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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
  
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Hi all. Been a while. Searched forum but can't pin-down a recent'ish problem with my steering.
Basically. I know my motor is 7 years old, but I treat it well and recently the steering has got worse:
1. Lots of play in it.
2. Long roads/motorway with certain surfaces it tramlines and is tricky to keep straight
3. When its very windy on the motorway it can be like controlling a boat in a storm
4. Generally feels awful - don't like driving iot anymore
Basically it was never that brilliant. Don't expect it to with this age, but it got noticeable after last years some idiot playing with the 4 wheel alignment and not knowing what they were doing. Then recently I had my indy do these MOT failures:
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)
Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
Offside inner Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.5.C.1a)
Offside Rear upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)
It was miles worse after that. Took it back. He checked it over again and said everything's tightened and he can't see anything wrong and the line "4x4s are generally woolly with steering anyway" :-/
Are there any ideas please on how I can tel my indy or otherwise what to do to get driving with steering that goes where I want it to go!... or is it well past the age where I can expect nay crispness in the steering?
Thanks in advance  Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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 25th Jun 2012 6:22 pm |
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disco_steve
Member Since: 25 Aug 2009
Location: Are you sure this is the M5 ?
Posts: 1498
 
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1, what tyres, pressures ? (sounds daft, but D3 can be sensitive to this)
2, check tyre wear, this can be a good indicator to alignment being adrift
3, get 'proper' 4 wheel alignment done (or at least checked) by an approved LR garage.
4, steering track ends, and also inner track rod 'ends' i.e. jack up and check for side play in wheel.
5, wheel bearings ?
6, don't drink so much 
I wouldn't say a D3 has tight crisp steering, but it is a hell of a lot better than a Defender, or even a earlier Discovery, and there shouldn't really be that much play in the steering wheel when driving Never get mad - get even !!
06 D3 now gone to family member and still going strong at 265k
previous vehicles:
04 D2 TD5 - (clocked 189k from new)
52 X-Trail 2.2 SVE
various euro boxes !
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| 25th Jun 2012 8:30 pm |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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Cheers Steve.
Pressure is bang-on the manual/spec and with nitro fill recently down. New'ish Scorpions all-round.
I was thinking I should get 4W alignment done first as I should have had that done straight after having the work done, but wanted to check-out this problem first otherwise I'll ahem to have it all done again and it aint cheap as we know. Maybe though I should get it done and see if it makes it better.
Bearings, maybe but it's had an LR full visual health check only just before the indy did the work and they didn't say anything about play then. Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 25th Jun 2012 8:35 pm |
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geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
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my money would be on alignment,castor and camber 
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| 25th Jun 2012 8:37 pm |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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It's never been the same since a so called local 4x4 expert tried to adjust my cambers etc by loosening things they shouldn't because the early D3's show up the Vin numbers on the system as a D2 and the 2005 spec has to be manually envied. this means they messed around with bits they shouldn't have. They had it back and supposedly corrected it but it's been a long time and I feel it's been getting gradually worse.
I watch the pot-holes. Only take it in deep mud/light off-road, never turn the wheel when not moving and don't let my wife drive it  so it shouldn't be so bad. Maybe a good 4x4 alignment might have the guys put the camber business right and tighten it up perhaps??? Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 25th Jun 2012 8:42 pm |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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A surprisingly good memory!!!
Plus you'll notice the related comment re not letting my wife drive it anymore after she last whacked it up the kerb.
I later traded in her old hatchback for a good deal on a brand new Nissan Micra. It's a few months old. She's kerbed every wheel and last week taken a corner too tight in a multi-storey car park thus putting a lovely concrete post scrape down the side 
Divorce?! Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 25th Jun 2012 8:50 pm |
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Mr flibble
Member Since: 13 May 2008
Location: Droitwich
Posts: 36
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Hi, Had all the problems you stated (95k miles) and on a return from Disney, couldnt live with wobbly steering or tramlining any longer.
My mate is a mech and asked him to replace everything on the front end. Lower arms, upper arms, track rod ends, rack arms and stabilser links. The ARBs were done recently, so he left them.
Once fitted, got a 4 wheel alignment done by a garage which does the alignments for the local dealership.
OMG what a difference it makes. It is definately like driving a new car again.
He told me that by looking at/fiddling with the arm bushes while on the car is meaningless, as they all looked and felt fine. as soon as he took them off the car, they fell apart.
It would appear that above 80k miles or 5/6 year old cars, vague steering can be put down to these parts.
I thought a good price also. Dealer quoted £1000 for the lower arms only. He did all the parts mentioned above and the alinment for £1350.
Cheaper than the loss I would have had, had I traded in for a newer car.
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| 3rd Sep 2012 11:13 pm |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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Thanks for that feedback. Interesting and kind of reassuring - until you tell us the price!! Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 4th Sep 2012 5:09 am |
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Mr flibble
Member Since: 13 May 2008
Location: Droitwich
Posts: 36
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Lower arms are £150 each
Upper arms are £80 each
Rack arms, TR ends and links are £100 each side
The 4 wheel alignment was £150
Ancillory bits £120
Thing was, I could have just got the lower arms done, but for the extra £160 and an extra hours labour, he did the tops as well. Its all RRS arms as well, so the bushes are much stronger. Funnily enough, he can get RRS arms cheaper than D3 arms.
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| 4th Sep 2012 10:27 pm |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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Because I've heard the RRS ones are the same as the Ford Kugar's Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 5th Sep 2012 5:35 am |
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geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
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Jim
Did you ever get your steering sorted 
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| 5th Sep 2012 5:42 am |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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No, I'm a bit skint at the moment. The timing belt in the priority. Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 5th Sep 2012 5:43 am |
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geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
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Who's doing your timing belt
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| 5th Sep 2012 5:49 am |
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Jim1000
Member Since: 26 Jun 2011
Location: Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
Posts: 315
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Not sure yet. Had a few prices. I've gone past 7yrs but I'm only touching 80k miles so it's technically due, but not a concern. Had quotes a few months ago but have to dig them out. Nov 04 D3 TDV6 HSE Java Black
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| 5th Sep 2012 5:50 am |
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