Hi all! I am new to these forums. I just bought a 98 Land Rover Discovery and the steering feels extremely loose. We have already tightened the steering with little improvement. It turns and drives okay at lower speeds but once I'm on the freeway I feel like I'm constantly turning the wheel left and right to stay in the middle of the lane. Anyone know how to fix this issue? Plan on doing it Saturday so all feed back is greatly appreciated. I love my discovery! I just want to be able to drive it safely.

 

Sounds like your steering box needs to be rebuilt. You really need to get it on a lift and start wiggling suspension, steering pieces, etc. and see what has play in it.

 

That is where I was planning to start, however, I was just hoping someone knew of any known issues similar to this, which would give me a good starting point.

 

I have never had the problem before, hopefully another more experienced member will chime in. Good luck, but my guess is the steering box.

 

Thank you for the help!

 

Bushings. I just bought a 97 and it was similar. If I wasn't paying full attention it would be all over the place like a boat. Check your sway bar bushings and ball joints. The bushings on the ball joints for mine were gone, I mean nothing even there except a bolt that could move an inch or so on each side. I ordered this rear sway bar kit below, and it firmed it up nicely in the rear. I am waiting on the front kit to arrive to replace it as well. If that's not it, check the panhard bar bushings by tugging on it, or watching it move while someone steers back and forth. These things are almost 20 years old, and most have the original suspension bushings still in them. You got to change your rubber to stay safe. That applies to many facets of life.
Scroll to bottom of page:
http://search.cartserver.com/search/...sway+bar&go=GO!

 

I was led to believe bad bushings would give a clunking sound, as if you were to drive a warm up lap at nascar ( back and forth). Did you have any clunking?

 

Not much of one. Just peak under there and look. If they are that bad (like your symptoms) you can tell.

 

It could be; bad pan hard bushings, bad tie rod ends, bad steering box,bad control arm bushings/loose bolts, bad pit man arm, loose steering box bolts, bad intermediate steering shaft, swivel pins need adjustment, bad tire or you just have the toe out of whack

Sway bar will not make you wander all over the road, guys with lifts remove them no Ill effects

 

I had a bit of wandering with mine after I got it. Found the steering gear box bolts, the bolt on the top of the steering shaft & a few other bolts were all different stages of loose. Tightened them up & then acquired the death wobble coming on & off of bridges at highway speed. Replaced the tie rod ends & installed an orange poly bushing kit. End of that problem...