Still play in steering .....help

[knac1234]

So just finished installing a NOS steering box from Ike, as well as doing his alternator conversion and several other odds and ends. Everything is great (very pleased with alt setup), except the steering!

I drove it with the wing still off, and there is still play in the steering (move the steering wheel and the wheels do not immediately turn). I tried the steering adjuster nut on the box slightly in and out......does tighten up the steering, but then of course it's too tight and, when making a turn, the wheels do not turn back on their own (so I followed what the Haynes manual said and turned the adjuster nut finger tight....pretty close to where it was when I first put the box in).

Any ideas what else could be an issue? The local LR specialty shop diagnosed the steering box......I may just have to take it back to them and ask them to sort it out.

Thanks,
Julian

[Howsomever]

Hey Julian,

Have someone rock the steering wheel back and forth and you start first at the steering box arm then working toward the swivels. Follow that linkage and look to see where the play is. This is not interstellar propulsion. Steering box, linkage tie rod ends, steering relay and arms, more linkage with tie rod ends. Possible you may have a loose swivel assembly. You will see where the slop is. I would only make very small adjustments in the steering box nut and when doing that front wheels off the ground will give you a better feel. If you changed the steering box assembly you can correct the slop issue.

[Howsomever]

Julian,

One more item....................is the steering wheel tight on the shaft?

[leafsprung]

Julian,
The advice noted above is good re: checking for play. Specifically there are some typically overlooked points of play in the LR steering which you can check in addition to the normal points:
-steering box mountings
-steering box to pitman play - the splines are tapered so tightening the nut normally solves this)
-rod ends - sometimes its helpful to place a hand (carefully) on the rod ends and feel for play while your assistant looks rocks the steering wheel back and forth.
-relay shaft to steering arm play - wear in the splines (normally on the arms) causing play or a loose pinch bolt

Julian,

One more item....................is the steering wheel tight on the shaft?

[knac1234]

All,

Thanks very much for the info!

I can state definitely that the box and all mountings are tight, and the steering wheel also. I just spoke to the LR shop in the Springs, and he asked if I had done an alignment yet.

So, that is scheduled for Wednesday. The tech said that if there is still play, he'll check it over, including the tie rod ends (although the LR shop in the Springs said they looked OK). Should be easily accessible to him since I'll drive it in with the wing off still!

Of course, I may also be fishing for something that is not there. I have never driven another Series other than mine, so perhaps the degree of play I am experiencing is normal. I just don't like that answer when it comes from shops who have no experience with these cars......other shops used for my classics in the past have misled me before--although perhaps unintentionally (oh, they're old, that's just the way they are, etc....).

Will report back after my Wednesday alignment!

Julian

[leafsprung]

Alignment will cause lots of issues - tracking, tire wear etc - but play is not one of them. How much play are you seeing at the wheel before the tires move?

All,

Thanks very much for the info!

I can state definitely that the box and all mountings are tight, and the steering wheel also. I just spoke to the LR shop in the Springs, and he asked if I had done an alignment yet.

So, that is scheduled for Wednesday. The tech said that if there is still play, he'll check it over, including the tie rod ends (although the LR shop in the Springs said they looked OK). Should be easily accessible to him since I'll drive it in with the wing off still!

Of course, I may also be fishing for something that is not there. I have never driven another Series other than mine, so perhaps the degree of play I am experiencing is normal. I just don't like that answer when it comes from shops who have no experience with these cars......other shops used for my classics in the past have misled me before--although perhaps unintentionally (oh, they're old, that's just the way they are, etc....).

Will report back after my Wednesday alignment!

Julian

[SafeAirOne]

I just spoke to the LR shop in the Springs, and he asked if I had done an alignment yet. The tech said that if there is still play, he'll check it over

One should check for steering slop before commencing an alignment as a matter of routine. You don't align the front end THEN check for worn components.

I wonder why they can't check for out-of-tolerance steering components without doing an alignment?

[knac1234]

One should check for steering slop before commencing an alignment as a matter of routine. You don't align the front end THEN check for worn components.

I wonder why they can't check for out-of-tolerance steering components without doing an alignment?

Mark.....exactly.....that made little sense to me......the alignment should be the last thing to be done, especially if something else requires r&r! Perhaps they will look at it with me prior to doing an alignment. This kind of stuff is frustrating......maybe people don't want to deal with these old trucks.....

Ike.....will see how much play when I get home

Julian

[Alaskan Rover]

I be very wary of that shop in 'the Springs', as it sounds like they are fairly clueless pertaining to Series rovers. I've found MANY Land Rover dealership shops whose mechanics have absolutely no clue about vintage rovers at all...they view them as an anachronism. Many won't even work on them, and just as well.

Any shop that suggests an alignment as a means of curing slop in the steering does not really deserve to be working on ANYBODY's car. Like Leafsprung said, an alignment will cure many things, but it WILL NOT cure slop...that is caused strictly by wear...or in rare cases by incorrect parts being installed.

Unless that 'Springs' shop (Palm or Colorado???) is going to replace tie-rod ends or pitman arms for FREE for you, I'd bid them adeu.

Just sayin'

EDIT: You're not talking about Ike outside of Calgary, Alberta, are you? Great fellow. Has many parts. He helped out alot with my rover IIA when it came to him ailing after a 68 day road trip. Need more rover used parts suppliers like him.

[knac1234]

Colorado Springs......

Well, it is an independent Rover specialist who usually has a couple of Series Rovers on his lot. He has been great with assisting with the Series, and working on my Freelander before I sold it. Maybe I'm describing the continuing problem to him poorly. But you are correct.....the LR dealership will not even touch my Series (but likes to see it when I bring one of the moderns in).

At this point, I want to get back to driving it. I've replaced one of the more expensive parts of the system (box), so am willing to pay to get it right. I just need someone that knows exactly how to diagnose it and correct it properly.

BTW, Ike has helped me with many parts, especially some challenging NOS pieces.....great guy.....don't think he's the same person though....in Oregon.

Julian

[knac1234]

All,

I just got back from the alignment shop. Very helpful group who have been around for years in the small town I live in. They checked everything very closely, and said everything appeared in good shape and tight. The one exception was the pinch bolt on the steering relay being loose.......that they tightened.

Alignment was done, per the owner's manual specs (it was out of alignment also).

That said, it still seems a little "looser" than I would like, but these guys swear it is just fine. Although there were no Rovers there, there were some old Broncos, a couple of 60s Scouts, and they had finished last week a Toyota LCruiser.

Seems like I have a consensus of sorts from the Rover shop and the alignment shop that specializes in front end work and has done lots of old vehicles/trucks.

Will put the fender back on in the next day or so and get back to driving her.

BTW, one of the other jobs I did when doing the exhaust, alternator, and sbox was bleeding the clutch pedal with my new reverse bleeder. Worked great, in case any of you (or your wives) are interested in a one man reverse bleeding tool!!!

Julian

[milhouse]

I'm running into similar issues myself that I'm trying to track down... are you using a steering damper? Mine has the frame braket for one but a PO must have switched the track rod for one that doesn't have a mount. I've been curious to know if that would help at all, or just help to reduce any shimmy after bumps.