Scary Wheel/steering

[PH4]

When I hit a pothole sometimes the steering wheel attempts to wrench from my hand a go left to right back and forth numerous times with an awful shudder. The entire 109 shudders and the closest thing I can compare it to is you feel like the wheels are coming off the front end. Help appreciated before I give myself and a passenger a heart attack or worse. Seems to be sparked by a bump in the road or pothole etc.

[solihull109]

Check your wheel bearings, T.R.E's as well....

[gudjeon]

Sounds like a worn steering relay and/or swivels.

[yorker]

Check the swivel pins/railco bushings. jack the Rover up and grasp the top and bottom of the wheel and see if there is any play- "" for left and right, you might need an assistant to look at the tie rod ends etc.

[Terrys]

Check the swivel pins/railco bushings. jack the Rover up and grasp the top and bottom of the wheel and see if there is any play- "" for left and right, you might need an assistant to look at the tie rod ends etc.

X2 on the swivel pins

[KevinNY]

Search here and on Discoweb for "death wobble".

[Jeff Aronson]

As recommended, lift the wheels, put your hands at 12 and 6 o'clock, and rock the wheel. If you have movement, you should remove a shim in the Railco bushing. The Haynes Manual or the LR Shop Manual will tell you how - it is an easy job.

If you have a trolley jack and jack stands, get the front end up in the air and check the steering arms and tie rod ends for play. You may need to replace some of them.

Jeff

[SafeAirOne]

I'd start checking the cheaper components that are easy to check and adjust/replace. The steering system is just that--a system. A tiny bit of play in several components adds up to a lot of play in the system. This is what I'd do:

Have somebody rock the steering wheel back and forth and:

1) look at the steering arm that comes out of the steering box for movement. If the steering wheel has movement but the arm doesn't, adjust the steering gearbox freeplay. Then:

2) look at the ball joints (tie rod ends) on the longitudinal steering tube that connect the arm on the steering gearbox to the arm on the steering relay in the chassis. If the arm on the gearbox moves but the arm on the relay doesn't then the rod ends on the steering tube are sloppy and worn and need replacement.

3) Look at the steering relay to make sure movement transfers smoothly and simultaneously from top to bottom. Presumably it will be smooth and simultaneous. If not, you've got your work cut out for you. Next,:

4) check for slop in the drag link and track rod ends as in #2 above and replace rod ends as required.

Finally, jack up each front wheel and check the swivel pins and wheel bearings for play.

Good Luck!

[PH4]

Thank you. I will try to begin to sort out this Sunday.

[StX_Rovers]

Also, make sure that the steering box itself is bolted up solid to the bracket and bulkhead. I think the other things mentioned are more likely to cause the death wobbles but a loose steering box can certainly cause excessive free play.

[PH4]

Was not able to get much accomplished this weekend but have a question. I was looking for the nut/slotted thread where you can adjust the steering box and cannot find it. I thought it would be easy to locate but even with flashlight could not find. Do I have to remove anything for access? My Series is RHD. Thank you.

[SafeAirOne]

I was looking for the nut/slotted thread where you can adjust the steering box and cannot find it. I thought it would be easy to locate but even with flashlight could not find. Do I have to remove anything for access? My Series is RHD. Thank you.

I just did mine last week--Remove the steering box splash guard in the right front wheelwell. It is the little box sticking into the upper rear of the driver's side wheelwell held on with um...4, I think...bolts.

The adjuster and jam nut will be right under there.

[PH4]

Curious as to how the shims work on the top of the swivel balls? Do they make different sizes? How do you adjust the shims? How do you measure the twelve pounds with a fish scale?

[greenmeanie]

The shims just adjust the depth the kingpin sits in its bushing which adjust the preload on it and the bottom bearing. You have different sizes, .005, .010 & .030 IIRC to make up your shim pack. It makes ordering parts fun but I usually order 4, 4 & 2 respectively.

Adjusting the shims is just a matter of taking a good guess at a pack height (I think I start about .050 and end up going down every time) and assembling the kingpin, measure the preload, strip it back down, adjust the shim pack and start again. It doesn't take long to do once you get the hang of it.

To measure the prelaod you attach the fish scale hook through the eye at the end of the steering arm and pull the swivel gently through its range. Make sure you remove the swivel seal first. For more detail refer to the green bible.