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garrygun

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Hi guys, is there anything you can do to the steering to stop over correcting?

ive adjusted steer box but still same, any conversions?

cheers Garry.

Is the relay unit on the front crossmember stiff due to lack of lubrication ? This usually results in constant overcorrection. What about the steering arm on the bottom of the relay ? Is it loose on the shaft ? Tierod ends , worn? Steering arms on swivel housings loose? Front or even rear spring ''U'' bolts, loose? Toe in /toe out ?

bill.

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Is the relay unit on the front crossmember stiff due to lack of lubrication ? This usually results in constant overcorrection. What about the steering arm on the bottom of the relay ? Is it loose on the shaft ? Tierod ends , worn? Steering arms on swivel housings loose? Front or even rear spring ''U'' bolts, loose? Toe in /toe out ?

bill.

Ive done all usual checks &replaced ball joints but still same,steering is easy no tight spots,get 45 mph

your constantly correcting. Forggot to say its 88 ser 11a ish 1970.

thanks for reply, Garry.

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Ive done all usual checks &replaced ball joints but still same,steering is easy no tight spots,get 45 mph

your constantly correcting. Forggot to say its 88 ser 11a ish 1970.

thanks for reply, Garry.

If everything suggested checks out ok,

It may be due to insufficient castor angle, although I don't know how this would change unless you have excessively high rear springs and flat front ones

Bill.

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It's a Series, it's always gonna be like driving a bus! You could spend years trying to correct something that probably left the factory like that... :rolleyes:

I think your right, i was just hoping that there might be some other cure or conversion,

i spoke to two other guys with series11s today theyve same symtoms done everthing

but still same, think ill have to grin&bear it.

if someone has managed to sort this out it would be nice to share your findings.

thanks for your replies Garry.

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You could try castor wedges between the springs and the spring mounting platforms on the front axle. Before spending money on wedges you could experiment by loosening the ''U'' bolts enough to squeeze a 3'' length of 1/4'' diameter rod between the front of the platform and spring on both sides, tighten back up and go for a test drive.

Bill.

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Been there! Done that!

Two items will cause what you describe, despite efforts to correct them like new tie rod ends. The most expensive, hardest to fix and least likely is that you have bias ply tires and they are wearing. Stick new or used radial on and it will fix itself.

The most likely item, as mentioned in a previous post, and incredibly easy to fix; is to lube the steering relay. It takes about a table spoon of EP 90 (80-90) the same oil as your transmission, diffs and hubs. If the seal on the bottom of the relay is leaking, you will find you have to add 20 drops of oil every month or so. To add, it takes patience as it has to go in one drop at a time. If you are lucky, there is a small bolt right in the top centre of the steering relay shaft. I've never seen one like this but apparently they exist. More likely, you will have to take out two of the four vertical bolts around the top shoulder of the unit, not the horizontal bolts that clamp it to the cross member. If you turn the top steering so the arm on the unit is at 90 degrees (wheels about straight ahead) Use a nut driver (5/16"-looks like a screw driver.) and undo two of the bolts. Drizzle oil into one of the holes and the other acts like a breather. When oil appears at the top of the breather hole, you have it full. Replace both bolts and drive away. The over correcting problem should dissappear after a few dozen miles. Takes almost 20 minutes, no skinned knuckle and only about 7 cents worth of oil.

If the bottom seal is leaking, it is really easy to replace this while it is in place. Drop the bottom arm off, pull the old seal and install the new one. On goes the bottom arm, refill with oil as described and drive away. I found out after I did mine and broke two of the little bolts, that you don't have to take off the round centering plate at the bottom of the relay.

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I have the same problem, and this after a total rebuild.

One way to overcome it is do drive differently. I know that this sounds stupid, but I have an idea that we get used to vehicles that either have much more positive steering or have power steering, and that if you drive the Land Rover as you would these vehicles you get oversteering that you have to correct, which again needs correcting ect.

Try this. Steer into a corner with less steering movement than you think you need (ie. understeer). I find that if I do this the vehicle turns much more than I expect and she goes round at the correct angle. On a straight road do no more than turn the steering wheel against the free play to correct wander. If this works for you after a while it becomes automatic, but it did take me time to get used to it.

In conclusion- treat it like a woman, with slow gentle touches, and expect that it takes time to react (lol).

1972 SIII SWB

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A few other things I found when I had to fix mine for a road worthy cert (mot?)

Make sure the steering box is centered - ie disconnect the pitman then count turns lock to lock, count back half of this and mark or lock the steering wheel in this posistion. Set the rest of the geometry to this mark. (or an even better way is to jack the front off the ground - you'll feel the high spot as the steering is a bit stiffer. It's subtle - but there) There is a high spot in the centre of the box worm, if you are not on this high region you'll get slop. Adjust the box screw / preload adjuster so that you get light but noticable resistance on the high spot ONLY.

Also - the steering box is mounted all stupid - up high on a flimsy bracket also supported by the bukhead sheet metal :rolleyes: . Make sure these bolts and fixings are good and tight.

Toe in makes a big differance to tracking, get it right and it will drive straight without constantly correcting(even with sloppy everything). If it's out, you'll be is correcting all the time.

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Guest dew110CSW

Move onto 90/110s and it hasn't improved much...

You get used to it, until you jump into a slightly more presise car and wind up oversteering into EVERY little bend.

I know people who've gone all through the steering train of Series and found it to be just as bad (if not worse) once they have finished!

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