DaveH Posted April 4 Report Share Posted April 4 Steering on the Spit is not as light as I’d expected, and really stiff as I approach full lock. No noises, clunks or play, apart from a bit of a squeal from the steering column area. Any suggestions as to what the likely suspects might be? Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 4 Report Share Posted April 4 Its like this even with the front wheels off the ground? It could be a few things but one possibility is a worn steering rack that has been compensated for in the middle (most worn bit) which then makes it tight at the non worn outer ends. Its easy to check as you repeat the test but with the rack centre tensioning nut undone a few turns to release the pressure and then see if steering is easier. If not the problem is elsewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 4 Author Report Share Posted April 4 Not had the car wheels up yet, but will check at the weekend. i know something isn’t right as the indicators don’t self cancel either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 4 Report Share Posted April 4 Ah cant see how the indicator problem can be related to stiff steering... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 4 Author Report Share Posted April 4 I think there’s a lug / pin on the steering column that’s supposed to engage at the 3 o’clock position. If it’s in the right place, then I guess the indicator stalk is another issue. But if not at 3 o’clock, that might point to the column having been fiddled with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 some thoughts rack damper has had too many shims removed to reduce free play has a repro modern UJ been fitted in the column and its seized lack of oil in the trunnions use ep 90 never use grease lack of grease in the rack (may need a nipple fitted) low tyre pressures modern tyres need more than the manual PSI add 4 to 6 psi extraa squirt of lube in the top column bush should solve the squeal the cancelling can be failed switch ,the clip on the column is located by a dimple, so its not really movable the column may be mispositioned on the UJ or rack to set the lug on the clip to 3 oclock Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 Yes as Pete says start with the simple things but if the tightness is right at the end of travel it could be the trunnions have been wound on too far and are coming to the end of their thread before reaching full lock. Difficult to ascertain this and a bit of pain to correct if it is the case. If you cant find any other explanation I think I would mark up the track rod end positions and undo both. Then of course the rack should be perfectly easy to run from one end to the other and you can also check for full range of movement of each wheel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 it is also worth pull the N/S gaiter off and manually grease the rack as this end is lubed for life the rack and the end bush go dry the rack greaser (normally plugged ) needs a niple fitting this lubes the pinion and the rack damper the damper shoe just rubs on the back of the rack this is where incorrect shims will overide the spring and cause dead /stiff feeling you need to plod through all the ideas on here as these problems/solutions can be very varied . Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 5 Author Report Share Posted April 5 Thanks chaps, I'll start working through those suggestions & let you know what I find out. I have to replace the TRE boots anyhow, so a good overhaul of the steering comes at the right time, if there ever is one! 🤪 Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 6 Author Report Share Posted April 6 (edited) Busted out the EP90 to oil the trunnions as first port of call. No joy, couldn’t get anything through the grease nipples so took them off. Gunged solid with grease. Couldn’t get anything in the trunnions with the nips off either, so I’m guessing they are packed too. looks like I’ll be stripping or replacing those then when I do the TRE’s. Edited April 6 by DaveH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 well that keeps you out of mischief Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 On 05/04/2024 at 09:56, Pete Lewis said: it is also worth pull the N/S gaiter off and manually grease the rack as this end is lubed for life the rack and the end bush go dry Hi Pete. I'm going off my visual memory here, though will the gaiter, not just slide along the track rod arm, for access? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 If your trunnions are full of grease this may be the answer to your stiff steer at full lock. The grease has gone solid and wearing the trunnions. End of the day you are replacing them and no understand why we use EP 90 not grease. Oooh that lovely topic again. Just need reference to the oil by pass to the head, to bring JohnD in. 😂😂😂😂😂 Graham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 6 Author Report Share Posted April 6 Do we have a preferred choice of trunnion / supplier, or are they all much of a muchness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 2 hours ago, daverclasper said: the gaiter, not just slide along the track rod arm, yes but as it is convoluted you can squeeze it up to access the rack bush end if it slides up the track rod , just pull it back when done there is no greaser , its hands on job Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 1 hour ago, DaveH said: Do we have a preferred choice of trunnion / supplier, or are they all much of a muchness? There has been an issue of oil leaking out of the base of some new trunnions but unfortunately we dont know which ones. However if you get them from one of the main suppliers they should carry the Stanpart name and are hopefully better quality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 6 Author Report Share Posted April 6 Righto, cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 7 Author Report Share Posted April 7 I have TRE’s, upper ball joints & lower shock bushes to change out at the same time, but is there anything else worth doing whilst I’m at that level of disassembly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Sounds like its done some miles then but I presume the wishbone bushes, trunnions and shocks are all ok? However for peace of mind you could take off the hubs to inspect and regrease wheel bearings plus remove backplates. This would then allow the trunnions to be unscrewed for an inspection of the vertical link threads that are can be prone to corrosion and failure. The only sticking point might be that the trunnion bush bolts can rust in their sleeves and so need cutting out which isnt a fun job. Saying that I wonder if with everything else dismantled (top ball joints, track rods, shock, brake calipers, hubs and back plate off) you couldnt just unscrew the vertical link from the trunnion without touching their bush bolts - perhaps someone on here has done it like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 7 Author Report Share Posted April 7 Mileage is a bit of an unknown. Speedo states 13k, but that could easily be a replacement speedo. Not many historical MOTs to give the real truth. Ball joints & TREs only being replaced as the boots flagged as an advisory, so I thought I’d replace the lot just to be safe. Shock bushes may be okay, no issues driving, they just look grimey, so swapping them out for SupaFlex ones. I suppose I’m quite risk adverse (comes from working in insurance) so just playing safe. May just go trunnionless at this rate! 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Ah wait a minute, you might be best off getting just new (hopefully) better quality gaiters. Ive just done this on my top ball joints as theyre fine but the gaiters didnt last two years! Got them from balljointboots.co.uk but too early to say how theyre going to last.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted April 7 Author Report Share Posted April 7 Righto, thanks chief! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Sorry just looked and got it wrong. These I got for the top ball joints off eBay - they felt strong and fitted perfectly... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted April 10 Report Share Posted April 10 On 06/04/2024 at 20:38, Pete Lewis said: yes but as it is convoluted you can squeeze it up to access the rack bush end if it slides up the track rod , just pull it back when done there is no greaser , its hands on job Pete Cheers Pete. Will bear it in mind, when I have some car time. Once accessed, is the actual bush greaseable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 10 Report Share Posted April 10 no you can only apply copious amounts to the rack and wind it in and out to transpose some to the bush Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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