Vague and Wandering Steering (P38)

[dip_ster]

Does anyone have any suggestions? We swapped the old multi-function steering wheel with a new leather and wood multifunction steering wheel. Since this time, the steering is vague, wanders and is permanently fidgeting.
Everything underneath (such as steering ball joint) seems fine - can it be something with the new wheel??
(1999 P38)

[Pascaltissot]

Steering Vibration / Shudder
The 4.0/4.6 has a much better steering box and system than the Classic. However it is of the same basic design, and some owners have reported the steering judders upon going over bumps at speed that are so notorious and common in Classic models. If you have checked out all the ball joints and tie rod ends, the most likely cause is the steering box needing adjustment. Like the Classic, the 4.0/4.6 steering box has an adjuster on top -- this one has a screw with an internal hex and locknut. Jack up the front wheels and screw in the adjuster until there is minimal play in the steering at dead center. Then turn the wheels lock to lock to make sure there are no tight spots. The other thing to check is the swivel pin bearings, which need to be kept adjusted as per the shop manual, or replaced. Ian Dugdale (Ian at Dugdales dot com) had this problem and after trying the usual remedies (suspension bushings, steering damper, etc) he replaced the swivel pin and steering joints and that made a huge difference. Also (and this needs to be done very carefully) he tightened the steering box slightly (about 1/8 turn). Overall that made a major improvement in the driveability of the vehicle. A member of the Range Rover forum, Rundeep_32, found 90% of his steering shudder went away when he replaced his shocks (he used Woodhead units sourced from DAP which appeared to have strong rebound damping and relatively mild comression damping).
I found this, it might help , as long as you did not change the diameter of your steering w. because if it is smaller then you will feel every thing a lot more ..

Saludos

[Pascaltissot]

Troubleshooting - Steering
Vehicle - All
If your Rover doesn't track straight or jumps over bumps and steers off in another direction when it comes back down, you may have either a steering system problem or an alignment problem. Obviously, alignment is easier and less costly to fix, so having your wheels aligned is the first action to take. If this doesn't fix the problem, you need a steering system check-up. Your steering shaft is connected to your steering box, and from there to a pitman arm, a drag link, a series of arms and rods that eventually lead to your wheel. All of these parts must line-up at the proper angle, and once any one of them loses their angular relationship to another, the system won't work properly. The good news is that any good Rover mechanic can usually spot the offending part and get you back on track without you having to replace the entire system.


Read this it is resonable to to check alignment .
saludos