Let's have a chat about steering...

[Daveluck]

Update...what a mess!

Ok. I think this is going to be a long post with a few pictures. But I beg your indulgence and further advice. I have taken nothing apart yet because things looks so far out of kilter compared with the manual I really dont know where to start

So some of this may be teaching granny to suck eggs for some of you but its all a bit new for me. So I've stated things like where I've got my information from and how I think it works. This is more for my clarity of mind than yours!

All photos are taken with the wheels straight ahead on the floor, the steering wheel with Nissan badge level.

This is a left hand drive so when I say right side I mean passenger side and when I say left I mean drivers.

I'll start with the easy(ish) stuff first.

Vehicle posture / lower arm height. This height is set by the torsion bars.

The difference in height between the center of the lower arm bolt and the bottom of the steering stop bracket. The manual says standard is 31mm

Heres what I have : Right 12mm difference and left 19mm difference. So clearly I'm out both sides and need to adjust the torsion bars. More on this later.

Just checking the stop bump rubber. These have been bottoming out and by the looks of the clean / dust free area where the rubber hits, its doing it a lot and regularly. I cant get my finger between the rubber stop and the chassis. That means that gap is less than 10mm. Does that sound wrong to any of you?

Tie rods So Here's a photo of the tie rods. The first picture shows the right hand side tie bar. This has been fully closed and is about 30mm shorter than the left hand tie bar. The left hand tie bar is more or less inline with the the manual stated length. Now I know when I adjust the torsion bars then these bars will need to be adjusted to take into account the new posture height.

The next photo shows the anti roll bar ball joints. I don't know if this is wrong or right but to my eye it at least one of the ball joints needs adjusting?

Torsion Bars There is a significant difference between the 2 sides. It looks like the left hand bar has been adjusted at some point.

Steering box This photo isn't very clear. There is the pointy arrow on the box pointing straight up which is correct. On the knuckle there is what I think is an alignment tag. This either aligns / slides into the gap on the knuckle where the bolt tightens up. I was under the impression that this tag should line up with the arrow on the box? If it is meant to then I'm out either 1/4 tirn or 3/4s of a turn depending on how you look at it.

So that's what I've found. You views and opinions on what I should put right and in what order would be greatly appreciated!!!

Cheers

Dave

 

[Daveluck]

photos here..

http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/daveluckuk/library/

blimey, what a palaver getting these on.

There is a description with each photo hope that helps.

 

[Blocky10]

Hi Dave. I can see the photo's. :thumb2
If you click on the photo in photobucket, click 'share' then 'get links' you can copy and paste the IMG link into your post. The bottom one. Paste that link into your post and the actual photo will be shown in the thread. :thumb2

 

[Blocky10]

Your truck must be sitting pretty low at the front.
I would wind up the torsion bar on the lowest side until you get it slightly lower than the rear. It may also raise the other side slightly. Take it for a run to settle it and recheck.
If there is no more adjustment available you will need to reindex the torsion bars. Plenty of threads on this. I have also had to do this as although it was level, one side was adjusted fully and the other only half way?
Personally i would get the ride height sorted first then move onto the steering. Other more experienced members will be along with answers soon:thumbs
Don't get disheartened though. You'll get there

 

[Banshee]

Your truck must be sitting pretty low at the front.
I would wind up the torsion bar on the lowest side until you get it slightly lower than the rear. It may also raise the other side slightly. Take it for a run to settle it and recheck.
If there is no more adjustment available you will need to reindex the torsion bars. Plenty of threads on this. I have also had to do this as although it was level, one side was adjusted fully and the other only half way?
Personally i would get the ride height sorted first then move onto the steering. Other more experienced members will be along with answers soon:thumbs
Don't get disheartened though. You'll get there

I have nothing more to add, there's your money shot mate and go from there

 

[Daveluck]

Yes, one side is lower than the back by 80mm the other by 60mm. But given the amount of thread left on one of them looks like lill have to start from scratch.

Do the shocks affect the ride height? I'm just curious about the complete lack of space between the bumpstop and the chassis.

 

[Banshee]

Yes, one side is lower than the back by 80mm the other by 60mm. But given the amount of thread left on one of them looks like lill have to start from scratch.

Do the shocks affect the ride height? I'm just curious about the complete lack of space between the bumpstop and the chassis.

I think some pics are in order sir so we can see what's going on :thumb2

 

[Daveluck]

I think some pics are in order sir so we can see what's going on :thumb2

Banshee, See post 22! Photos of torsion bar adjusters etc.

