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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1841

 
Centering steering puzzlement
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...
Post #821895 28th Mar 2020 9:47pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17361

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
The first thing I would do is to check if the steering box fitted to your vehicle has provision for a centring bolt to be fitted at the heel of the drop arm. If it does, raise the front wheels from the ground and fit the centring bolt. The steering wheel should then be correctly aligned. If it is wildly out, remove the wheel and fit it as straight as possible on the splines (it should be perfect, but you know LR tolerances).

Once you have the steering wheel correctly aligned, adjust the drag link as required to make the vehicle drive striaght ahead with the wheel straight, and the track rod to obtain correct tracking.

Finally adjust the lockstops to prevent the tyres rubbing on the radius arms and to obtain equal full lock left and right.

If your box doesn't have provision for the centring bolt, disconnect the drag link from the drop arm and find the mid point of the drop arm's travel by counting the turns from one extreme to the other with the drag link disconnected. Then proceed as above.
Post #821898 28th Mar 2020 9:54pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1841

 
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...
Post #821916 28th Mar 2020 11:08pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17361

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
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.
Post #821940 29th Mar 2020 7:42am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17361

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
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
Post #821943 29th Mar 2020 7:46am
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1841

 
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...
Post #821986 29th Mar 2020 10:01am
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hank



Member Since: 12 Sep 2016
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2296

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
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
Post #822071 29th Mar 2020 3:02pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1841

 
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...
Post #822121 29th Mar 2020 6:24pm
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benniferj



Member Since: 20 Oct 2016
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 361

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Oslo Blue
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
Post #822202 30th Mar 2020 7:54am
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