| Author | Message | ||
     James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2003 |
I have almost 4" of play in my steering wheel. The dealer told me this is normal. Is it? It gets very hard to keep in lane and to brake in a straight line i need to turn the wheel in the opposite way the car wants to go. When braking once I have gotten down to below 15 mph the wheel almost needs a 1/8 turn to keep it in a straight line and it is not always a turn in the same direction however more often then not the Disco pulls left. Also with the play the Disco tends to track the road and sometimes sharply change direction when I least expect it, which I have to compensate with a turn in the opposite direction. When I take the car in for service the tighten the hubs and that helps a little and they say they cant tighten then anymore or the wheels wont turn. They did wheel bearings pads and discs at last serv... the left brake squeaks at slow speeds but i don’t really care about that. Sorry for prattling on but I just want to know this is normal while I still have an extended Warranty. Car Info: 1998 Disco I V8... but id much rather have a TD | ||
| Milan (Milan) Member Username: Milan Post Number: 152 Registered: 10-2002 |
No it's not normal! The looseness should not be the bearings if they are properly tightened. The pull could be siezed up brake calipers. If the bearings are tight and it's still loose, then it's something in your steering (anything from steering wheel to the ball joints/swivels). One way to check would be to have someone turn the steering wheel from side to side and watch out for any loosenes in any of the tie rod ends/ball joints. Any popping or clunking is bad. I hope others will chime in with additional ideas. | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2003 |
P.S. They did an alignment and power steering pump change as well... Yes I spent a pretty penny at the last serv... | ||
| gp (Garrett) Senior Member Username: Garrett Post Number: 1891 Registered: 10-2001 |
i had this happen on my '94 years ago. was my steering box. you can tighten them up, but be VERY careful doing so. over tightening will cause serious driving issues. might need a new box at the most. as i recall it was about $500 for a rebuilt one. it was under warranty, so i did not shop around. easy to find the steering box. just follow the steering linkage through the firewall to the actual box. turn the wheel and watch to see what moves and what does not. | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 480 Registered: 09-2002 |
Definatly not normal. Also check to make sure your trailing arms are not bent or loose. Loose arms will cause very strange handle especially after you let off on the gas. | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2003 |
Just thought I'd add in that the play is there even with the power steering off... and I can here a kind of knocking noise when I get to the threshold of actually turning the wheels in either direction. | ||
| gp (Garrett) Senior Member Username: Garrett Post Number: 1892 Registered: 10-2001 |
really sounds like the box is bad or needs adjustment. i would take it in ASAP as it is really quite dangerous. it slowly gets worse and you just compensate for it. try having someone else drive it........they will freak. | ||
| Alan Bates (Alanb) Member Username: Alanb Post Number: 100 Registered: 07-2002 |
Look at your steering box, on top of it there is a hex bolt with a locking nut, loosen the locking nut, may have to use extension and universal joint to get to it with a socket wrench, thighten hex bolt a 1/4 to 1/2 turn, tighten locking nut down, then check for play, turn steering wheel back and forth and see when the wheels start turning in relation to steering wheel movement, repeat if necessary. Check for any binding and do not overtighten. Some people do it with the wheels off the ground some do not. | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1085 Registered: 02-2002 |
Let's back up and do some investigation. First off, how many miles? Is the box or pump leaking? Is the arm coming off the box tight? Some have reported the nut loosening and the arm falling off! Are the tie rod ends tight? Are the bushings good and tight? All of these can contribute to the problem, and/or lead us in the right direction. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for asking for suggestions from everyone, but I'm equally for gaining as much info as possible and hopingit is something small, easily replaced at home and cheap-yes, I'm hoping it is tie rod ends for all the above reasons. Peace, Paul | ||
| Blue (Bluegill) Senior Member Username: Bluegill Post Number: 1984 Registered: 02-2002 |
check that pitman arm | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2003 |
Paul: how many miles? Just turned 50k Is the box or pump leaking? pump should not be since they just replaced it and Disco has been like this since I bought it 8 mths ago.. been driving it like this b'cos dealer said it was normal. Is the arm coming off the box tight? Some have reported the nut loosening and the arm falling off! dont really know... im just doing the job of the dealer cos they could not find anything wrong... i took it in twice last yr with the symptoms Are the tie rod ends tight? Well not sure how to check that but i did try to pull on them to see if there was any play... there was not Are the bushings good and tight? ahhh bushings?? ones on the tie rods or something else? Sorry to be vague... I would love to be able to work on my own car but i dont have any facilities or expertise | ||
