By eldave 91RR on Thursday, May 10, 2001 - 11:03 am: Edit

I've actually got a 91 Rover, but I'm having steering trouble.

I get stiffness in quarter turn increments (for every full turn of the wheel there are four spots where I have to force it through). Otherwise the pump and steering box seem fine (no whining at least).

I'm thinking it could be a ujoint in the lower steering shaft assembly. Anybody got a lead on another part U joint I can use?

Any advice in general?

Thanks

By ho on Thursday, May 10, 2001 - 12:49 pm: Edit

or perhaps a bad steering damper?

By Jon on Thursday, May 10, 2001 - 12:56 pm: Edit

Sounds like a binding U-joint. Have ya been in a wreck in the past? Or done something to put a more severe bend angle on the steering shaft? You could try greasing it (is there a nipple on those things?) as it could be "dry." Otherwise, you might just have to replace it, because it's not impossible for U-joints to go bad after a while.

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Thursday, May 10, 2001 - 01:18 pm: Edit

if not "bad" dampner, what about mud packed in dampner? spray it with a hose and you'll be amazed at what comes out.

By eldave 91RR on Thursday, May 10, 2001 - 01:34 pm: Edit

Haven't hit anything or done anything strange in the last few days that it progressively went downhill. I was noticing more resistance for a few days then it just got really bad and I noticed it was happenning in increments. That makes me think (or like the idea of it being) it is the u joint.

I haven't taken off the damper to test it. I have usually heard of more of a wobbling steering play problem from the damper, but others have told me to check it.

I will check to see if the ujoint is greasable but if it is bad, it is bad. I recently replaced my front driveshaft ujoints following the OME lift that revealed they were gimping along..

The ujoint is a pretty basic part, but it is funky shaped and has splines in it so I couldn't just go grab any part. I like the idea of driving up to the auto part store, pulling it out and replacing it right there after matching up another part. Not to mention it will probably be cheaper than LR.