Torsion bar steering problem

[Ted]

We have a LWB Maverick 2.7Td 1994 and for the MOT the garage fitted lower ball joints, drop links, front shocks, top ball joints, wishbone bushes/bars
and welded new plates onto the compression rod chassis brackets. Since getting it back it drags to the nearside, and the steering wheel has to be held against the pull of the drag. The garage has initially blamed incorrect tyre pressures. The wheel alignment has been done by a tyre garage we use, with a 4 wheel alignment laser set up. So its not wheel alignment or tyre pressures, I suspect incorrect tightening/alignment/length of compression rods or torsion bars pulling front end assembly and causing the steering drag to the nearside.

Any ideas will be v gratefully recieved as I will probably end up having to correct this steering fault. Thanks.

 

[dazer]

Steering prob

Have you chequed the steering box ??? The workshop says that if there is whair in it then it can be a problem with the steering and make it go to the n/s so try that first before you buy any thing more!! Ok

 

[11redrex]

What ? The garage messed your steering up, they have to sort it out, don't delay in taking it straight back to them.
Really Ted, this isn't your responsibility, it's the garages, so don't do anythng else to it, and don't tell them it's had the tracking done elsewhere since.
They have set your car up wrong and if they sent it out with the wrong tyre pressures or in any sort of un-driveable or dangerous condition they are liable to prosecution.
Don't take any shit from them, get down there and get it sorted.
Wasn't Kwik Fit was it ? They can't even spell properly, let alone fix your car right.

 

[elty001]

most tyre places can't correctly set up the tracking on these motors.too much play in the steering set up to be done by lazer tracking.
you need someone to sit in the car and hold the steering wheel so it can't move and someone to set up the tracking.
had mine done at a commercial tyre place as all these tyre and exhaust centres dont have a clue.
never pulled to the left since i had it done.

 

[Chaz]

Had my tracking done last week at ATS after they fitted a new rubber boot to the N/S front CV joint. When I picked it up was pulling hard to the left and steering wheel was off centre.
I took it back right away and told them the tracking was not right, they did it again but still the same. They did it a third time and still the same and said they could not do anything else. I contacted ATS head office and told them that prior to the truck going in to have the boot replaced the tracking was fine. Made arrangements to go to another branch local to me.

They put the four wheel tracking gismo on and tracked it and they took it out was still pulling to left he rechecked it, it was out. After about an hour of fiddling and re ajusting what he ended up doing was he got another guy to sit in the drivers seat and center the steering wheel by hand, he ajusted the tracking and got the guy to turn the wheel to the left then right then hold it to center it was out, so he ajusted it a little at a time repeating the above. He did this about several times and he got it spot on drives straight as an arrow now. He said that he had never had to do tracking like that before and said it could be because of the amount of joints links there are in the steering that when you set it correct and turn the wheels the little bit of play in each joint throws it out. By doing what he did a little at a time compensated for the wear. Might be funny way of doing it but it worked.

Chaz

 

[11redrex]

manual says set it, bounce it, check it. Had mine done last week at a 4x4 specialist with nothing more than a pair of eyes and a couple of big spanners. Cost me £30.

 

[makeitfit]

All the above yes BUT if the garage welded in new bits for the comp rods, there could well be castor angle errors.
As every thing has been sorted it must be worth checking the dimensions of the comp rods each side and get the garage to check castor angles:thumbs

 

[Ted]

Hi Sorry about delay in responding, bin a bit busy. Yes there is a castor angle error in that the front wheels look like / \ from the front and the tyres wear out on the insides. the garage has reached the limit of their expertise so will sort it myself if i can find out the general MO of setting this up. thanks for any advice or guidance you can offer.

 

[extreme-4x4]

the top ball joints come in 2 model variants sounds like they put the wrong ones on . pete will advise better as he has had this issue too :thumbs

another note as you have /\ on yours you can put extra spacers/washers to push the wishbone out . usually stainless washers 1mm at a time till it sits right. lots of trial and error though

 

[makeitfit]

Yep sounds like double trouble. First do the CAMBER by adding the spacer washers as Colin says. The CASTOR is a more complex adjustment and involves fitting bigger washers front or back on the top arms to compensate for what they've done to your compression rods :doh A proper steering tracking garage should easily be able to do it for you. The how to is in the manual :thumbs