t2 with wooly steering

[houfe2206]

Wifes been complaining that the steerings becoming more and more wooly,and car tends to wander a bit,so when you drive you are always correcting yourself. Soo, before I pull my overalls on in the morning , I just wondered if anybody could point me in the right direction.( its a problem that seems to be getting progressively worse cos when we got the car it low mileage and the steering was precise and sharp)

 

[makeitfit]

T2 steering is pants FACT
Check all 6 ball joints to start with, then steering idler bushes. Tyre pressures,wheel bearings and auto hubs.
Check suspension ht equal both sides and the correct ht front to back.
Good luck :lol

 

[R1cho]

could be your track rod ends, or droplinks both easy to check or ona more expensive note the steering idler as its steering related i would reckon your track rod ends, easy diy job if you got the right tools, heat and the right sized spanners, what side is it pulling to?

 

[houfe2206]

:augieCorrect procedure for checking bearings? and is it a pain to adjust? - and I know for a fact that hubs have never been touched in the cars lifetime.( now got 103 k on it ) oops!

 

[R1cho]

jack it up and wobble ya wheels

 

[houfe2206]

Its not pulling to either side, just seems a bit vague,with a lot of play at the steering wheel, end of the day cost doesnt come into it, its part of the family.

 

[makeitfit]

If you've got lots of slop at the steering wheel check the steering box. There's a bit of adjustment there too, might just tighten things up a bit.
As said before , jack it up a bit, just to take the weight off, and wobble up and down and side to side. Sere what moves that shouldnt:thumbs
Any mm of slop in your balls = pants steering :doh

 

[houfe2206]

I've always had sloppy balls, however back to the steering issue.

 

[rustic]

With the engine off, the steering wheel can have 35mm of movement... slack, any more you need to check.

Mine doesn't like the ridges that develop on the roads caused by HGV's, it tends to wander when in straight lines.

When going around bends you will find it tightens up, if it wanders then, I would start to look at the rear suspension.

Wheel bearings, should be no play, as said before ball joints also may be the bushes on the front suspension.

Play in the steering box or idler etc.
Tyre pressures and tyre depth/type can affect it.
Lots of things to look at, but not too expensive to fix.

It is probably a combination of slight wear in all the components that add together.

 

[lacroupade]

Easiest thing to check quickly though is your anti-rollbar droplinks.....check the bushes where they are secured to the lower wishbone and make sure they are in good nick; also that the actual balljoints on the droplinks themselves are intact.

They wear out and the bushes disintegrate or the ball joints pop out and without the ARB the truck wallows like a beached whale in the corners. Its your most likely culprit if you haven't been offroading.