As you can see 1 torsion bar has at sometime been adjusted but this is still way too low. So I was wondering if maybe the shocks are shot as well?

 

[Blocky10]

Yes pics of your truck on level ground will help.
The shocks shouldn't affect the height if you can bounce the front up and down.
Having looked at your photos again I'd say you will need to reindex the torsion bars.
Do the front wheels droop when jacking the front off the floor?

 

[Banshee]

I think some pics are in order sir so we can see what's going on :thumb2

I'd whip them out totally and start again like I did when I had my gearbox out for the clutch swap, looks like someone has been in there before and tried messing with it for some reason is my guess.

Also a bit worried about the yellow chalk marks on the adjusting bolt thread, they only usually mark stuff in yellow if it's an MOT fail :nenau

 

[Daveluck]

Yes pics of your truck on level ground will help.
The shocks shouldn't affect the height if you can bounce the front up and down.
Having looked at your photos again I'd say you will need to reindex the torsion bars.
Do the front wheels droop when jacking the front off the floor?

Yes, front wheels droop.

What would you guys like me to photo?

 

[Blocky10]

Yes, front wheels droop.

What would you guys like me to photo?

A side shot of the whole truck both sides.
The front height should be slightly less than the rear. As long as it's not pointing skywards when the boot I'd loaded. Doesn't look like there is enough adjustment though.

 

[Daveluck]

I'd whip them out totally and start again like I did when I had my gearbox out for the clutch swap, looks like someone has been in there before and tried messing with it for some reason is my guess.

Also a bit worried about the yellow chalk marks on the adjusting bolt thread, they only usually mark stuff in yellow if it's an MOT fail :nenau

Blimey I hope not. The thing is covered with yellow and white paint marks! I thought it was from the factory!

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

Blimey I hope not. The thing is covered with yellow and white paint marks! I thought it was from the factory!

Mine has them too, nowt to worry about.

Definitely re-index the torsion bars mate, start spraying things with wd40 now once or twice a day and things will hopefully be easier when the time comes. Saying that yours probably won't be seized as bad as ours over here in blighty

 

[Daveluck]

I'll get a couple of photos up tomorrow and I'll have a crack at the bars over the weekend.

Reading up it looks like I need to turn the bars towards the middle of the truck. So the left hand turns clockwise and the right turns anti clockwise. Is that right?

Any suggestions as to how many splines I should move them by?

 

[Banshee]

I'll get a couple of photos up tomorrow and I'll have a crack at the bars over the weekend.

Reading up it looks like I need to turn the bars towards the middle of the truck. So the left hand turns clockwise and the right turns anti clockwise. Is that right?

Any suggestions as to how many splines I should move them by?

As long as the yellow chalk marks haven't been drawn on in big circles with massive rust holes in the middle of them then you're fine :lol

You're spot on mate with the directions of twisting the bars, it's going to be total guesswork how many splines you need to turn on until you're under the truck mate :thumb2

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

I'll get a couple of photos up tomorrow and I'll have a crack at the bars over the weekend.

Reading up it looks like I need to turn the bars towards the middle of the truck. So the left hand turns clockwise and the right turns anti clockwise. Is that right?

Any suggestions as to how many splines I should move them by?

This is the how to in the downloads section mate :thumb2
http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/downloads/workshop/wk46.pdf

 

[Blocky10]

This is the how to in the downloads section mate :thumb2
http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/downloads/workshop/wk46.pdf

Ok? This is not how I done mine. I removed the adjuster off the splines and moved it round that end. I did both at the same time making sure they had the same amount of adjustment available.

 

[solarman216]

Blimey I hope not. The thing is covered with yellow and white paint marks! I thought it was from the factory!

You are correct the paint marks on bolts etc are factory checks, re your steering box, that pic of the input shaft dust cover, there is a molded line on it which in straight ahead should (no must) line up with the cast line on the top of the box, Rick

 

[Daveluck]

You are correct the paint marks on bolts etc are factory checks, re your steering box, that pic of the input shaft dust cover, there is a molded line on it which in straight ahead should (no must) line up with the cast line on the top of the box, Rick

Thanks Rick, I'll have another closer look but if I've got the right bit looks like I'm out by 1/4 turn.


So I know that this will put what tracking there is out by a country mile, but should I adjust the tie bars ( increase the length to the manual standard ) when I adjust the ride height?

I'm concerned about putting unnecessary pressure on the ball joints.