 | Home > Technical > Centering steering puzzlement |
 
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829  |
Evening all,
As the title says, I'm a little puzzled - though it doesn't always take much! Been doing some work on the car which meant that the track rod had to be disconnected. Taking the opportunity to fit a spare one, as the original was like a banana in a bendy competition. While I'm at it, I thought I would go back to base principles and check that the steering was all properly set up. First step would be to check that the steering is centered. The workshop manual tells me a 300Tdi steering is 3.375 turns lock to lock. So, in a simplistic way, I'd have thought that the middle would be something along the lines of 1.67 turns back from full lock. However the manual also says, to center the steering on a RHD vehicle, that I should go to full left lock, then come back two turns...? I must be missing something, but that would seem to be too much?? And, presumably, to get to "full left lock" I'd have to remove the steering lock stop bolts in the RH swivel housing?? I'm wondering if the answer to my 2 turns vs 1.67 is something to do with the steering ratio changing between the centre and lock positions? I suppose what I really need is confirmation that "left lock and back two turns" works OK, as well as a view on the stop bolt question. (Edit - or am I supposed to do all this with the drag link disconnected?) Ta Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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28th Mar 2020 10:47pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Many thanks BW,
Too late and cold to go out to garage now. Will it be pretty obvious if the box has the centering option? Presumably the bolt goes up into the box when its centered? Kind of like the timing pin goes up into the flywheel? Ta Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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29th Mar 2020 12:08am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 16857  
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Yes, there's a vertical groove in the heel of the drop arm which when centred lines up with an M8 (IIRC) tapped hole in the rear lower face of the box.
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29th Mar 2020 8:42am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 16857
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Found a pic, this is looking at the bottom rear of the box looking upwards. Not all boxes have this (bloody value engineering)!
https://i.imgur.com/XknLX65.jpg |
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29th Mar 2020 8:46am |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Thanks again BW, that couldn't be clearer. I'll be out to the garage shortly and now I know exactly what I'm looking for. Donald
1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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29th Mar 2020 11:01am |
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| hank Member Since: 12 Sep 2016 Location: South Wales Posts: 2224 
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Fingers crossed you have the hole but if not, this image is taken from Gwyn Lewis website and may provide some useful info
 Click image to enlarge > 110 XS Double Cab > Instagram @simonlanemind |
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29th Mar 2020 4:02pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Thanks gents.
Yep, I do have the "slot and hole"..! And whats more, it was only a midgie's bawhair away from being centered. That's a recognised Scottish unit of measurement. That said, as we are in "lockdown" I've decided to get something I've often thought of - Gwyn Lewis' sumobar set up and the Disco drop arm conversion. The only really tricky thing (I hope) will be removing the old drop arm - and I've got a cutting disc on the grinder. I checked that Gwyn was still working, and the facebook page says he is. I'll be working tomorrow and Monday, but then on actual leave for the rest of the fortnight. Plenty of time to get this sorted. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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29th Mar 2020 7:24pm |
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| benniferj Member Since: 20 Oct 2016 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 361 
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I am doing exactly the same thing. I happen to have a Disco drop arm and nut and washer brand new on the shelf... and a set of HD Adrenalin Arms I bought for a Disco that I sold so are just kicking around.
So I have ordered the damper relocation mount from Adrenalin and am going to do the same thing. Have started pouring the splines of the 110 with DeBlock Oil already and am going to start by just loosening the nut and taking it for a spin around the block and see if it moves at all first. Otherwise it's grinder O clock. I have done this before and its difficult to get good clean access so you may need to drop your panhard to get a good angle into it. I also have some 3" slitting discs on my air cut off grinder that may be handy for it too. Definitely arm yourself with all the tools! A good cold chisel too. Insta: @thebenjordan4x4 |
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30th Mar 2020 8:54am |
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