Steering vibration and wobbles

[Cruiser Dude]

Have you checked your steering links at either end of the steering rod? I had similar problem with my 79 series pick up. Felt like the steering wheel was going to break off.

Remove the split pin, plug and spring. Clean and reassemble, tighten plug and slack off half a turn closest to split pin hole. Refit split pin.

Drivers side, in my case RHD, can be done without removing wheel, passenger side you have to remove wheel.

 

[kbushnz]

Had the same issue only last week...
for me was a combo of the panhard rod coming loose and a stuffed steering dampener...
I run 35's and they are so so with the balancing...
But new dampener made a huge difference.
Would check it again.... A friend changes his every year as it wears out....

 

[cruisers75100]

Gotoy,

I would have to agree with Rosco 100%! I had the wobbles for nearly 6mths, had so many wheel alignments , Balances it was a joke, I replaced all bushings, steering shaft u joints, everything! It was the castor! Throw those wheel alignment reports over your shoulder and go talk to a truck alignment company! They will fix it for you! Most auto tyre centers are not set up for us 4b drivers with big wheels, big lift etc!

Man it was a great feeling getting the problem sorted! It did my head in trying to chase it!

Hope this helps!

Cheers

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[gotoy]

Gotoy,

I would have to agree with Rosco 100%! I had the wobbles for nearly 6mths, had so many wheel alignments , Balances it was a joke, I replaced all bushings, steering shaft u joints, everything! It was the castor! Throw those wheel alignment reports over your shoulder and go talk to a truck alignment company! They will fix it for you! Most auto tyre centers are not set up for us 4b drivers with big wheels, big lift etc!

Man it was a great feeling getting the problem sorted! It did my head in trying to chase it!

Hope this helps!

Cheers

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

Thanks, I will have the Castor checked out.

 

[prado t]

Hi
I had some issues also with my MWB 74. On mine , the rear end would start walking (shifting) from 70-85km/h. Then after 90km/h on it would smoothen out.

Before taking it out on last trip , I went to the TRUSTED allignment shop . Front checked out straight the rear axle was 2 degrees to the right. The vehicle was loaded for trail . I know vehicles should not have any load in them when getting an allignment but I wanted an Idea.

It came down to worn out shocks , pins , bushings and springs even though they were always greaced.

 

[gotoy]

My caster bushes are brand new, although the correct caster setting needs to be confirmed. They are the rubber type as the poly one don't last too long here, dunno if that the tropical climate.

As mentioned before the springs are 2nd hand. Been in my lc for 4yrs. They were placed in as an experiment as any other spring would sag...and so they stayed. The previous history of these two springs is at least one overland trip with the Petronas Adventure Team to only know where..probabley around china 2 or 3 times! As well as the caster, maybe in my interests to replace these too; the shocks etc etc are all relatively new.

 

[Cruiser Dude]

have you check the springs on the steering rod as per my previous post?

i also did all the other fixes but it came down to something as easy as that to sort it out for good.

 

[gotoy]

have you check the springs on the steering rod as per my previous post?

i also did all the other fixes but it came down to something as easy as that to sort it out for good.

There are three items on the list to do or check:

1. Spring and steering rod
2. Caster
3. Not so important..new coil springs.

Next week will be the best time for me.

 

[constablechris]

I agree with the castor theory, get a good alignment and see how you go. I had four alignments done and still had problems with the death wobbles. Took it to some backyard outfit and they sorted it out. My troopy came home with the steering wheel centred for the first time in 8 years! And no death wobbles.

I had also changed my cv joints and all the bushes in the front end, including the ones that are on that wish bone thing that holds the axle to the frame of the car (I have coil front end sorry cannot remember eh name of that arm, maybe pitman?) Did no shockies and new bearings as the front hubs were leaking.

Each thing I did made things a little better and a proper alignment sorted the problem completely, or as far as I can tell after 6 months of no wobble driving.

My car has no lift though

Chris

 

[seagull]

You rotate your tires quite often, so you must drive quite a lot or you are trying to mask this problem by elimination. You also hide a possible answer to your problem, that is a tire that will show over time that a shock is at fault by its wearing pattern. Start with what would cost you the least, and the problems I had was quite the same on my 79 pick-up. Take ten minutes and check your front shocks upper tightening bolts. First try to tighten them just to see that if those top nuts do tighten more that you may already have a problem (poor installation = slack). Whether they do tighten or not, undo them and remove all the top rubber bushings for thorough inspection of those bushings. You may be surprised that they failed, undetectable when installed, but damaged at the location where they seat against the chassis (shock upper mounting point). Any non spec play there can cost you dearly. Alignments wont point out this problem. Then if not be sure your discs is not warped from tense braking and sudden cooling in water as you may find in the off road arena so ever present.

 

[gotoy]

You rotate your tires quite often, so you must drive quite a lot or you are trying to mask this problem by elimination. You also hide a possible answer to your problem, that is a tire that will show over time that a shock is at fault by its wearing pattern. Start with what would cost you the least, and the problems I had was quite the same on my 79 pick-up. Take ten minutes and check your front shocks upper tightening bolts. First try to tighten them just to see that if those top nuts do tighten more that you may already have a problem (poor installation = slack). Whether they do tighten or not, undo them and remove all the top rubber bushings for thorough inspection of those bushings. You may be surprised that they failed, undetectable when installed, but damaged at the location where they seat against the chassis (shock upper mounting point). Any non spec play there can cost you dearly. Alignments wont point out this problem. Then if not be sure your discs is not warped from tense braking and sudden cooling in water as you may find in the off road arena so ever present.

My shocks are koni and I know the exact rubber you mean. Good point this one..not checked.
I have changed the discs nto so long ago, so they are not warped.

 

[gotoy]

Well:

Found one of the shocks bushings to be non existant. This bushing being inside the rod cover. Now have to locate some new bushing. One of the panhard arms, at chassis side was a little too, probably another bushing.

Steering mechanism appears to be ok.

 

[HelimanBD]

Hi Gotoy,
I bought a 1989 LJ70 in Mar'2009,
My 1st vibration/death wobble (started intermittently) when hit small bumps and eventually could NOT get above 70km/hr in Nov'2009. Change steering damper and all steering/tie rods ball joints....Death wobble went away....

It came back again in June'2011 and LJ70 could NOT even get pass 70km/hr on highway. Worst on larger/studded tires. This time round had all/100% of bushes change, steering/tie rods ends (ball joints) change, steering damper to heavy duty one, steering box replace, wheel bearings replaced and even king pin service/check and adjusted.... death wobble/vibration persisted..... Finally GOT hold of the LJ70 manual from Australia and re-adjusted the CASTOR. It went away immediately..... even tested with 35/36" Centipedes varying speed from 70km/hr to 110km/hr.......... Hopefully it stays this way until next major PM changes.

Hopefully my little experience above helps.

regards,
helimanBD.
the LJ70 is lifted 50mm all round with tough dog springs and extended/customized shocks. Runs on 10.5x33" Centipedes and ocassionally on 11.5x35/36".

 

[gotoy]

Hi Heliman, you action plan has been about the same as mine.

To Update.

Yesterday I changed the shock bushings and all appeared ok. I had ordered 2 new springs for the front and decided to drive to Kuala Lumper, 270km, to collect them and to attend to some work business items.

Arrived in Kuala Lumper this morning after having drove some 270km at speeds of 100 to 130kpmh. Not one dose of the wobbles.

After collecting the springs was chatting to the mech and he straight away said my castor was not correct. I have left the landcruiser with the mech for now to check.

 

[gotoy]

Seems I don't have the correct caster bushing installed....

 

[roscoFJ73]

Those dodgy wheel alignment shops that cant do 4wds will get you every time
Good to see you have found someone who knows what he is doing

 

[gotoy]

New caster bushings are being installed. Hopefully should all be completed by tomorrow.

Talking of tyre alignment shops. I had my 35'' tyres on a few weeks ago and this was when the wobbles were really terrible. I went to one alignment shop and they did both tyres. After completion at 1st there was no wobbles, but after 12km all started again. I checked the tyre pressures, one was 21psi while the other was 32psi.....some alignment shop!!

 

[gotoy]

Finished.

New springs, caster bushes, one track rod end bush.

So far feels very goood and no wobbles.

Next test tomorrow.

 

[gotoy]

Back again and far worse this time.

Going to have the steering linkages checked and the spring tomorrow.

 

[gotoy]

have you check the springs on the steering rod as per my previous post?

i also did all the other fixes but it came down to something as easy as that to sort it out for good.

Will be checking tomorrow!!!!