violent shaking

My 1993v200tdi Defender has developed a violent shake through the steering after hitting a bump or trying to drive over 30mph.It is totally undrivable it's quite scary when the shaking starts. It was rebuilt just over a year ago and has all new poly bushes and the axles and swivels were all rebuilt. I recently had to change the alternator belt as it had become loose and frayed(Water pump has play and on way out). Would the shake be caused by me over tightening the power steering belt when refitting after changing alternator belt?

Do you mean you have hit a bump and now the vehicle is shaking violently, or each time you hit a bump it is shaking? Is the steering damper in good nick? Engine and transmission mountings ok?

I reckon your swivel pins need adjusting.

Sounds like swivel pins to me too.

Wimblowdriver said:

Do you mean you have hit a bump and now the vehicle is shaking violently, or each time you hit a bump it is shaking? Is the steering damper in good nick? Engine and transmission mountings ok?

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The Steering damper is a year old all mounts were also replaced when done the chassis a year ago. I’ve only done 2-3000miles since done the chassis

Al2O3 said:

I reckon your swivel pins need adjusting.

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It’s just strange that this has only happened since I touched the belts. Was hoping someone would say it’s the power steering pump or something to do with belts

TorsionBhudda said:

It’s just strange that this has only happened since I touched the belts. Was hoping someone would say it’s the power steering pump or something to do with belts

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It won't be.
Get underneath whilst someone takes up the slack on the steering, engine off. Look closely at the panhard rod first.

Plus one for the panhard rod

TorsionBhudda said:

It’s just strange that this has only happened since I touched the belts. Was hoping someone would say it’s the power steering pump or something to do with belts

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Just a coincidence.

As above,coincidence. If all steering joints and bush's prove good then I suspect a dead shock/damper.

I’ll go through everything tomorrow but like I said everything was fitted brand new during the chassis swap and only done 2000miles since. It was only MOT’d on 18th December with no advisories the tester was very happy how it all looked.

TorsionBhudda said:

I’ll go through everything tomorrow but like I said everything was fitted brand new during the chassis swap and only done 2000miles since. It was only MOT’d on 18th December with no advisories the tester was very happy how it all looked.

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In my experience they bed in a bit and your back to riding an untamed stallion and it's bloody scary. Little bit of shim adjustment then required.

Just spent this morning checking all steering components/bushes for play and found everything to be tight and right only issue I found was the steering damper is loose where it bolts to steering rod and bolt is tight. When I fitted the damper it was a tight fit into the bracket. Would this really cause the shaking I’m experiencing?

I don't have a steering damper...if something wobbles it's steering/bearings/bushes

Try the panard rod bush.?

Hicap phill said:

I don't have a steering damper...if something wobbles it's steering/bearings/bushes

Try the panard rod bush.?

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Tried it and no play same with the swivels the steering damper is only thing that is doing something it shouldn’t.

Checked the UJ’s from steering box to steering column and all good too.

Have you buckled a wheel or thrown a wheel weight on the front when you went into the hole?

flat said:

Have you buckled a wheel or thrown a wheel weight on the front when you went into the hole?

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It wasn’t a hole it was more like a dip in road the first time it happened then was fine till yesterday when every bump or dip in road it started to shake also when trying to accelerate above 30mph the steering wheel would shake violently and whole car would too. Was in 3rd and 4th so not wrong gear.

Just checked prop shafts the slide good and no play in UJ’s

TorsionBhudda said:

It wasn’t a hole it was more like a dip in road the first time it happened then was fine till yesterday when every bump or dip in road it started to shake also when trying to accelerate above 30mph the steering wheel would shake violently and whole car would too. Was in 3rd and 4th so not wrong gear.

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Yeah, putting power on exacerbates the wobble. Feels like you can hardly hold on to the steering wheel and the tyre's barely in contact with the tarmac. VERY scary. Putting power on can start it or hitting a bobble on the road.