| Blue (Bluegill) Senior Member Username: Bluegill Post Number: 1989 Registered: 02-2002 |
The dealer is full of it. Drive 2 D1's back to back and then have him tell you it's normal. I'd do what others have said and have a friend turn the steering wheel while you get down there and check for play in all the components. If there is as much slop in the steering system as you say, there will be play somewhere that you should be able to find. I'd jack the front off the ground with both rears chocked fore & aft and put 2 jack stands under the frame. Have a 3rd person stand where they can see you and the "driver" in case something goes wrong. | ||
| Brad Russell (Bradnc) Member Username: Bradnc Post Number: 127 Registered: 03-2002 |
My 97 did the same thing when I got it (used). Turned out that the track bar was loose and just needed to be tightened. That solved the problem right there. | ||
| Milan (Milan) Member Username: Milan Post Number: 154 Registered: 10-2002 |
"Are the tie rod ends tight? Well not sure how to check that but i did try to pull on them to see if there was any play... there was not " That's not enough. You really have to get someone to jiggle the wheel from side to side. Do what I suggested (all wheels on ground). May have to run the engine to be able to turn enough which may make it too noisy for you to hear clunks but it provides for a good visual test of any play. If you still can't tell, do it like Blue said. Jack it up. Makes it easy to turn without the engine running. I forgot to mention the suspension components, luckily others did. The steering wheel wiggle with wheels on the ground should uncover loose trac bar as well. Good luck and let us know what it is once you figure it out. The steering box is a good bet. Although I'd hope for the cheaper TREs if the box can't be tightened.  | ||
| Land Rover Certified Used A**hole (Jason) Senior Member Username: Jason Post Number: 322 Registered: 04-2002 |
Check the panhard rod. With the vehicle stopped, engine off, and all 4 tires on the ground, get under the front of the truck. Have somebody turn the wheel from side to side and see if the axle shifts underneath the vehicle instead of the wheels turning. Inspect the bushings and/or the torque at each mount (at the chassis and at the axle). You can also inspect the tie-rod ends while you are down there. | ||
| Ron Ward (Ronward) Senior Member Username: Ronward Post Number: 288 Registered: 02-2002 |
Pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel sticking out of his pants. Bartender says "Hey, you know you got a steering wheel stickin' outa ya pants?" The pirate says... "Arrghhh, it's drivin' me nuts!" | ||
| Christian Cartner (Cartner) Member Username: Cartner Post Number: 45 Registered: 10-2002 |
A CLASSIC!!! Avast! Thats going to replace the whale in me nightmares! | ||
| Land Rover Certified Used A**hole (Jason) Senior Member Username: Jason Post Number: 323 Registered: 04-2002 |
Ha...I posted that pirate joke on Pirate4x4 about 2 weeks ago | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2003 |
I shall have a look at the weekend if the snow clears | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2003 |
Ok I have found the problem... it is the box that the steering rod connects to... it is black and has bolts on the top... the rod moves but no movement from the other side for the three or so inches... one thing I really love about my car is the huge engine bay, though I really like the idea of the 4.6 conversion i saw on another web site... but I shall have to save up the money | ||
| Alan Bates (Alanb) Member Username: Alanb Post Number: 114 Registered: 07-2002 |
Are talking about the steering box? If it is, then you can try to tighten it up as I had suggested previously, scroll up this thread and you will find how to do it. | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 11 Registered: 03-2003 |
I looked at the underside of it.... it seems to be leaking fluid a little... is this normal or should I have them replace it under warranty? | ||
| Alan Bates (Alanb) Member Username: Alanb Post Number: 118 Registered: 07-2002 |
Sorry forgot that you are still under warranty, definitely show them the looseness in the steering and the leak, have them replace the steering box or tighten it, it is not normal to have that much slop in the steering and it should not be leaking, fight with them if they say this stuff is normal, it is not. | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2003 |
ok will do... I shall wait until the next service though.. I visit the dealer enough as it is already.... mabybe some people can answer some more stuff that the dealer says is normal for my D1... I just want to get every thing done under warranty while I have one.... I have an auto and when I'm not accelerating and the transmission changes gear it seems to kind of snatch.... I was told by the dealer this is due to play in the drive shaft to the real axel aparently the play is there to prevent strain on the trasmission and is normal for a D1.... what do you guys think? I dont know much about my car but I sure am learning aided by the huge engine bay and my ability to fit under the car without jacking up.... | ||
| Alan Bates (Alanb) Member Username: Alanb Post Number: 119 Registered: 07-2002 |
Have a look at this link if you haven't yet, lots of useful info: http://www.discoweb.org/faq/index.htm My previous 98 disco that I bought almost brand new had transmission clunks. | ||
| James Newman (Lr_disco_i) New Member Username: Lr_disco_i Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2003 |
Thanks very much to everyone on this... |
