Member Since: 01 Jan 2014
Location: Dumfries, Scotland
Posts: 84
Bottom steering column UJ problem
Hi all,
Just bought first Discovery 3 and have after reading this great site, changed all suspension bushes, anti roll bar bushes and drop links, front diff, changed all oils rewired tow bar and repaired wires to fog lights. Had 4 wheel alignment done twice (didn't tighten bolts tight enough first time ). Steering was notchy and not self centering, slipped off bottom UJ and it was seized on one axis. Ordered a new bottom shaft (QMN500240) and went to fit today. I was unable to split the shaft from the middle shaft so undid the joint inside the car at the pedals and slid the two shafts out together and split on bench. When I went to fit new bottom shaft it was Ok fitting to steering rack but I had to turn the steering wheel about a 1/3 of a turn to get it to fit on the top Nothing has moved. Old shaft doesn't look to have been split before.
I sat the old one and new one side by side and the old one is one flat on the triangle shaped slider out compared to the new one I thought I had just got a faulty one but looking at pictures on the internet it looks right enough slots, captive nuts in same position. Left hand drive different again.
Am I right in saying that the shafts can only go together one way ? (old one fits OK )
If I fitted new shaft and steering wheel nearly half a turn out I would be unable to drive it any distance.
Will I have to take it to somebody with a computer to remove the steering wheel and reset everything?
Please could somebody just tell I have done something stupid.
Has any body split the slider and turn a flat to make the same as old one or is it not advisable to mess with the steering.
Thanks.
4th Feb 2014 11:06 pm
fishinmad
Member Since: 30 Jan 2012
Location: St Ives
Posts: 877
By this do you mean the Universal Joint at the end of the steering column? If so this night help:
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5th Feb 2014 1:54 pm
scaniaman
Member Since: 01 Jan 2014
Location: Dumfries, Scotland
Posts: 84
Yes that's the part. When I place the old one next to the new one the captive nut is about 1/3 of a turn out so when you fit the part to the vehicle you have to move the steering wheel to get the part to line up. Now when going straight ahead the steering wheel is out by more than 1/4 causing suspension to drop and brakes come on.
Looks like somebody has had this to bits before and put it together 1/3 turn out and then got the steering wheel and angle sensor set to match so when I have tried to fit the new one everything is out. Refitted old one to try again and everything is Ok again.
Don't know how steering angle works but if steering wheel and rotary coupling removed and centred can the steering sensor be zeroed in any position??
If you look at the photo below you can see that both UJs are facing the same way but the captive nut at the opposite ends are facing different ways and it only fits on shaft one way. Photo taken just before I split the old shaft to see if I could turn new.
Click image to enlarge
5th Feb 2014 5:27 pm
scaniaman
Member Since: 01 Jan 2014
Location: Dumfries, Scotland
Posts: 84
All OK now . Fitted new bottom column, removed steering wheel and centred the rotary coupling, then refitted the steering wheel straight. Then had to get steering angle sensor reset and all is fine now.
Don't know why the old shaft was different, but just goes to show that after all the big jobs I have done on the Disco this caused the biggest headache because I was expecting a straight forward swap and it all went wrong and was looking for a reason.
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Nothing has moved. Old shaft doesn't look to have been split before.
I thought I had just got a faulty one but looking at pictures on the internet it looks right enough slots, captive nuts in same position. Left hand drive different again.
. Fitted new bottom column, removed steering wheel and centred the rotary coupling, then refitted the steering wheel straight. Then had to get steering angle sensor reset and all is fine now.
