm said:

Is it easy to take up the steering backlash - RAVE the way to go?

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Even Haynes tells you how to do this, but it doesn't dare tell you how to change those ball joints!

Intestinalworm said:

kilometreage

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Tis the French word and one of those that would still be liguistically correct for the English equivalent, like "triage" which comes from the French "trier" which means "to sort" as in a sorting office. Not "to fix" But yes you just could just add up the kilometres run.

Stanleysteamer said:

Even Haynes tells you how to do this, but it doesn't dare tell you how to change those ball joints!

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Remember my dad changing ball joints as a kid once - he was cursing and swearing! I did notice (what I now know after checking out YouTube just now) a pickle-fork still in his garage. Anyway, a bit too heavy duty for me for now I think with tools/press required! There's no knocking or clunking from the front end so I'm assuming the BJs are still okay! Are the BJs sealed or do they need occasional greasing?

Stanleysteamer said:

Tis the French word and one of those that would still be liguistically correct for the English equivalent, like "triage" which comes from the French "trier" which means "to sort" as in a sorting office. Not "to fix" But yes you just could just add up the kilometres run.

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Yes indeed, just checked - "kilometrage" is indeed a word!

Okay, think I will definitely:

(1) Change the steering damper
(2) Adjust the steering box

Apart from the 4 x BJs (leave for someone else to fix when they eventually give up the ghost!), is there anything else that is likely to cause the problems (little bit of play and a pull when hitting a bump)?

Intestinalworm said:

Have heard of Monroe before - not on Rimmer Bros website, but they have Bilstein, Terrafirma and Cellular Dynamic there as well as LR Genuine (astronomically priced as you sometimes expect) and an Aftermarket offering. All much of a muchness? Worth looking at any particular brand/s?

Click to expand...

Monroe are OEM for the factory fit damper along With Armstrong, the other three u mention are competition based although all damper manufactures catalogues now show a competition option.

17 years is certainly a good life considering the use they have.
I had to replace the unit after 5 years on my RR around 45000 miles the steering wheel 'shimmered' when crossing a bumps on the Tarmac, so much for genuine factory parts, the replacement was £12 back then from a main LR dealer parts dept.