Maverik Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Hi Folks, Just looking for some pointers with the CT D1, I'm getting some odd steering issues and could do with some brain trust input. Symptoms are: 1) at speed (50+mph) you go over a sort of soft road defect, a ridge or raised area to low or vice versa, the truck suddenly seems to veer with a feeling of a really vague steering feel, I don't think the truck actually veers so much more you suddenly loose your steering "feel". 2) low speeds good positive steering, no feel of slack. 3) Going over pot holes at speed you feel a bit of wobble, but nothing I would term excessive or out of the norm for a defender/disco steering set-up. Actions taken: 1) New front radius arm bushes 2) New front anti roll bar bushes 3) new steering damper 4) new track rod/steering arm ball joints 5) new callipers/discs 6) wheel bearings checked/ tightened ok. 7) New tyres Grabber AT'2 didn't like them so changed to Grabber X3's (higher load rating), better cornering observed but instability still present. 8) new collapsible steering linkage inc new steering UJ's. 9) Done some steering testing when you wobble it back and forth quickly and you see it working on the panhard rod, all looks solid no bush play. 10) New Terrafirma Shocks all around. 11) New HD springs all corners including rear helper springs. I've not got around to bush/ball joint replacement on the rear axle yet, but will plan to do it, I've never really experienced rear axle steer before, but could this be my problem? There is no obvious slack in the steering box, and as it only happens at certain times its making me think its not a steering box issue, although I had a thought to pull the steering arm off and try manipulated the drop arm with the steering wheel locked still. Thoughts for inspiration gladly received. Cheers Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 What are the shocks like? A worn shock can give bounce as well as steering wobble. Otherwise yes, sounds like it could be rear-axle related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 Addendum:- 1) New Terrafirma Shocks all around. 2) New HD springs all corners including rear helper springs. I've not noticed anything odd with the shocks, she's a heavy vehicle so would be hopefully quite obvious if I get a shock problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Oh, and what are the swivel preloads like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 I've not actually looked at them with my fish scale to see what they're pulling, but I had em jacked up with a crow bar under the wheel looking for any wobble, which all looked fine. Will put it on the list to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 The swivels are the usual suspects for this sort of thing. It can only take one itty-bitty little shim too much to make them too loose - of course I learned that the typical way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I vote swivels too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPendrey Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I did (almost) the same as you, and only fixed it by finally replacing the steering box. There was some improvement by sorting one of the swivels, but still had the wobble at 50mph + a bump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 ok swivels check have bumped up the list over A frame ball joint and trailing arm bushes. There is another symptom, which may or may not be connected, could be my bad driving, but when you change gear especially 4th to 5th I find I'm correcting a little veering or swerve... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 That last one sounds very like 'rear steer' caused by either trailing arm or a frame bushings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Any movement on the rear axle would cause steering stability problems, and it's hardly rare for the trailing arm bolt holes in the brackets on the axle to become worn to oval. Do you have any kind of suspension lift, and if so, did you correct the steering castor angle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 No purposeful lift, might have got a bit from the HD springs but nothing that should cause any camber issues, I've got more on the 90 and I switched back to standard arms as it was crushing my bushes in the wrong direction as the lift wasn't enough for the corrected arms. ok swivels and rear axle bushes equal priority, my gut is telling me to look at the rear end now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 If you've ever driven a little builder's dumper you will appreciate just how hard it is to keep straight with even just a tiny bit of steer from the back wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I can't imagine HD springs having a significant lift either. I had bad problems a long while ago on my RRC. The bushes were pretty bad, but replacing them had little effect. It turned out to be the track rod adjustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 On 9/8/2017 at 2:19 PM, Maverik said: ok swivels check have bumped up the list over A frame ball joint and trailing arm bushes. There is another symptom, which may or may not be connected, could be my bad driving, but when you change gear especially 4th to 5th I find I'm correcting a little veering or swerve... Many years ago, whilst touring the back roads in Botswana, my Disco started doing the same. It got progressively worse. When I checked the suspension, I discovered that the left hand lower link mounting rubber was torn I replaced the rubber, and the tendency to veer when changing gear was gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 So after a rather busy weekend I've. Changed steering arm ball joints (turns out I'd not done these balls and there was a tad bit of play in one of the balls) Next was to remove the A frame and replace the main ball joint and upper bushes and bolts (passenger side chassis bush was considerably soft compared to other side) Finally stripped of the trailing arms and re bushed the axle end and new chassis bush units. As per standard operation it wasn't till the last bolt before the true problem showed itself. (Drivers side) As soon as I took the tension off the chassis side of the arm the "float" became hideously apparent. I'd had a crow bar in the gap previously and i couldn't get the bushed end to do anything odd, least I've got a nice problem find. Luckily the mount wasn't fully oval, just a worn ring on the inner side of the mount, so I made up some washes that fitted in the gap snuggly the allow the bush to be clamped properly. Test drive complete, wandering now stopped whoop! Also the change gear clunk has been reduced, must have been a worn A frame ball joint. Tired and rather filthy but happy chappy. Thanks for input chaps. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Wow that is a goodly lot of work to get done. Brilliant result too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 That is a good result! Busy chap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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