Disco 2 Steering.

Hi all,

Steering. I thought mine was a bit on the stiff/heavy side on my D2. My suspicion was confirmed when I took my mates D2 for a spin. His was nice and light - exactly how I would like mine.

Also, my steering needs a little help in returning to centre - this is most annoying because my mates D2 doesn't!! Any advise on this would also be very much appreciated.

Anyway, after digging about on here I'm wandering where to start. Maybe a new damper? What about the steering box adjustment? Power steering fluid replacement? What would you guys advise as a good starting point? I put the car up on stands on the front just to see if the steering box and pump was working/sounding ok - all seems fine. Anyway, I anticipate some great advice, as usual on here.

Many thanks.

If you drive two D2's back to back of the same year and mileage, they will never drive identically.
I would try replacing the fluid, fit a new damper and go from there.
Adjusting the box will only remove play in the steering, perhaps mean less 'correcting' needed but won't make the PAS 'lighter' .
Your pump may not be as 'good' as it once was, a new pump could improve things if the old one has seen better days.

What tyre sizes are you running on? Pressures ok?
HTH

I just swapped the 2 balljoints for OEM ones on the drivers side steering knuckle, as there was a little play, Now my steering is really light

robhew86 said:

If you drive two D2's back to back of the same year and mileage, they will never drive identically.
I would try replacing the fluid, fit a new damper and go from there.
Adjusting the box will only remove play in the steering, perhaps mean less 'correcting' needed but won't make the PAS 'lighter' .
Your pump may not be as 'good' as it once was, a new pump could improve things if the old one has seen better days.

What tyre sizes are you running on? Pressures ok?
HTH

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Cheers for that, rob. I think changing the fluid and damper is a good and not so expensive place to start. Tyre pressures are fine.

johnlad said:

I just swapped the 2 balljoints for OEM ones on the drivers side steering knuckle, as there was a little play, Now my steering is really light

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Cheers, John. I will try that once I have changed the fluid and changed the damper.

Drown the ujs in thin oil and see how it pans out. You have classic seized uj symptoms.

Flossie said:

Drown the ujs in thin oil and see how it pans out. You have classic seized uj symptoms.

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Thanks flossie. I need some pictures of where the lower Uj's are so I can get at them with penetrating oil or WD40. I've looked at the steering column in the engine bay and it looks a right pig to get any where near it!!

Would anyone be so kind as to point me in the exact direction re what UJ joint to oil, and what's the best way to get to it?

Thank you.

PS: would penetration oil be the way to go re stiff UJ's?

I've never seen under the bonnet of a D2 so can't help there . the ujs are the 2 knuckle joints on the steering shaft from the coloum into the box.
I had a D1 with the exact same symptoms and I kept oiling them every few days and noticed a vast improvement. I renewed them eventually and was surprised how stiff they were even after the oiling, new ones transformed the steering.
My advice to oil them is to see if things improve, if it does, renew them.
Wd40 is a short lived stuff IMO, try an aerosol with an extension tube of 3 in 1 oil or plusgas?

Kernowkid66 said:

Would anyone be so kind as to point me in the exact direction re what UJ joint to oil, and what's the best way to get to it?

Thank you.

PS: would penetration oil be the way to go re stiff UJ's?

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look under the radiator expansion tank, near drivers side wing, the tank lifts up with a bit of a wiggle, it then gives access to the steering shaft uj's just above the chassis rail, give a liberal dose of wd40 to loosen up then slap some grease on, spray grease is good for reaching them

Thanks guys. I'm on it like tramp on a bag of chips.

soak well with WD40 at points 7 - 8

Thank you very much. I've just been under the old girl (ooh err missus) and have oiled and wiggled and oiled and wiggled. I took it for a drive, but can't say I noticed much of a difference - perhaps give it a while and then lube it all up again? I may start with the damper next. They're pretty cheap off 'that' auction site, and a nice quick 15 minute job - I think!!

As an aside. I can put up with slightly heavy steering, it's the little help I have to give it to return it completely to center that really get's on my t*ts. Ah well!! Tiz a bugger an all dat,init! as they say in Cornwall.

Hi Kernowkid66 I've been reading the replies and all the stiffness cures do apply. Regards the steering going central I had the similar problem. The steering wheel wouldn't go straight know matter what I did. Take the steering wheel off and move the splines it was either to far one way and vice versa the other way. I had the disco tracked at several different tyre companies and they all said the same. " The tracking is spot on." I was beginning to think the chassis was twisted. Then a friend asked if I've had the geometry of the disco checked. This is totally different to tracking. So I found a place that can do this service and they found out my rear axle wasn't inline with the body. About a year ago I replaced the bushes on the link arms and thought no more about it. But apparently the bushes were very slightly different. They put three 2mm washers behind the mounting plate and squared up the axle. Steering instantly went straight and the disco drive a whole lot more planted on the road. This may no be your problem but it doesn't cost a fortune to get it checked out. Hope this may be of help.

Thanks for that, Zuggy,

After tinkering all day yesterday armed with a hammer and thick screwdriver and with WD40 and other lubricants, I think the problem may lie with stiff UJ joints, as suggested earlier in the thread. I managed to get a few wacks to very slightly open the UJ joints, then lashings of WD40, then after jacking up the front so the front axle is off the ground, I sat in the drivers seat moving the steering wheel lock-to-lock for 10 minutes. I took it for a drive but didn't think there was any difference. Then after a few more slight wacks on the UJ's and then a good dousing of 5-in-1 oil and another 10 minutes turning the wheel lock-to-lock I took it for another spin - huge improvements. It's light, it's returning to center much better and it follows the road beautifully.

Kernowkid66 let's hope you've found the problem. I'd still get the geometry checked though. I couldn't believe how much better the handling was for the same of 2mm washers.

Will do, Zuggy. Christ, is the 'to do' list on a landy never ending?

It all depends on how your landy has been treated. If you look after it. It will look after you. Just watch out for the rot spots. Inner rear wings, boot floor, inner front wings if you go in deep water a lot, you know the usual stuff. Bought mine as a Chelsea tractor so the underneath got well cleaned and waxoiled, so it should last a while. I hope you have as much fun in your discovery as I've had in mine. Happy feckling.