We've been busy moving and I haven't had time to deal with some things. Can any of you point me in the right direction on these?

1) Drivers door lock is hit or miss....sometimes it will lock, sometimes it won't. It always works manually (w/ key). Seems like more often than not when I lock the doors they all work, except for the driver's door. Am I looking at the mechanism or is there common short somewhere?

2) I'm getting some wandering steering issues. I have a little slop in the wheel at dead center, but that's been there as long as I've had this rover. It seems things like a good dip or bump on a bridge at highway speeds set it off. I get some drift/wandering and then it feels like it under-responds for a bit but then I get an over correction. (if that make sense) Could this just be bad shocks? They don't feel bad, but they appear to original on an '01. If that doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

Thanks!

 

1. something, or several things are binding due to corrosion/wear. take the door panel off and check/lube the lock linkage/mechanism. you might need a new lock mechanism if this doesn't work.

2. not shocks. check all steering components for play by watching everything move while someone moves the steering wheel back and forth. replace anything questionable. check steering knuckle ball joints as well. look at some videos on how to do this if you're not sure. pretty basic stuff, but very important for safety; truck shouldn't be driven on road until you get it straightened out..

 

Bad rear shocks can make steering seem wonky. Is it sagging?

Bad springs will also be felt in the steering but also it would be noticeable in the uncomfortable ride when hitting mild bumps or dips.

How many miles on the truck?

If you've never addressed those issues you might add them to your list.

Does your steering wheel stay dead center? Does it groan when you turn the wheel first time on a cool morning?

 

No sag.

67k miles

Wheel stays centered.

Oddly enough, it does give a little groan every once in a while.


My previous rover got wiped out in an accident before I needed to worry about it. The shocks are pretty easy on a disco, correct?

 

67k?! Amazing!

I would jack up the front and see if you can wiggle the wheels. My was sloppy like that until I replaced the ball joints.

Back shocks are super easy. Fronts are in coils and a little harder. But not hard overall.

 

You can see the bottom ball-joint grease cover on the bottom of knuckle near the bottom, inside of tire. If that cover is deteriorated/cracked then it is part/most of your problem and needs replacing. Even if the cover is still intact you can google or search threads here for other methods of checking them. Usually a big contributor of steering issues.