Sabre Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Apologies if this has been discussed before, I know it is a not too uncommon problem. My Discovery TDi pulls towards the left. Sometimes more than other times, and not road camber or wind related. I have done (possibly) everything to eliminate the problem. Checked tyre pressure (all 4 wheels are Cooper ST) Checked wheel allignment at 2 different places. Renewed all rubber bushes on front and rear suspension with standard LR rubber bushes. Renewed all ball joints. Renewed wheel and swivel pin bearings. New shock absorbers. Brakes are not binding, I checked by jacking up each wheel and rotate the wheel. Anything that I missed ? Could a worn steering box cause this ? (I don't think the steering box is worn, it feels OK) Advice appreciated Regards JZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teabag Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 You have tried everything. Are the four wheels braking if one is not, or not fully, because the caliper/piston is sticking then that would give you the problem. Are all the pads the same thickness. What happened just before you had the problem have you changed something that could be related or did it just appear. There's not much left is there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter deer Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 you do not seem to have played with the adjustment nut just after the arm on the steering box this is the first thing to do half turn or maybe one turn=problem solved !! Think carefully about clock or anticlockwise !! Peter You have tried everything. Are the four wheels braking if one is not, or not fully, because the caliper/piston is sticking then that would give you the problem. Are all the pads the same thickness.What happened just before you had the problem have you changed something that could be related or did it just appear. There's not much left is there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 You have tried everything. Are the four wheels braking if one is not, or not fully, because the caliper/piston is sticking then that would give you the problem. Are all the pads the same thickness.What happened just before you had the problem have you changed something that could be related or did it just appear. There's not much left is there. Applying the brakes tends to correct the problem. Which indicates a problem in the drive train or suspension. What makes it more difficult to trace, is the fact that the pull is not consistent. Sometimes the vehicle will move left slowly, and sometimes the pull is so severe that, if I let go of the steering wheel, it pulls very sharply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 you do not seem to have played with the adjustment nut just after the arm on the steering box this is the first thing to do half turn or maybe one turn=problem solved !! Think carefully about clock or anticlockwise !! Peter No I didn't. Would that not upset the wheel allignment/toe-in ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samtope Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 I have had exactly this problem in the last few weeks on a lorry I was driving. Wheel bearing collapsed on front corner. Towed back to yard.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filthy Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 I have had exactly this problem in the last few weeks on a lorry I was driving. Wheel bearing collapsed on front corner. Towed back to yard.. My Disco has pulled to the left for the year I've had it. I changed EVERY bush on the vehicle - - - - - - - no change. rotated the tyres & wheels around - - - no change. Tracking done 3 times - different places - - - - - no change. Changed front coil springs for new units - - - - no change. Buggered about with steering box - - - - - no change. replaced swivvels both sides - - - - - - no change. reset swivvel tension - - - - - - no change. replaced n/s brake caliper incase binding - - -- no change. Stripped, greased bearings - - - no change. Had chassis jigged for alignment - - - - All OK. Tried compensating with tyre pressures - - - - -no change. tried gas shocks - - - - for the hell of it - - - no change. Conclusion - - - vehicle made of carp & I'm stuck with it. Several other Landy owners agree. You get good ones & bad ones - I got a bad one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter deer Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 No I didn't. Would that not upset the wheel allignment/toe-in ? Sorry ,wrong advice ,I responded too quickly In fact ,I used this adjustment to centre the steering wheel The problem ith my tdi pulling to the left was excessive play in the top swivel pin bearing Taking most of the shims out ,thus reducing the play did cure the problem nb : play in top swivel bearing was due to wear,itself due to rust :water manages to get into the swivel pin housing This may not apply to your case as I think you said you replaced these bearings If that is the case ,might be worth rechecking the play on each wheel,particularly in the vertical plane Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
africanpete Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 My Disco has pulled to the left for the year I've had it.I changed EVERY bush on the vehicle - - - - - - - no change. rotated the tyres & wheels around - - - no change. Tracking done 3 times - different places - - - - - no change. Changed front coil springs for new units - - - - no change. Buggered about with steering box - - - - - no change. replaced swivvels both sides - - - - - - no change. reset swivvel tension - - - - - - no change. replaced n/s brake caliper incase binding - - -- no change. Stripped, greased bearings - - - no change. Had chassis jigged for alignment - - - - All OK. Tried compensating with tyre pressures - - - - -no change. tried gas shocks - - - - for the hell of it - - - no change. Conclusion - - - vehicle made of carp & I'm stuck with it. Several other Landy owners agree. You get good ones & bad ones - I got a bad one. LOL, been there my friend and I have to sympathise with you as I too have a carp one! I sometimes dream of a toy..oops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bm52 Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 binding brake on one side? swivel top bearing? panhard balljoint worn? mine was caused by the swivel bearing and later on by a 'loose' panhard balljoint. now it runs straight and true and brake in a straight line. however, it is a 300tdi Defender regards bm52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Attryde Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I found that the rear trailing arm mounts on mine are not in the same place on the chassis. The offside is 5mm nearer the front of the vehicle than the near side (the chassis is straight and true, well by landrover standards anyway ) This caused the axle to sit crooked and the vehicle to pull to the left slightly. I have used a couple of spacers on the trailing arm to square things up and the pull has gone. