Limp, Unresponsive Steering

[Banshee]

So I've noticed that my truck and every other Terrano I've sat in and tried has naff steering. Really unresponsive and very floppy and loose. Since I've put my steels on and BFGoodrich AT 31's it's only made things worse.

Now I know these are never going to be as precise and responsive as a newer car with a rack and pinion steering set up but is there anything I can do to tighten things up?

I've read about the steering box mod, will this achieve what I'm looking for? And I'm sure I've also read that someone brought and fitted a steering damper recently? :nenau

The feedback through the steering wheel just feels terrible and I hope you all understand what I mean :nenau

I could be doing 3 in a straight line and reckon I could swing the steering wheel from side to side either way and have no effect on the direction of travel :doh

Somebody please offer me a miracle cure

 

[Barrbeast]

Steering in a 4x4 is almost always going to be a bit vague compared to a normal car - all my trucks, Nissan or Mitsubishi have been the same. I just see it as the trade off for the robustness to handle proper offroad use.

 

[Banshee]

Steering in a 4x4 is almost always going to be a bit vague compared to a normal car - all my trucks, Nissan or Mitsubishi have been the same. I just see it as the trade off for the robustness to handle proper offroad use.

Even so that amount of play is still excessive in my opinion :nenau

 

[Madmark]

Have checked for play in ball joints or the idler arm as the bushes in mine we're shot so bought new arm and was loads better

 

[AlexD333]

So I've noticed that my truck and every other Terrano I've sat in and tried has naff steering. Really unresponsive and very floppy and loose. Since I've put my steels on and BFGoodrich AT 31's it's only made things worse.

Now I know these are never going to be as precise and responsive as a newer car with a rack and pinion steering set up but is there anything I can do to tighten things up?

I've read about the steering box mod, will this achieve what I'm looking for? And I'm sure I've also read that someone brought and fitted a steering damper recently? :nenau

The feedback through the steering wheel just feels terrible and I hope you all understand what I mean :nenau

I could be doing 3 in a straight line and reckon I could swing the steering wheel from side to side either way and have no effect on the direction of travel :doh

Somebody please offer me a miracle cure

This is identical to mine, thus the trip to ricks tomorrow.

I have a drag link and two tie rod ends to replace, I already tried the idle arm bush and it made no difference.

If you want an interesting test jack up one front wheel and see if it moves whilst the other is stationary on the ground. If so, same as mine :thumb2

 

[Sweety]

Steering is errrm crap:lol but as parts wear like the drag link, steering idler & track rod ends things get worse:doh have you checked for any play in the system yet ? TBH the vague steering is a pain on road but off road it's a bit of a blessing as the steering wheel doesn't get ripped out of your hands every time you hit a bump or rock:augie

 

[jims-terrano]

Thats the one thing I don't have a problem with on either of mine. Unless after 13 years of ownership I've got used to it, doesn't sound as good as Rustic does it.

 

[rustic]

Thats the one thing I don't have a problem with on either of mine. Unless after 13 years of ownership I've got used to it, doesn't sound as good as Rustic does it.

After all these years, mine has never been limp...

I guess with this type of steering there will be some lost motion, but mine is still running on all original steering and suspension parts, and bushes, except I have replaced the two front upper ball joints in the last two years.

I drove a works LWB land rover once... now that was like how they used to drive in the old American movies... steering wheel up and down about 6" just to keep it in a straight line, now if there were ruts in the road... boy oh boy...
I guess with the Terrano / Maverick movement of say +/- 30mm at the wheel can be considered normal. You just get used to it.

Wheel bearings need to be adjusted up correctly, will help.:thumb2

 

[briggie]

Thats the one thing I don't have a problem with on either of mine. Unless after 13 years of ownership I've got used to it, doesn't sound as good as Rustic does it.

rustics truck does sound good , I think hes had it longer than 13 years though :augie

 

[AlexD333]

After all these years, mine has never been limp...

.:thumb2

I thought there was another filthy line coming up :lol

 

[makeitfit]

Banshee it is the inbuilt naff-ness of six ball joints and a design error that allows twist in the system.plus the steering idler bushes then there's the rubber doughnut in the steering column :augie
As said above if each one of those joints gets half a mil of play you get a lot of slop.
The steering box arms part of my mod will reduce a whole lot of play just by stopping the drag link twisting.
All the above gets accentuated the bigger the tyres get
Then ontop of all that lot have you lifted your suspension and then not fully corrected for castor and camber ?
That should keep you busy for a bit .

 

[Banshee]

Banshee it is the inbuilt naff-ness of six ball joints and a design error that allows twist in the system.plus the steering idler bushes then there's the rubber doughnut in the steering column :augie
As said above if each one of those joints gets half a mil of play you get a lot of slop.
The steering box arms part of my mod will reduce a whole lot of play just by stopping the drag link twisting.
All the above gets accentuated the bigger the tyres get
Then ontop of all that lot have you lifted your suspension and then not fully corrected for castor and camber ?
That should keep you busy for a bit .

Thats the kinda post i was after!!!! Cheers Pete

So if I find another steering box and mod it like you did to yours in one of your other threads my steering will be better?

I've had back the few hundred mile old tie rod ends, steering idler and centre steering bar from my Maverick before i scrapped it. I'll be fitting those to the Terrano soon so that might tighten things up a bit

 

[AlexD333]

If it helps I'll let yo know what sort difference it makes, Rick is kindly doing tierods and drag link to hopefully eliminate the same issue. :thumb2

 

[macabethiel]

Naff steering.

When I passed my test back in 1965 all cars were like you described with the one exception of the Austin Mini !!

Even rack and pinion steering that was on the early Vauxhall (HA) Vivas was at best vague but fantastic compared to the likes of an Austin A35 !

The steering gear ratio was also extremely low (4.5 turns lock to lock) to keep it light as nothing much had power steering those days.

My Terrano r3mR had rack and pinion steering but even that was still a bit floaty in the central position.