Wandering Steering (1 Viewer)

[amlnz]

Hi all,

I have a 1991 HDJ81 LandCruiser with the 12 valve 1HDT engine.


When driving in a straight line the truck will need to be constantly steered in one direction or the other. For a while you will have to steer left as the truck is pulling right, then suddenly it will switch and you have to steer right as it pulls left! This is only really at higher speeds. It’s making the vehicle very tiring to drive.


I’ve completely replaced all steering fluid (using ATF as per service manual)

I’ve put a fully rebuilt steering box in.

The steering has no dead spot.


Has anyone else experienced this issue and can point me in the right direction to fix?!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Comet]

Wheel bearings are where I would start.

 

[LandLocked93]

All drive line bushes, tie rod ends, and panhard bushes would be first. Or next, after the wheel bearings as mentioned above.

And by rebuilt steering box...does that mean a box rebuilt by Redhead or similar?
Or a box that has just had the reseal kit installed?

 

[jpoole]

Many of us have had these issues. There are a number of possible sources for the issues you are describing and most of them boil down to slack that allows the wheels to self steer. Beyond slack in the system, caster angle can be off and cause the same sort of wandering behavior. Finally, to a lesser extent overinflated tires or other tire issues can also impact steering but I would put tire caused issues as pretty unlikely as most of us run good tires that are inflated correctly.

edit per posts below: You can also get slack from loose nuts on the bottom of your knuckles (passenger side most likely to have this issue) and if your toe is not set correctly it can also cause wandering. I'll add that some types of slack or insufficient caster can be moderated by adding a little extra toe-in. While extra toe-in can help improve tracking extra toe is likely to cause excess tire wear and is at best a short term bandaid in my opinion.

If the front or rear axle is shifting around due to loose bushings, the sway bar bushings are loose, steering linkage is loose, wheel bearings and/or trunions are loose they can all create what you describe. Starting with lifting each wheel individually (front and rear) and checking for slack in bearings/etc. is a great place to start. Having someone rock the steering wheel back and forth while you check for slack in linkages is also great to check. Additional to slack in steering linkages you need to check the frame for cracks around the steering box, etc. and this can show up while the wheel is being turned back and forth also, though cracks can usually be seen visually if you know where to look and what to look for.

Is your 80 lifted above stock? If so, how many inches? Did you correct caster with the lift? etc.

All of this has been covered many times on the forum so beyond the discussion in this thread you should also go digging and you'll find part numbers for bushings, how to for replacing them and everything else you could need to know to get this sorted out.

 

[robnicko]

the above as well as alignment toe-in if not set correctly will exhibit similar behaviour

 

[sunrk]

Get a full wheel/steering alignment done and while you're at it get the shop to inspect/check everything.

 

[LandLocked93]

Many of us have had these issues. There are a number of possible sources ...
...you should also go digging and you'll find part numbers for bushings...

Sway bar bushings -
Front x 2: 48815-26020
Rear x 2: 48815-60070

Tie Rod/Drag Link ends - cruiseroutfitters.com
Part# TRE69095 - 80 Series LHD Tie Rod End Kit - 555 Brand

Front control arm bush set -
4) Control arm bushings, front, axle end (48702-60050)
- (4) Control arm bolt, front, axle end (90119-16003)
- (4) Control arm nut, front, axle end (90179-16015)
2) Control arm bushings, front, frame end (48061-60010)
- (2) Control arm bolt, front, frame end (90105-18006)
- (2) Control arm nut, front, frame end (90170-18007)
- (2) Control arm washers, front, frame end (90201-19011)

Lateral control rod bush set (panhards) -
2) 48706-60030 - Bush Sub-Assy, Front Lateral Control Rod
2) 48706-60040 - Bush Sub-Assy, Rear Lateral Control Rod

Rear control arm bush set -
4) 48702-60031 - Bush Sub-Assy, Upper Control Arm
4) 48702-60040 - Bush Sub-Assy, Lower Control Arm

Beyond that and specific to the steering box these parts will fix all issues with it:
Power Steering - Pump/Box:
1 - 04445-60050 - Steering box reseal kit
2* - 44154-30020 - Power piston plunger guide nut
*Only need two if you do the reseal kit w/o also doing 44120-60180 simultaneously (like I did).
Otherwise just need one.
1 - 18-32-7-DL - Input shaft seal (not Toyota) - may or may not come in the reseal kit. My reseal kit did not include one. Used this p/n without issue - +3yrs now.
1 - 44120-60180 - Valve Assy, w/ball nut - this is the main part with clearance causing the play issue. Replacing will cure the play.

