[haakon]

Should this arm always point straight ahead when in center?

Mine is pointing to right ( looking from the front) When aligning the steering I've followed the description from RAVE. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, then 2 turns back to the left.

[Les Henson]

Yup - straight forward as far as I can remember. 2-turns back from full lock doesn't centre the steering full travel (it's something like 3 3/4 I think). Go by the steering wheel centre being level/the right way up. Jack the front wheels up, turn the steering to full lock, count the turns to the opposite lock, then go back half that/steering lock engages. In this position, the drop arm should be pointing straight forward. If it's 'out', then you will will get more steer on full lock in one direction as opposed to the other.


Les.

[white90]

Having just replaced the steering box
then ahead leaves a possible issue should you loose a steering stop
the box on full left hand lock can max out its travel(or very close)
with the drop arm slightly to the right(offside) when the wheels are pointed straight ahead allows a bit of safety room there is loads of travel towards the RHS(offside) enough for the drop arm to touch the panhard mounting bracket.

So to sum it up slightly towards the offside when the wheels are pointed straight ahead is just fine.

The box is approx 3-1/4 turns lock to lock.

I guess the OP is in a Left hand drive country so take this into account when reading my reply
my reading of your post ties in exactly with what I have suggested above.
the Swivel housings do not allow the steering box to reach max travel lock to lock unless you set the drag link up incorrectly,

[haakon]

Yes, my Defender is LHD. I can take a picture of the arm tomorrow with wheels straight

But why does RAVE say to only take 2 turns back if this is not correct?

[white90]

2 turns sounds just right
the lock stops prevent the full swing of the drop arm.
I'll take a pic of mine in the ahead pos it is slightly towards the offside or towards the steering box so it conforms with your LHD layout.

[haakon]

Great. Thanks

[white90]

This is with the wheels in the straight ahead direction and the steering wheel centred.
you can see the drop arm is slightly towards the offside.
This gives full lock to lock and if a Lock stop gets knocked off the box will not hit its own internal stop,

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[haakon]

I think my arm is way off this. I'll post pictures tomorrow

[JST]

Tony, when you set yours up did you turn it 2 times or 3.25 to get centre? need to do mine after the weekend now!

[white90]

I just tried the box lock to lock and then put it in a place where it cannot bottom out the box if a lock stop gets broken.
There is loads of movement towards the offside and not so much towards the nearside when the arm is straight ahead position.
As above the arm will hit tha panhard mounting, the drop arm will only go on it a couple of positions as there is a master spline so it must be close as the next master spline was miles away.
the full lock to lock is just 3.25ish.

[white90]

From Rave
I'll double check mine tomorrow just incase.

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[Les Henson]

I've got a 90 here at the minute. Steering in the straight ahead position (wheels and steering wheel), and the drop arm is pointing straight forward. Left and right hand lock is the same amount (measured at the wheels and on the stops). This is all a bit odd I could jack it up and get all technical - but it's almost 11pm


Les.

[white90]

Well the more dedicated ones here have just been out
removed the drag link turned the steering full towards the LHS (in a Right hand drive)
then turned 2 full turns back to centralise the steering box
the drag link dropped straight back on the measurement from the centre of the swans neck to the centre of the Ball joint is as near to 924mm as is possible to measure.
the drop arm is ever so slightly towards the RHS as seen in the pictures above.
and it is 11:25 here and yes it is dark.

[haakon]

I was wrong . Mine is just a bit to right



Is 924 mm the correct measurement for the drag link?

[ThreeSheds]

This is from an RRC (1990) manual - but might help - read section 96 and look at the diagram top right

[white90]

Yours looks just like mine so I'd be happy with both.
924 is measurement to start with to correct slight steering wheel inaccuracies this can decrease/grow in order to get the wheel dead straight.

[Dave W]

It may be that there are different boxes/arms out there but the boxes and arms I have all have missing splines that make it virtually impossible to get the arm on in the wrong place (unless you get it about 90 degrees out !). All I do on mine is put the box into the middle of it's travel and then put the steering arm on as close to straight ahead as it can go given the "keyed" splines.

[haakon]

white90, on 30 September 2009 - 10:45 AM, said:

Yours looks just like mine so I'd be happy with both.
924 is measurement to start with to correct slight steering wheel inaccuracies this can decrease/grow in order to get the wheel dead straight.

Measure from the center of the ball joint?

[JST]

white90, on 29 September 2009 - 10:28 PM, said:

From Rave
I'll double check mine tomorrow just incase.

Cheers Tony, will sort mine when a box arrives!!!

[white90]

Haakon
centre line of ball joints either end of drag link.