Steering issue.

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AxlFoley

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I have a bit of an issue with my steering, in a straight line the van drives lovely, but every now and then on a corner I will be half wat through a turn and it feels like the van is sliding to the side, or lke the wheels are turning indipendantly of the steering wheel, does this make sence? any one had any thing like this before?
 
It's either tracking or ball joints, as mine did some thing like that untill I replaced the drag arm as the ball joints were well knackered mine no longer does it any more
 
I was thinking tracking, but its only just started hapening, could just be that every thing has setled down a bit.

now all I have to do is find someone that will track it!!

Wish me luck!!
 
Can you let me know how you get on, Ive got a 1969 bay that does the same as your descriding, ive changed the ball joints, track rods and drag link, ive also had it tracked!
thanks paul
 
I had something similar last week. Maybe not the same problem but mine turned out to be the splines starting to wear on the centre boss of my mountney steering wheel. I removed the horn push and I could see the wheel move before the steering column moved :shock: .

Obviously I changed the wheel without delay.
 
its nice to know your not alone!!

i have steering issues, so i have replaced...... the steering damper, drag link, the fixed tie rod, the other 2 tie rod ends, both front wheel bearings, the idle pin, new tyres all round, and still it isnt perfect, but it is drivable now as before it was really bad. Getting the tracking done again this thursday, so fingers crossed, i'll put on here how it goes.

also as far as the tracking goes, almost everwhere wont do the tracking on a lowered bus as they cant rest the tracking equipment on the tops of teh back tyres because of them being in the arches. Afew places will do it but they are few and far between, as they use equipment thats fixed on the ramp, or something like that.
 
I did my own tracking using some adjustable ramps to get the van level, a spirit level on the wheel rim to set the camber and a tape measure for measuring toe in. I just measured from the centre groove of tyre at front and back of the wheel to establish how much toe in I had.
I think I went for 1.5mm to 2mm if memory serves. Not the most accurate method but you need to atleast set it up so it can be driven safely to get the tracking done properly.

My van drove so well after I set it up that I left it as it was. That was 2yrs ago and I've used the nearly every day of the year and have nice even tyre wear.
 
*Update*

I fixed this on the weekend, I went to have my tracking done, whilst it was on the ramp I had a look underneath, and noticed that the centre grub screw that holds the torsion leaves in place had come undone, this was allowing them to slide back and forth!!!

all fixed and running like a dream.
 
I just went to a local tyre fitter, they looked at it and gave me the usual, not a chance mate, but after me telling them to give it a go, they managed to get all the equipement on and adjusted it easily enough.
 

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