Steering Problem
Discussion
Good evening all.
I seem to have developed a problem with the steering on my 1996 4.0 Chimera.
Its a bit difficult to put my finger on it but here goes: When manuvering at very low parking speeds, somtimes it feel like the power steering is working and then seconds later it seems that it has stoped helping me out.
When chuffing along at higher speeds it is almost as if there is a slight restriction to steering that requires a little more effort to get past, then once past that point it frees up, not very nice as I put in a little extra effort and then the resistance dissapears with predictable problems! This slight resistance starts around and about two inches of movment of the wheel in either direction. When on the motorway earlier today, I found that I could turn the car to go around the very long and gentle sweeps, but anything worse than that I had to get over the restriction.
Can anyone help please? Is it the pump on the way out? I have checked the fluid and it is nicly topped up so there has been no leaking.
Thanks very much for your time and thoughts.
James.
>>> Edited by bangers on Saturday 15th March 22:06
I seem to have developed a problem with the steering on my 1996 4.0 Chimera.
Its a bit difficult to put my finger on it but here goes: When manuvering at very low parking speeds, somtimes it feel like the power steering is working and then seconds later it seems that it has stoped helping me out.
When chuffing along at higher speeds it is almost as if there is a slight restriction to steering that requires a little more effort to get past, then once past that point it frees up, not very nice as I put in a little extra effort and then the resistance dissapears with predictable problems! This slight resistance starts around and about two inches of movment of the wheel in either direction. When on the motorway earlier today, I found that I could turn the car to go around the very long and gentle sweeps, but anything worse than that I had to get over the restriction.
Can anyone help please? Is it the pump on the way out? I have checked the fluid and it is nicly topped up so there has been no leaking.
Thanks very much for your time and thoughts.
James.
>>> Edited by bangers on Saturday 15th March 22:06
A knackered UJ in the steering column produces symptoms like that - it seems to seize at certain positions and then free up again. Tends to be the top one, my guess is the heat off the exhaust knackers it. A squirt of light oil might help in the short term, but if it's this you'll need a new UJ before long. They last a lot longer it you fit a gaitor to protect them from dirt and heat.
Thanks again to all of you; I found the UJ in the wheel arch and cleaned it off then gave it a good old squirt of WD40 - have been out in it all day and it has been perfect! I suppose I had better put some grease on it now or should I just leave it as it is?
It seemed in very good condition, just cacked up!
Thanks again
It seemed in very good condition, just cacked up!
Thanks again
bangers said: Thanks again to all of you; I found the UJ in the wheel arch and cleaned it off then gave it a good old squirt of WD40 - have been out in it all day and it has been perfect! I suppose I had better put some grease on it now or should I just leave it as it is?
It seemed in very good condition, just cacked up!
Thanks again
A big handfull of copper grease does the trick, and it doesn't wash off quickly either.
A big handfull of copper grease does the trick, and it doesn't wash off quickly either.
Not a big deal, but ideally normal grease is better, coppaslip is really an anti-seize compound rather than a lubricant, the copper particles make it quite abrasive. In a moving joint, you want standard grease or molyslip.
Mine's started playing up a bit recently. It has always leaked a bit, but until recently just topping up the fluid sorted it as soon as it gets a little noisy.
The leak on mine is coming from the rack, one of the steering rods is always covered in oil. The symptoms are, sometimes (and it's more noticable at lower speeds) the steering becomes very stiff, and quite a bit of effort is needed to turn the wheel, then return it to it's centre position. Also when the steering is stiff, there's a loudish squeeking noise coming from the rack area, and it's not the belt squeeking on mine by the way.
I'm having the rack recondtioned this week at Top Cats Racing in Aylsebury. £200 plus labour i think.
As a temporary fix though, I've found that if I give the steering a couple of lock-to-lock turns BEFORE i start the engine seems to fix it for a while.
The leak on mine is coming from the rack, one of the steering rods is always covered in oil. The symptoms are, sometimes (and it's more noticable at lower speeds) the steering becomes very stiff, and quite a bit of effort is needed to turn the wheel, then return it to it's centre position. Also when the steering is stiff, there's a loudish squeeking noise coming from the rack area, and it's not the belt squeeking on mine by the way.
I'm having the rack recondtioned this week at Top Cats Racing in Aylsebury. £200 plus labour i think.
As a temporary fix though, I've found that if I give the steering a couple of lock-to-lock turns BEFORE i start the engine seems to fix it for a while.
bangers,hate to be a contraversial kiljoy,but i wouldnt put grease all over the uj imho.i used to do this until i was advised that i was attracting more cack and small stones than ever and will cause more wear/problems in the long run.now i just wd40 mine occasionally after a blast with hosepipe when washing and it stays lovely and free.
I personally wouldn't use WD40. Too thin - it will dissolve any remaining grease. I use a spray-on grease - its not a problem if the outside of the grease gets all cacky.
A friend in the army warned me against using WD40 on a rifle - you give the weapon a wipe with a WD40 soaked rag and then put it away, only to find the damned thing has rusted when you get it back out again. Far better to use a light oil.
A friend in the army warned me against using WD40 on a rifle - you give the weapon a wipe with a WD40 soaked rag and then put it away, only to find the damned thing has rusted when you get it back out again. Far better to use a light oil.
You may well be right, but having just looked on a tin, it does say that it "lubricates", so I would assume that means that it is a lubricant.
the dodger said:General little known fact about WD-40. It is not a lubricant! It's a very light releasing oil which will free up rusted joints etc, but then they must be lubricated properly. WD-40 will evaporate.
Leadfoot said: You wanna use a nice molybdenum disulphide (sp?) grease on yer UJ's. That should work nicely next to the exhaust.
Or get a gaitor made up & pack it with lithium grese (wheel bearing stuff)
I use the end gator from a steering rack, works a treat. Keeps the grease in and the dirt out.
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