Last summer I bought my Disco with many issues, and overall it's a good rig after fixing many issues, but one lingering annoyance is the fact that after I go around a bend to the right, the steering wheel has to be held left of center to maintain a straight course, but after going around a bend to the left the steering wheel needs to be held straight ahead to go on a straight course. This is a lot better than when I got it, because it had an absolutely worn out steering rod ends and I replaced those. I have since had it on an alignment rack twice, and the guys who poked and prodded and pried with long pry bars said that no other components in the front suspension looked loose or worn, so they set the alignment and called it a day. The second guy also poked and prodded and pried with long pry bars on the rear suspension bushings and Watts linkages. And yet, the wierd thing is that the changing center remains.

So, clearly, something is still worn but may require more strength than the proverbial 200 lb. technician can pry with to deflect. Any suggestions on what I should go after first? I don't want to go about replacing every bushing in the suspension, but I may have to resort to that.

Oh, I should mention that this Disco lived most of its life in salty climates, New Jersey and Ohio, so the frame is a little rusty, but not at any of the suspension mounting brackets. Despite some surface rust, the frame still looks plenty stout, but I suppose it is possible that the frame itself is flexing in cornering situations, but this return-to-center issue hasn't gotten worse over the last year after changing the steering rod ends.

I suppose I should check the shaft that connects the steering wheel to the steering box. I just realized I haven't checked that at all, but on my previous Rovers this had a Guibo/Giubo/flex disk joining thingy. I had to replace that on my RRC, but the other Disco II didn't need that to be changed.

Anyway, I think I just needed to "talk through" the problem. Please, if you have any ideas about what to check, please let me know.

Thanks,
Scott

 

Check flex joint on steering shaft.

 

1) if you step on the gas or let off a hard throttle, does it drive to one side or the other?
2) if you step on the brakes, does it drive to one side or the other?
3) if not 1 or 2, it's probably the steering box.....
4) if 1 or 2, it probably a bad bushing or ball joints or 5
5) if you are sitting still and turn the steering wheel, is there any play? bad steering box or above post....