[Kevin88RRC]

I've noticed recently that the Rover will pull to the left when I come off the gas and in turn when I acelerate again she will go right. It's not too severe but I do have to correct a bit. Bushing, except for the radius arms, are newish poly. What should I look at???

thanks

 

[Jonesy]

Try wheel alignment - do you notice any wear on the front tires? Or maybe some movement at speed?

 

[Kevin88RRC]

Alignment is fine... wear is good. It's more pronounced at highway speed. She does wander but that's due to steering box which I can't adjusted because adjuster screw is froze and probably swivel preload.

 

[OkieRover]

Mine does that too. Sometimes enough to make driving "an adventure".
I was told a way long time ago that it was the bushings.
So that's what I'm gonna do next to try to correct it.

 

[Kevin88RRC]

Yeah I was thinking it was bushing related. Guess I'll check them this weekend if it is not tooooo cold. I have the set to put on the radius arms, but the arms don't look like they will come off without a lot of effort (big time rust on the end).

 

[Jonesy]

one of the peeves of our MY LR was the difficulty in keeping them in a straight line on the road no matter what we try to do!

 

[Kevin88RRC]

Hey Jonesy...
I found an old post on LRX same problem... says to check rear link bushings at chassis.
My tires don't help much either. They have a very square profile so they love to follow all the grooves and ruts. Can't afford tires, but I can check a bushing.
:beer:

 

[Jonesy]

hmmmmm worth a try but hey isn't it always the front that determines where the back goes??

 

[Kevin88RRC]

If I remember correctly, when the rear bushings are toasted the deceleration will cause the rear axle to move forward due to the play and push to the opposite side of the problem. Then when accelerating will correct it causing the opposite effect. So, if it is going left, the right side is the culprit.

I have newish bushings back there, so I will try to clean them up and re-tourque them.

 

[Bwana]

Replace both rear radius arm bushings. My 88 Range Rover did that when I bought it, and it was the first thing I replaced. It is a weird feeling, steering one way on accel, the other on decel, but the bushings WILL fix it. If yours are fairly new, a re-torque on the big nuts might be necessary. I had mine loosen up after about six months, but never again.

:drive:

 

[Kevin88RRC]

I have the set of bushings for the radius arms that the PO did not install. The rear bolts look rusted solid and I'm afraid of stripping it. Any chance that bolt is replaceable? When the snow goes away, I'll get a case of PB Blaster and soak the hell out of them.

Or I can just save up some $, and get these from 4x4AG

 

[Bwana]

I have the set of bushings for the radius arms that the PO did not install. The rear bolts look rusted solid and I'm afraid of stripping it. Any chance that bolt is replaceable? When the snow goes away, I'll get a case of PB Blaster and soak the hell out of them.

Or I can just save up some $, and get these from 4x4AG

I have NEVER had a bolt on my Range Rover that would not come loose. They leak too much damn oil to let anything rust solid. Go ahead and spray them, but they'll come loose.
:drink1:
BTW, those are front radius arms. If you have rear steer on your Rover, maybe we should rethink our fix.
:lol:

 

[Kevin88RRC]

Replace both rear radius arm bushings. :drive:

I thought you were refering to the rear bushing on the front radius arm. I've have not heard of the rear link as a radius arm :dunno: . Nonetheless, I still want those front radius arms.

It's going to be above 30ºF so going to check those rear radius bushings.

 

[Bwana]

This all goes to something an old timer told me, and it's always true: If you feel it in the steering wheel, it's trouble in the front,
:drive:
if you feel it in your seat, it's trouble in the rear.
:moon:
Think about it, when your front end wobbles, you feel it in the steering wheel. If you have a rear tire out of balance, you'll feel it in the seat. When your Rover wanders side to side, your ass is moving, not your hands. Right?

BTW, my Haynes manual says they're both radius arms.

 

[azpaquin]

loose or wobbling?

at all? just pulling without wobbling in ANY way?

 

[TNRRClassic]

If you have the money and are so inclined, you might as well change out all of your bushings if you haven't done so before. I changed out mine in a major update I did on my 1987, and it made a really big difference. It was not as bad as people let on, but I have a 45 ton press and several days to piddle on it. Anyway, it does sound like the rear rather than the front arms are the problem.

BTW people say that polybushes aren't soft enough...I got the blue ones, and they are MUCH softer than the 18 year old rubber ones that had turned off hard.

 

[Jay B]

If it's any help, I've experienced this exact problem on a rear-wheel-drive car. A large bushing that locates the rear axle was shot (one side only), so when accelerating, the rear axle would steer one way, and on deceleration would steer the other. I got the entire link with bushings off a junker (swapped my buddy a beer for it), problem fixed.

 

[Kevin88RRC]

at all? just pulling without wobbling in ANY way?

No wobbling but a little loose due to the adjuster being frozen on the steering box.
Next time I'm home for more than a few days (been away a lot lately), going to re-torque rear radius arms, work on steering box adjuster again, and check swivel preload. And then change the front radius bushes which are the only old ones.
Will let ya know in a couple weeks how it goes.

 

[glenncof]

I had an old Fiat Spider that had the link from rear axil to frame got severly bent on one side of car. Did same thing, the rear axil was twisting on acceleration/decceleration in different directions.

 

[Kevin88RRC]

Update

Well I'm finally had a chance to work on her. I tightened the rear arm bushings and it seems to have done the trick. Still pulls a little on acceleration, but not as bad.

Thanks all! :clap: