Member Since: 22 Sep 2019
Location: Portstewart
Posts: 44
Hi, trying to resurrect this again sorry, but I too have similar symptoms and would be grateful of any suggestions.
D3 was new to me in October 2019 , and since then I have been trying to get to the bottom of this vague sloppy vibration that I can feel. (Reminds me of driving my dads old work transit vans) Back in November after an mot failure my Indy was replacing brake lines and while he was at it I got him to replace arb bushes all round and drop Links all round. I also gave him both tie rod ends but he said it only needed 1 ( I still have the spare) but he had to get 1 inner rod. He's not a LR specialist just an older cheap and honest mechanic.
Main reason to use the Indy was my lack of free time, but since lockdown I've had the chance to replace the lower steering column myself, which seemed to make a difference eventually but now it seems back to the way it was before. Maybe just in my head.
Therefore my question is when I have the time at the minute should I replace that other inner rod and the outer that he said was ok. Just to be sure? Or abything else? I am fairly handy around the car but I'm still just a driveway mechanic so some bigger jobs can be tricky without a lift/garage etc
One other thing. My tyres are absolutely done. And the wrong size (previous owner whacked on rr sport wheels). When I get the new tyres on I will be getting alignment done too, the tracking on the front wheels is very visibly and clearly out of line . Don't know if that could be the answer too?
Thanks
12th May 2020 10:17 pm
Alphamale
Member Since: 28 May 2014
Location: Belfast
Posts: 496
Hi A.Pinkerton, did you replace the lower steering shaft with a genuine one or an other make? I ask this because I had the same problem after fitting a new lower shaft when the UJ seized and latter ended up with 50mm of slack at the steering wheel.
I went through the whole steering system changing every thing, even fitted a new rack, never thinking that the new (May '19) shaft could be the problem, but it was. It was the only component left to re-examine, just there in May past. I took it out and found the cause of all my wandering and slack steering, at once. As you are probably aware the shaft is collapsible, well it's that, that's the problem with the after market shafts. I put the UJ in a vice, gripped the top with vice grips and found there was 5º rotation between the upper and lower sections of the shaft.
It was still under warranty and I was offered a replacement from the same source, but when I twisted it by hand I found there was about 2º rotation. I asked to check a genuine one and found it had no slack at all. I paid the extra £60+vat for it and after fitting my steering has never been so good.
If the engine bay of the diesel engines is anything like the 4.4 V8s you can't see the shaft in situe so you need to take is out to test it.
So I suggest you take off the lower steering shaft and check it, don't do what I did and renew all the other parts that weren't needed at great expense just to find that something simple was needed.
13th May 2020 11:54 am
Alphamale
Member Since: 28 May 2014
Location: Belfast
Posts: 496
Sorry duplicate posting deleted.
13th May 2020 11:55 am
a.pinkerton
Member Since: 22 Sep 2019
Location: Portstewart
Posts: 44
Thanks for the reply alpha male. Yep I was sort of thinking some one might suggest that. It's a britpart item. Unfortunately though I bought it new unboxed off a private seller on eBay. They had the receipt etc from one of the UK LR parts places. If it is the priblen it'll be money wasted though as obviously no comeback from that sale.
I guess my next move is to take it off again and check it in the vise as you say. It probably would explain why it felt great straight after I fitted it just at the start of lock down, but now after bedding in feels sloppy again.
Thanks for the advice, especially the bit about the telescopic section. I was only ever worried about the UJ. In my original there was about 10 degrees of play so I assumed that was the cause of my issue.
Adam
13th May 2020 12:42 pm
Alphamale
Member Since: 28 May 2014
Location: Belfast
Posts: 496
Adam, as the part is not right you can return it as faulty for a refund just the same as if you got it from your local indy. if the seller won't cough up raise a complaint.
Let me know what you find when you get the shaft out.
My thoughts on these after market shafts is that they could be unsafe and I would now only recommend going with genuine LR ones. I've noticed that may of us have been posting about slack steering, but I'm not sure if they've all recently fitted new shafts as they didn't mention it.
13th May 2020 4:49 pm
a.pinkerton
Member Since: 22 Sep 2019
Location: Portstewart
Posts: 44
Well,
When I took off the plastic to access the top bolt, I noticed the bolt didn't look as if it was completely tight and I could easily wobble the top if the column about. I got a good 5-6 turns on the top bolt and the whole thing now seems a lot tighter. Only had a chance to drive up and down my street so far but it seems a lot better from that short section.
I haven't checked the bottom bolt yet, but I did check it a couple of days after I did the job initially. Will get the sump guard off later and take a look.
I used new genuine bolts when I did the replacement so I would be surprised if the top bolt had loosened itself.
Only thing I can think of is it's my own fault. I can remember fitting the top bolt first just and consciously not nipping it up until I got the bottom bolt on properly. I'm now doubting whether I went back to tighten it right up. I thought I had but now who knows.
Now it'll be a case of observing it. Very glad we are on lock down and I had only been doing short trips to shop and back. After a bit of driving I will update.
Once again thanks for advice alphamale. I would've still been poking around at tie rods and steering racj when actually the suggestion to 're check the steering column might have sorted the issue.
13th May 2020 6:53 pm
Alphamale
Member Since: 28 May 2014
Location: Belfast
Posts: 496
Good that you caught that could have been bad had that bolt dropped out. With it tight and if it was the source of the problem you should find that, when you wiggle the steering wheel there is NO slack and the road wheels move instantly as you turn left and right and that's with or without the engine running.
13th May 2020 10:27 pm
a.pinkerton
Member Since: 22 Sep 2019
Location: Portstewart
Posts: 44
Bit more driving today and tested the steering with ignition off. All feels nice and tight. I'll keep a close eye on everything for next few weeks.
As you say it was good I caught it early. The bolt definitely wasn't tight but it didn't feel like it was going to vibrate out either if you know what I mean, but definitely lesson learned.
I will update after a lot more driving to report on longevity of aftermarket column
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