40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
  
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| Wayward steering after changing front air springs |
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Hoping someone might be able to help.
Changed the front air springs about a month ago and ever since the steering hasn't been right. Keep having to make slight adjustments to keep it straight and it seems to wander when cornering. I've had the alignment checked and adjusted by a local LR specialist and it's had two new front tyres recently. It definitely didn't do this with the old springs. Would take the clattering around corners back if it meant the steering stopped doing this.
Any thoughts appreciated.
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 9th Jan 2021 8:16 pm |
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lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
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Tyre pressures?
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:18 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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Tyre pressures all good.
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:22 pm |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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What are your rear tread depths, the tyres on these vehicles should be within a few milimeters normally you replace all of them at the same time.
I would check all if your wheel bearings and suspension components, was the vehicle put into tight tolerance mode when they checked the alignment.
Also is your steering heavy or do you have excess play ? It could be your lower steering shaft
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:29 pm |
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Dazz360
Member Since: 03 Sep 2016
Location: West Mids Walsall
Posts: 871
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As above I’ve just changed my rear wheel bearing and hub carrier bushes also the upper arm all on the same rear right corner , my car did exactly as you describe. Jack each corner safely with the handbrake off and push shove and wiggle it see where the play is.Check all the bushes bolts are tight As aja4x4 says good idea to check how much free play you have in the steering wheel Metal auto sump & fluid change (3 hrs)
LR door puddle projectors (10 mins)
Tinted Bonnet wind deflector (10 mins)
All Intercooler pipes and Tbolts (2hrs)
3 injectors replaced so far (30mins)
Sunroof drain pipes both sides 2.5 hrs)
Rear discs, shoes,pads,callipers,flexi hoses, rigid brake line, n/s upper hub carrier bush and rear n/s upper arm (13hrs over 2 days)
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:42 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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aja4x4 wrote:What are your rear tread depths, the tyres on these vehicles should be within a few milimeters normally you replace all of them at the same time.
I would check all if your wheel bearings and suspension components, was the vehicle put into tight tolerance mode when they checked the alignment.
Also is your steering heavy or do you have excess play ? It could be your lower steering shaft
I'll check rear tread depths but this doesn't seem related to tyres. Immediately before air spring change steering was fine. Upon changing air springs this problem commenced.
They are a respected LR specialist so can only presume they carried it out correctly.
Steering is on the light side I would say. Sort of floaty. Changed lower steering column about two years ago but may need some lubricant.
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:49 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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Dazz360 wrote:As above I’ve just changed my rear wheel bearing and hub carrier bushes also the upper arm all on the same rear right corner , my car did exactly as you describe. Jack each corner safely with the handbrake off and push shove and wiggle it see where the play is.Check all the bushes bolts are tight As aja4x4 says good idea to check how much free play you have in the steering wheel
Will do. So could be a wheel bearing? Just strange that immediately after changing air springs this started. What have thought that I'd notice something like that gradually.
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:53 pm |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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Was it a genuine lower shaft?
I would check how much free play you have at the steering wheel.
Did you have the alignment done straight after the springs were changed?
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:53 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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Thanks all for the prompt replies by the way.
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:53 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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aja4x4 wrote:Was it a genuine lower shaft?
I would check how much free play you have at the steering wheel.
Did you have the alignment done straight after the springs were changed?
Will check also.
As I said to Dazz this problem appeared overnight upon changing air springs. Can't imagine it's be related to the steering column as that would be a gradual thing but I could be wrong - not the first time.
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:57 pm |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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Did you change the springs yourself?
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:59 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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Yes. 
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| 9th Jan 2021 8:59 pm |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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Did you tighten the bolts when the vehicle was on the ground or when it was up in the air?
They should be tightened when on the ground when under load from the vehicle, there was a couple of threads running were people had done them when up in the air and had simular issues.
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| 9th Jan 2021 9:04 pm |
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40Thieves
Member Since: 22 Feb 2019
Location: Halstead
Posts: 10
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I used a small jack to raise the lower control arm to standard ride height before tightening bolts. I took a measurement before raising vehicle to put on axle stands to centre of wheel at standard ride height so should be ok on that but good point.
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| 9th Jan 2021 9:08 pm |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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Thats the same way that i do it.
It may pay to loosen them off and retighten, if you park on a kerb there should be enough room to do it at normal height.
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| 9th Jan 2021 9:12 pm |
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