RRC Steering issue

[AndrewG]

OK, a bit of a scary trip into work this morning !

I have a '95 RRC which is my daily driver and today we had some fun on the way down the road me and my Rangie. I hit a bump int he road, literally a bump, and the front end started to judder, actually more like oscillate from side to side ! After that first few milliseconds of 'What the.....' I braked and turned left slightly and the oscillation disappeared.

Of course, now I knew how to stop it, I then spent the next 20 mins of the journey doing it again and again to try and diagnose. The main solution seems to be turn to the left slightly, but alternately, turning to the right substantially more will solve it also.

So...... my thoughts are that the steering is loose, when I turn left I'm closer to 'catching' and get back control, but on turning right I have more slack to take up before I get 'bite'. Sound reasonable ?

Next thing, how do I 'tighten' the steering ?

Thanks guys,


Andrew

[phoenix]

try replacing pan hard rod bushings, oil wetness from p/s tends to ruin them... you can try to adjust steering box play, it's located on top of box
loosen with a socket and then hold with a wrench as you turn the centr with allen whench until snug, then retighten counter nut...

[Joey4420]

Sounds like the swivel preload needs adjusting...


http://www.sf.hiof.no/~frodehaa/swivelpinpreload.htm

[joshua.mcguoirk]

try replacing pan hard rod bushings, oil wetness from p/s tends to ruin them... you can try to adjust steering box play, it's located on top of box
loosen with a socket and then hold with a wrench as you turn the centr with allen whench until snug, then retighten counter nut...
I too had a similar experience. New panhard rod bushings solved my problem. I initially installed after-market OME bushings. BIG mistake. Lasted for a week. I then installed new Land Rover bushings w/hardware. >3 years now with no trouble.

Cheers,

[KevinNY]

Do a search of "death wobble". It is either improper swivel bearing preload or shot pan hard rod bushings. It is NOT your steering stabilizer as many will suggest.

[Paul Grant]

I agree with Kevin. A steering stabilizer will not cause the problem, it will only mask it. A properly set up vehicle doesn't even need a steering stabilizer to perform correctly. Land Rover Series vehicles went decades before the factory began installing them.

It's easy to check the bushings up front with a crow bar but my bet is on the pre-load. Some of these trucks are approaching twenty years of use without ever having been checked.

[57loboy]

I've just been through the same with my '95 lwb and it was absolutely the swivel pins. Easy to fix by removing the shims to get the right preload. I ended up with only 1 very very thin one (there are 3 thicknesses in various combinations used from the factory to set the preload).
Drives like a new truck now...

[steveh]

Commonly a problem with panhard rod bushings
http://www.roversnorth.com/store/searchadv.aspx?SearchTerm=RNS049

[Les Parker]

Is the ABS light on?
My vehs. seem to trip the light when the pre-load is not correct, as the air gap from the sensor to the C.V. joint is out of spec.

[SCOOTER1]

First time posting! Infinite resources here. I'm sure it won't be my last.

I'm having steering issues with my RRC.Tight turning both ways until it catches with a lot of steering in between those times, tracks very straight down the road, no power steering pump whine. I do have the common leakage underneath though. If it is the swivel pin preload as opposed to just the panhard rod bushings how would I know?

Expecting 6" of snow tonite, Need my Rover!

Thank you!

[dieselrangerover]

common leakage underneath though

is your steering box leaking? i replaced my steering box because of a steering input shaft, but never had any steering problems with my old box... maybe yours is completely shot?

as for checking the swivel pin preload of panhard rod bushings. Les had me have someone turn the steering back and forth with the tires on the ground and engine off... looking for excessive movement in the panhard rod bushings and ball joints.

swivel pin preload requires a little more... check joey4420's link above about preload check and adjustment... i just did this and my shakes are gone

[BGAN]

First time posting! Infinite resources here. I'm sure it won't be my last.

I'm having steering issues with my RRC.Tight turning both ways until it catches with a lot of steering in between those times, tracks very straight down the road, no power steering pump whine. I do have the common leakage underneath though. If it is the swivel pin preload as opposed to just the panhard rod bushings how would I know?

Expecting 6" of snow tonite, Need my Rover!

Thank you!



First time posting as well... I to have similar steering issues with my 95 RRC. Steering is extremely tight, feels like there is no power steering at all while parked... a little easier while in motion but still ridiculously tight unless at full speed. What is odd is that if it is raining out the steering becomes normal. Is this a sign of a panhard bushing problem or could it be something entirely different? Like a different bushing failure or lack of lubrication problem?

Thanks in advance for any quick advice... bringing it into the shop tomorrow, however, I would like a clue as to the possible problems as to avoid any costly and unneeded work.

Scooter did you get your steering issue worked out?

[Joey4420]

Your issue sounds more like your PS pump isn't working at all, rain will make the road slicker helping you turn easier.



First time posting as well... I to have similar steering issues with my 95 RRC. Steering is extremely tight, feels like there is no power steering at all while parked... a little easier while in motion but still ridiculously tight unless at full speed. What is odd is that if it is raining out the steering becomes normal. Is this a sign of a panhard bushing problem or could it be something entirely different? Like a different bushing failure or lack of lubrication problem?

Thanks in advance for any quick advice... bringing it into the shop tomorrow, however, I would like a clue as to the possible problems as to avoid any costly and unneeded work.

Scooter did you get your steering issue worked out?

[BGAN]

Thanks Joey for your response,

I hope its not the ps pump... that an expensive fix. Part of my reasoning for thinking it is a bushing or lubrication issue is that the steering became Tighter / worse over an extended period of time. In your experience would a power steering pump slowly go bad over time or would it just abruptly stop functioning.

Regarding the proper steering while driving in rain or wet conditions. I am not sure that it the slick ground that makes it easier, because I get the same proper restoration of steering right after I wash the car also (car and underbody wet but the ground is dry).

Thanks again