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 My TDi300 pulls to the left as well and I have also been down the route of checking everything, all to no avail. However I have been wondering about front / rear axle misalignment as a possible cause and I think Pete is onto something here. Hi Pete, how's it going, hope your well. I'm particularly interested in your solution - rear steering affect of misaligned axle would certainly cause the affect. Once I've put the gearbox back in my Shogun (washes mouth) I shall get the tape measure out and take some measurements. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomikey Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 tha first thing i wud do is take wheels off and check all the brake pads, calipers, discs mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filthy Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 tha first thing i wud do is take wheels off and check all the brake pads, calipers, discs mikey I found thed solution to my disco pulling . . . . it turned out to be that the gian washers each side of the trailing arm bushes on the fronts as well as the rear arms had been tightened so tightly, that the washer had been pushed over the steel bush inside the poly bush. So much so that one side of the vehicle, the wheels were 8mm closer than other side. Replaced the washers & steering was true & straight from then on. Filthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I found thed solution to my disco pulling . . . .it turned out to be that the gian washers each side of the trailing arm bushes on the fronts as well as the rear arms had been tightened so tightly, that the washer had been pushed over the steel bush inside the poly bush. So much so that one side of the vehicle, the wheels were 8mm closer than other side. Replaced the washers & steering was true & straight from then on. Filthy Out of interest which side were they 8mm closer - I'm guessing the near side ? I'm going to do the same check on mine, as it also pulls slightly to the left. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 I found thed solution to my disco pulling . . . .it turned out to be that the gian washers each side of the trailing arm bushes on the fronts as well as the rear arms had been tightened so tightly, that the washer had been pushed over the steel bush inside the poly bush. So much so that one side of the vehicle, the wheels were 8mm closer than other side. Replaced the washers & steering was true & straight from then on. Filthy Mmm...... good point. Will check distance between left & right hand side front to rear. I am on holliday currently, and do not have the Disco with me, but will check in 2 weeks time. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Apologies if this has been discussed before, I know it is a not too uncommon problem. My Discovery TDi pulls towards the left. Sometimes more than other times, and not road camber or wind related. I have done (possibly) everything to eliminate the problem. Checked tyre pressure (all 4 wheels are Cooper ST) Checked wheel allignment at 2 different places. Renewed all rubber bushes on front and rear suspension with standard LR rubber bushes. Renewed all ball joints. Renewed wheel and swivel pin bearings. New shock absorbers. Brakes are not binding, I checked by jacking up each wheel and rotate the wheel. Anything that I missed ? Could a worn steering box cause this ? (I don't think the steering box is worn, it feels OK) Advice appreciated Regards JZ OK, finally had the time to check this out again after all the valuable advice given here. I discovered that the car developed a steering shimmy when I hit bumps, therefore I immediately went to the swivels again. The left side (to which the car pulled) was quite loose. As I tightened the swivels not too long ago, I removed the shims and found that dirt/sand somehow got in between two of the shims. I have no idea how that happened. I cleaned them thouroughly, tightened to 7kg (close to 15lb, seals in place), rechecked the right hand side, and tensioned the same. Problem is now 95% eliminated ! Only a very slight pull to the left, probably road camber induced. These Disco's handle very nicely when they are set up correctly Once again thanks for all the replies, much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Have you tried a different tyre on the front ? My TDi300 pulls to the left as well, and I have been down the route of checking everything out. Shod with 4 Pirelli Scorpion ST's 205/70R16, but today I swapped the front nearside wheel with my brothers RR Classic Mitchelin (235R16) and went for a drive. It eliminated the steering pull . I had previously rotated the Pirelli's and they have also been swapped onto different rims, but that never made any difference. However fitting a single different wheel/tyre seemed to make a big difference. One thing that occurs to me is that when fitted with the 235 Mitchelin, there would be a bit more tread inboard of the centre axis of the swivel pins, which coupled with the caster action may have helped to self centre more positively on the near side. I may take the plunge and replace the tyres, as I have eliminated everything else. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Have you tried a different tyre on the front ?My TDi300 pulls to the left as well, and I have been down the route of checking everything out. Shod with 4 Pirelli Scorpion ST's 205/70R16, but today I swapped the front nearside wheel with my brothers RR Classic Mitchelin (235R16) and went for a drive. It eliminated the steering pull . I had previously rotated the Pirelli's and they have also been swapped onto different rims, but that never made any difference. However fitting a single different wheel/tyre seemed to make a big difference. One thing that occurs to me is that when fitted with the 235 Mitchelin, there would be a bit more tread inboard of the centre axis of the swivel pins, which coupled with the caster action may have helped to self centre more positively on the near side. I may take the plunge and replace the tyres, as I have eliminated everything else. Regards No, have not tried that. But I doubt if it will help, all the Disco owners I know have the same problem ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DiscoTD4 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 No, have not tried that. But I doubt if it will help, all the Disco owners I know have the same problem ! Fair enough, I felt the same, but having eliminated everything else it was the only thing left to do and as I say cured the problem. If nothing else I now know everything suspension and steering wise was in order, just wished I'd done the test first as would have saved a lot of bother! I should say that if everything is correct, then they will steer straight, I have had a couple of Disco's from new and neither had steering issues. Cheers and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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