Steering help please

Hi all

As you will of guessed there is an issue with the steering on my '98my 300 disco. It feels a bit sloppy and slow to turn into corners like it has a kaput track rod end or steering box but I have checked all the usual suspects including wheel bearings and swivels. One thing I've noticed is that with it all on the floor in situ when the steering is rocked a bit there is a slight knock in each hub but a little more in the drivers side but I can't find any play in anything

It's starting to concern me a bit to be honest as it leaves little feeling of confidence going into corners so any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

Towsey

Pan hard bushes cause that.

Yeah the steering box end of panhard rod came loose a few months ago and it was similar to this, but all ok now and bushes ok there as well

Thanks tho

Towsey

I'd look into the rear A-frame and trailing arm bushes as well as the front wheel bearings and swivels ...

Yeah been there aswell I thought the same. All OK back there aswell. I'm wondering what the little knock is in each hub aswell if I'm honest because I mainly feel the problem on initial steering even round town

Cheers

Towsey

What state are your cv joints and drive members in?

Well, I did put new flanges on not long since and the cv splines had no slop when I fitted them but I've never checked the joints themselves. There's no clicking or any signs of knackered cv's whilst driving but could they be the slight clicking when rocking the steering a bit while parked up.

Cheers

Towsey

No joy here yet, I'm still waiting for something to show itself. Does anyone know if worn cv joints would cause a slight clicking in the hub when the steering is rocked a bit because I haven't found anything else

Cheers

Towsey

I had something similar and my shock was loose in the top mount. Maybe worth checking all suspension as you're at a bit if a dead end with it

towsey956 said:

Yeah the steering box end of panhard rod came loose a few months ago and it was similar to this, but all ok now and bushes ok there as well

Thanks tho

Towsey

Click to expand...

Ok. Remove the panhard rod and check the chassis and (especially) the axle bolts and holes. Over the years nearly all my axle bush bolt holes have elongated slightly, along with shouldering of the bolts them selves.
It's not obvious until you slip a new bolt through an 'empty' axle mounting and wiggle it up and down.
Bushes and bolts are cheap and eliminated the click I heard/felt.

Be interesting to find the cause as I've got an almost identical issue. Once the Christmas break comes around it's having new bearings as the last time I went green laning I had to nip all 4 wheels up afterwards and they'd all got water in, both front cv joints are worn and I think I'll poly bush it whilst I've got it in bits

Cheers for replies

I've been rite round steering, suspension, brakes etc top and bottom front and back...however, I haven't removed the panhard rod to check bolts and holes but the chassis end was ok a while ago and there is no movement anywhere in it to be seen or felt at the mo but il be trying that because it does feel similar to when it came loose. Yeah I'm interested to find out wot it is as well haha, and to see wits clicking in the hubs. I can't hear the hubs when driving just when I'm squat near the wheels when someone rocks the steering for me

Cheers

Towsey

I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous post, specifically the second half of the sentence ...

Don't forget the steering swivel bearings. The little tapered rollers top and bottom each side that provide the 'kingpins' for the steering. I replaced mine around three years ago and it improved the steering feel a good deal. Much less vague on the motorway, so that I have to watch the speedometer now. Previously I could tell I had reached 70 mph by the fact that the steering felt all loose and floaty. The bearings had not exactly got loose but had developed a notch in the straight ahead position. Might be worth a go if yours haven't been replaced for a few years.

Mine's got slightly better after replacing two track rod ends, when I jacked the front end up you could feel the play in them when there was little load on them.

towsey956 said:

Hi all

As you will of guessed there is an issue with the steering on my '98my 300 disco. It feels a bit sloppy and slow to turn into corners like it has a kaput track rod end or steering box but I have checked all the usual suspects including wheel bearings and swivels. One thing I've noticed is that with it all on the floor in situ when the steering is rocked a bit there is a slight knock in each hub but a little more in the drivers side but I can't find any play in anything

It's starting to concern me a bit to be honest as it leaves little feeling of confidence going into corners so any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

Towsey

Click to expand...

Have you checked the draglink arm ends ?

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

I think when I get chance to get the panhard rod off il try and make time to have a better look at the swivel bearings as well and see wits going on

Thanks again

Towsey

Mine started to feel a bit dangerous to drive but as my daily was a new focus st at the time I blamed myself. After new shocks, springs, polybushes and I believe a track rod end suddenly I have a truck that goes where you point it. Wasn’t all that expensive in parts either, if it’s that vague don’t ignore it!

Hi
I have an identical problem as the original post and I will shortly be looking at steering damper bushes, changing all the bushes on the car to new including the shock absorbers.
I currently have Poly bush all round and as I have a second set in my garage for another car along with a full set of new nuts and bolts I will be using that to replace the older ones on the problem Disco.
However because of the extra strain on the bushes because my Disco is lifted by approx. 2 inches I am seriously thinking about using rubber ones again as they have more flex, and expand / compress better and simply because all car manufacturers have been using rubber not Polyurethane for years and years ??? not sure still thinking ????
Regards
Jonathan

Just found the issue with mine, one of the bolts had come off the shock turret ring jobber and another one was lose