 

[amlnz]

Wow! Thanks for all the info guys.

I checked the bearings today, one was loose so check all that over and tightened it up. Was a little better.

Can’t do much more just now so I pulled the steering dampener off and I feel like it may almost be fixed. I’ll get a full alignment as suggested and get them to check over everything but from looking over the buses they look ok. I have just a 2” lift and 34” tyres.

I also think the tie rod ends are the original ones so I’ll replace them all, they are rather easy to twist the linkages so they may be on their way out.

Thanks again!

 

[mudgudgeon]

I’ll get a full alignment as suggested and get them to check over everything but from looking over the buses they look ok. I have just a 2” lift and 34” tyres.

If you're not aware, the only thing that can be changed by a typical wheel alignment is toe in/ toe out.
A wheel alignment shop is useful to give you a reading on what your current steering geometry looks like.

With 2" of lift, you most likely need some caster correction. Assuming none has been done.
2" lift will reduce caster by approximately 3.5⁰. This will put you very close to zero caster, or negative caster.

 

[BILT4ME]

Not ONE of you degenerates mentioned his nuts!

You MUST check your nuts!












Of course, I am referring to the knuckle studs on the bottom of the front knuckles. On LHD the most important is the right front.
On RHD the most important is on the left front.

Tighten to 72 LB-FT (You can do your own conversion)

 

[jpoole]

you degenerates

that's me... dang it.

The other handful of times I've typed the "wandering cause" list off-cuff I may have remembered to mention a nut check, maybe. We need a concise list of "wandering" causes, part numbers and links to threads that can be dropped into a response every new post that asks this question. Need same for HG diagnosis and whatever else is a repeating topic.

In my defense, loose nuts would show up in the test where someone rocks the steering back and forth while the owner inspects all steering linkage. But yeah, you get what you pay for around here and never know when a bunch of degenerates may take over your thread

 

[mudgudgeon]

In my defense, loose nuts would show up in the test where someone rocks the steering back and forth while the owner inspects all steering linkage.

Might be hard to diagnose accurately with the loose nut laying on the concrete under the truck rather than sitting behind the wheel

 

[calokie]

stock height or lifted?

 

[jpoole]

stock height or lifted?

I have just a 2” lift and 34” tyres

 

[alia176]

the toe is off, meaning each tire is pointing at a different direction and not toward the center. If you lift the front axle off the ground, grab the front tire at 12 and 6 o'clock and have no play, then do the same thing at 3 and 9 o'clock and still have no play, then this issue points to the toe out of whack. Regardless of how crappy the bearings/bushings/knuckle pre-loads/shocks/steering stabilizer/panhard rod bushings/etc are, these two tests will highlight one or multiple of these issues. If the two tests check out ok, then adjust your toe.

YouTube how to check your toe using two tape measures on your driveway. You can get that dialed in "good enough" to be able to drive down the road in a straight line.

 

[calokie]

that will do it for sure, my 97 was all over the place with a 2" lift
Castor Correction (3" Radius arms")
Rear PanHard adjustment bracket (eimkieth)
Front Adjustable Panhard (ironman)
Front Wheel Bearings (new with proper preload)

Drives great now
in addition I added a 20mm coil spacer in the front

 

[mudgudgeon]

in addition I also added a 20mm spacer in the front

Where?

 

[Kernal]

@amlnz :

Did this behavior start suddenly ie: did you hit a giant pothole, rough off-road adventure, collision (accident), any mechanical/service work or parts/tire replacement,--- then the wandering began??

 

[calokie]

Where?

Ill edit that, Spring Spacer 20 millimeter + 2" lift =2.78" lift

 

[landtank]