Series IIa Steering Issue

[warrenperkinson]

Hi,

I have a 1970 Series IIa 88" Landrover with a steering problem. At motorway/freeway speeds it tends to wander a bit, and keeping it in a straight line is a challenge (if not a little hair-raising).

I have adjusted the steering box as per the standard maintenance instructions (which are to jack up the front, loosen the adjuster bolt, then tighten by hand only before tightening the locking nut). This has not changed the handling at all.

So I'm looking for some suggestions as to where I go from here... do I get the alignment checked first? Could my relay be buggered? Should I add oil to my relay (or should I follow the maintenance manuals and stay the hell away from the relay and replace it altogether)? My ball joints are relatively new, so I don't think it's wear in there... Or should I just tighten the steering box adjuster bolt further with a spanner rather than just by hand?

I'm running mud tyres, which probably doesn't help the handling much.

Any suggestions appreciated...

Cheers,
Perk.

PS: This is my first post here, so bear with me if this has been covered already...

[o2batsea]

Places in the steering that can cause wander:
Wheel bearings
Swivel pins/bearings
Tie rod ends
relay
gearbox

Have you lifted up each side and checked the wheel for play?

[I Leak Oil]

To go along with Bill's suggestions, check ALL the mounting bolts for the steering box, braces and relay. These can sometimes loosen causing the whole system to feel like pudding.

I'd also add the suspension bushings to the list of items to check.

Also, don't overtighten the steering box adjuster! It will accelerate wear and cause the steering to be stiff and will not likely self center (and wont' correct your wandering issue).

[LaneRover]

Get someone to turn the steering wheel back and forth while you chase down the problem. No need to turn it lock to lock just turn it through the 'excess play'. Start at whichever end of the steering system you want and work your way to the opposite end. This way you see exactly where the excess play is.

I have done this a couple of times and immediately found the issue. Once it was the drop arm that attaches to steering box. Once it was the one that comes off of the relay. I tightened up the bolt and all was good.

[I Leak Oil]

Ah yes, how could I forget the loose steering arms as a possibility?! DTDT...

What an overly complicated system!

[siii8873]

swivel housing preload also.

[Contractor]

I would check the pre-load on the swivel pins as well, might need more or less shims. GB says 8-10 lbs of preload.........check it with a fish scale.

I had a similar issue and after increasing the number of shims and going through the pain staking process of adding a single droplet of oil over three days to the steering relay, my problem was solved.

[I Leak Oil]

As for filling the relay, I remove a second bolt to let the air escape as it fills and I use on of those trigger action type oil cans. Works like a charm for me and no waiting!

[roverrick]

Have you checked the steering box for fluid?

[warrenperkinson]

Thanks everyone, there are some great suggestions here and I've now got a checklist of things I need to investigate.

I'm heartened that this appears to be a problem that others have had and, more importantly, overcome...

Thanks again.

[Andrew IIA]

Get someone to turn the steering wheel back and forth while you chase down the problem. No need to turn it lock to lock just turn it through the 'excess play'. Start at whichever end of the steering system you want and work your way to the opposite end. This way you see exactly where the excess play is.

I have done this a couple of times and immediately found the issue. Once it was the drop arm that attaches to steering box. Once it was the one that comes off of the relay. I tightened up the bolt and all was good.
LaneRover's experience is the same as mine. All of the oil-containing parts system leak (onto everything near them) and are self-loosening. I have to go around and tighten up numerous steering system nut/bolts a few times a year to keep it all happy.

[warrenperkinson]

To go along with Bill's suggestions, check ALL the mounting bolts for the steering box, braces and relay. These can sometimes loosen causing the whole system to feel like pudding.

Checked it tonight and using LaneRover's suggestion, was able to determine that yup, it was the steering box mounting bolts had loosened and the whole steering box was moving around. I've tightened them up now and the box sits still like it's supposed to but I'm still to road test it.

[warrenperkinson]

As for filling the relay, I remove a second bolt to let the air escape as it fills and I use on of those trigger action type oil cans. Works like a charm for me and no waiting!

Looking closely at my relay, I see that mine has a grease nipple on the top right (next to the radiator). Annoyingly this is pointing backwards(!) so I am having no success in getting a grease gun onto it - but the grease nipple doesn't look standard to me... has anyone seen or have any experience with one of these relays?

[warrenperkinson]

Have you checked the steering box for fluid?

Yeah, I checked that the other day... it improved things, but it didn't solve the problem for me. See my other post re the steering box moving all over the place - that seems to be the issue, but only a road test will tell.

[I Leak Oil]

Looking closely at my relay, I see that mine has a grease nipple on the top right (next to the radiator). Annoyingly this is pointing backwards(!) so I am having no success in getting a grease gun onto it - but the grease nipple doesn't look standard to me... has anyone seen or have any experience with one of these relays?

Doesn't sound right. You'd have a hard time getting grease to go where it needs to from there. An old trick used to be to center drill the shaft, then cross drill it to allow a grease fitting to service the relay. You need the lube between the bushings. Not sure if your grease fitting will allow for that given how viscous grease is compared to 90wt.

[stomper]

If grease has been put in there, you may be in for a horrific mess to get it back in order. I can't imagine the grease would get in there too far because of it's viscosity, but also, how would the air get out to allow the grease to even get into the relay with that set-up? You would still need to remove one of the bolts to allow air to escape, or blow a seal out to let the air escape that way.

[o2batsea]

00 grade grease like one shot swivel grease is pretty flow-y.

[stomper]

But you don't add that by a grease nipple.

[Andrew IIA]

Need some photos.

[o2batsea]

But you don't add that by a grease nipple.
You could in theory, but who wants to muck about with all that. You'd simply use a needle point grease gun fitting in the screw hole. I don't think that that would do anything for this fellow, tho.

[LaneRover]

Looking closely at my relay, I see that mine has a grease nipple on the top right (next to the radiator). Annoyingly this is pointing backwards(!) so I am having no success in getting a grease gun onto it - but the grease nipple doesn't look standard to me... has anyone seen or have any experience with one of these relays?

One of mine has that and I have just ignored it as I could never get to it. I am trying to remember if it was on one of the joints as it is currently in another state and has been a few years since I have seen that bit.

[Kiloengineer]

After you get all the mechanical things sorted be sure to adjust the alignment. I did mine with string and a ruler and found that a minor increase in the toe-in to the correct spec made a huge improvement in the wandering. Just a little too much toe-out will cause the rover to wander.

[warrenperkinson]

An update… I've now had the alignment done. The toe in was 6 degrees out on the right front. Drives WAY better now, but there is still room for improvement. I've not pursued the relay grease nipple issue as everyone has warned me off that - so I'll ignore it and try to add EP90 the conventional way. Also I feel there is a little more adjustment that I can do in the steering box but that will have to wait 'till I have the time. Thanks for your suggestions.

[siii8873]

you can use 90wt in a grease gun.