Am I Steering, or wandering around like I have had too much too drink? (1 Viewer)

[BNEBOY]

HJ60's apparently are a bit notorious for crap steering.

This thing wanders like a nomad.

40mm is the spec for free play which is fine, but beyond this the steering is nowhere near direct.

I have inherited this beast (hell yeah) but need to get the steering sorted as 4 hours of driving what seems more like a boat than a car is gonna get tired quickly.

The car is well maintained, tie rods are good, wiggling the column I can see no free play in the universals.

The steering box 'may' be the issue, I haven't seen a new one, ever, so I have no idea how far you can screw this in for adjustment to be effective.

I have read that if you over tighten them they are pretty much screwed (sorry) but on this one you can screw it right down and it does bind up the steering some, but it still doesn't do much overall.

I have adjusted it on the ground, and then on jacks with the wheels free turning but no great improvement (read none at all)

Looking for idea's - any input much appreciated - cheers.

 

[hj 60]

The right side tie rod goes first but play is mostly visible when they are loosened.
This one has a conical hole and you need the correct one (left or right hand side steering)

Might check if the chassis is straight , measure wheel to chassis at all wheels above and below.

plastic is right hand drive

My HJ is left hand drive:

 

[ozcrusier]

Not hard with the right tools and grease gun.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tie-Rod-...63?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item5d415137c7

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

check all bushings and shackle/spring hanger pins. check u-bolts torque. look for cracked leaves. jack up truck and yank from bottom of tire to top and the back the other way and check for play in wheel bearings and trunnion bearings. if all that is good, check same for rear axle. check the steering column shaft and joints for wear. R&R the TREs and set toe-in. check caster angle. then condemn the steering gear box.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

have tires balanced and rotated...

 

[dbleon]

TOE! Don't overlook it

 

[too tall]

Does it have a lift ? You could check your caster angle as well . I find wandering is accentuated with not enough caster . Also as dbleon says , check your toe in . It should be around 1/8" narrower at the front of the wheel than the rear of the wheel .

 

[cruiserfj45]

What do the tires look like? I have seen bad tires cause more wondering than anything else.

 

[Sethro60]

My 40 series was a nightmare, replaced long spring shackles installed by PO, much much better.

 

[BNEBOY]

The right side tie rod goes first but play is mostly visible when they are loosened.
This one has a conical hole and you need the correct one (left or right hand side steering)

Might check if the chassis is straight , measure wheel to chassis at all wheels above and below.

plastic is right hand drive

My HJ is left hand drive:

The right side tie rod goes first but play is mostly visible when they are loosened.
This one has a conical hole and you need the correct one (left or right hand side steering)

Would this, by itself, cause a significant feeling in the steering?

It's a bit like it free plays the 40mm and after this the steering is still not direct.

On a new car, for instance, the steering is so direct that one finger moving the steering wheel one centimeter will then turn the car directly.

I understand that a 60 is not by any means a new car.

Wheels are aligned - no lift - no play in the steering column itself - Tie rods are new and working well.

I just cannot pin it beyond what has been suggested, unless it's the steering box.

Grantedly I am a bit hesitant to fork out hundreds on a new box and install it if this isn't the problem, but someone must have worked this out before given the alignment/nolift/good tie rods/ steering column seeming in good nick?

Thanks for the reply.

It's a bit of a ghost.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I'll repeat the part where I suggest balance and rotation. Cruiserfj45 also stated to question the tires- I have had similar experience. it is basically free to test that, and should be done routinely, as well.

 

[BNEBOY]

Thanks for the input everyone - awesome.

The tires are good (almost new and aligned) and I have done most of the suggested already, it's pretty straight in all aspects.

I did notice today - looking at it front on that the left right seemed out of whack...

Is interesting because if you run a stringline along the wheels from from to back there's 2mm in it, but just by looking at it I reckon the left front is out.

It seems off camber both facing outward, and, tilting vertically outward as well.

Just eyeballing it it looks wrong by - at a guess - 20 - 30 mm which is heaps.

I measured it with a tape measure, but I did it myself so not really accurate and it was out..

Given -everything else - is straight, any idea's about a cockeyed wheel?

Thanks again - much appreciated.

 

[BNEBOY]

Thanks for the input everyone - awesome.

The tires are good (almost new and aligned) and I have done most of the suggested already, it's pretty straight in all aspects.

I did notice today - looking at it front on that the left right seemed out of whack...

Is interesting because if you run a stringline along the wheels from from to back there's 2mm in it, but just by looking at it I reckon the left front is out.

It seems off camber both facing outward, and, tilting vertically outward as well.

Just eyeballing it it looks wrong by - at a guess - 20 - 30 mm which is heaps.

I measured it with a tape measure, but I did it myself so not really accurate and it was out..

Given -everything else - is straight, any idea's about a cockeyed wheel?

Thanks again - much appreciated.

Dodgy pic -sorry for the quality

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[/IMG]

 

[mcguirejohnson]

Probably a bad trunion bearing in the knuckle or they are not torqued properly. A knuckle rebuild might do the trick.

 

[too tall]

Or bent housing , I bent one once and it had some of the characteristics you mentioned . Take a picture from the front on the longer end of the lens so we can get a better look at it . The longer the lens the less aspherical distortion you will get so it will make a visually more accurate photo .

 

[stockhorse]

Are you North or South side of Brisbane ? You could bring it around and I'll have a look for you. I am South side.