Defender wheel shake

[Rannsachair]

New steering box being delivered tomorrow from Inverness 4x4, arm already fitted.

 

[sako243]

I know it shouldn't make a difference but swapping mine over to Gwyn's Disco kit made a massive difference to the feel of the steering. Much tighter (plus easier maintenance).

 

[willie.macleod]

Does it really need the whole box replacing or was it just a case of wanting it sorted asap with the minimum fuss? The arm rebuild kit costs less than a tenner and includes all the bits that wear out, good excuse for lathe owners to justify their kit by machining tooling to press out/in the various seats and save abusing sockets! Quick job once you have the bits. I think I've done three rebuilds of mine so far as it pays to keep on top of it although I have been planning to switch to a discovery style one for years as @sako243 suggests seems to be a sensible upgrade.

 

[Rannsachair]

Does it really need the whole box replacing or was it just a case of wanting it sorted asap with the minimum fuss? The arm rebuild kit costs less than a tenner and includes all the bits that wear out, good excuse for lathe owners to justify their kit by machining tooling to press out/in the various seats and save abusing sockets! Quick job once you have the bits. I think I've done three rebuilds of mine so far as it pays to keep on top of it although I have been planning to switch to a discovery style one for years as @sako243 suggests seems to be a sensible upgrade.

The steering box is not right there is radial movement of the steering box shaft. It was a reconditioned box fitted 10 years ago.

 

[8ob]

Can't usually get a conventional puller onto the arm as insufficient gap and no flats on the arm. When I did one on my 90, I ended up taking the box off and cutting through the arm to remove it. I was putting a whole new arm on anyway. Certainly worth trying to get one of the specialist pullers to save the agro of removing the box.

The only puller I have come across that gets these arms off in one is the snapon cj119B, god knows what its made of, its seriously strong.

 

[OJCar]

These work OK.
https://www.hnjengineering.co.uk/pages/products/hnj7000000/hnj7000000.html

 

[Rannsachair]

Just got an update: New steering box with steering arm and new polybushes in Panhard rod, test drive up to 60 mph and all good. Then took across a rough forest track to bed everything in, now only get the "death shake" on hard braking!

 

[stuvy]

Steering damper?

 

[Gd485]

Just had a friend call in with a violent steering shake on his 2000 Defender TD5 when he hits 40 mph.

He has replaced the track rod ends, panhard rod bushes and steering damper, he found a little play in the steering box drop arm ball joint, so I gave him a repair kit (a legacy of my offroading is a shelf of wheel bearings, UJ's, track rod ends, brake pads etc).

Last time I had anything like this it was the Panhard rod bushes and the mounting hole in the axle had elongated, though he is pretty sure that is all ok.

He has booked in to get all wheels balanced and steering alignment done.

Any other ideas?

I think this maybe too much free play in the steering box.
If the wobble is quite violent and onset by hitting a bump then this is likely to be the cause. Most vehicles today use rack and pinion steering but this shake was a common problem in steering box vehicles of the past.
There is a nut and slotted screw on the top of the steering box that can be adjusted to take out the backlash. If the box is too badly worn adjusting the box will make the steering stiff at either ends of travel, if this is the case then a recondition item is needed.
Wheel balance problems show themselves at a particular speed and again at twice that speed. Not had CV problems on defender case a vibration problem without noise on hard lock.
Panhard rod usually knocks and gives vague handling and the same goes for track rods and drag link.
I hope that helps.

 

[Rannsachair]

Steering damper?

Britpart gas one fitted a couple of years ago, bushes do not look great.

 

[Rannsachair]

I think this maybe too much free play in the steering box.
If the wobble is quite violent and onset by hitting a bump then this is likely to be the cause. Most vehicles today use rack and pinion steering but this shake was a common problem in steering box vehicles of the past.
There is a nut and slotted screw on the top of the steering box that can be adjusted to take out the backlash. If the box is too badly worn adjusting the box will make the steering stiff at either ends of travel, if this is the case then a recondition item is needed.
Wheel balance problems show themselves at a particular speed and again at twice that speed. Not had CV problems on defender case a vibration problem without noise on hard lock.
Panhard rod usually knocks and gives vague handling and the same goes for track rods and drag link.
I hope that helps.

Thanks, New steering box fitted today

 

[stuvy]

Britpart gas one fitted a couple of years ago, bushes do not look great.

My britpart one died in about 2 1/2 to 3 years was really disappointed

 

[Rannsachair]

Movement on new polybushes looks excessive to me:

 

[reb78]

Britpart .

That could be an issue.....

 

[tom2207]

Movement on new polybushes looks excessive to me:

Lots more than I would have expected ,,, I put a Gabriel damper on a disco I had on 900/16 bar grips , it was a transformation .
But that was a long time ago , not even sure the company still exists , but the nice white steering damper was the biz.

 

[OJCar]

Movement on new polybushes looks excessive to me:

Just a bit !