Clunky Steering

[Clive Bennett]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum and need some advice on a current issue I have with my 2008 lc4 5 door manual landcruiser

I've not been using too much recently and when i took it out I found I had what I would describe as stiff patches when steering. It would be easy and smooth then stiff then smooth out. A bit of searching pointed me to the lower steering universal joint and after a bit of wd40 it seems to have improved but i think needs replacing

Can anyone confirm this is likely to be the problem and if so advise on how best to approach the job

Thanks

Clive

 

[Clive Bennett]

Also not sure i put this in the right place on the site so admins feel free to move if needed

 

[Trevor]

It sounds likely, same on mine and replacing the lower UJ on the steering sorted mine.

It's a pig of a job, I'd recommend 2 people.

Centre your wheels and apply the steering lock. Before you do anything mark the shaft where it meets steering rack and mark the rack itself I.e. both marks line up, use tippex or nail varnish for example. Do the same for the top part too.

The new part comes with some nice pink painted lines but you wont see the corresponding on the steering rack spline once you've split it. Its imperative to get the new bit lined up bang on otherwise the car thinks the steering is off and will apply the ABS. There is a recalibrating procedure if you've not lined everything up perfectly.

Undo the top and lower bolts of the lower UJ section.

Undo the 2 steering rack bolts ( drivers side will catch on stuff above as you try and remove it but you need to pull the rack forward to create the space to drive the old UJ off.

Try not to move the steering position of the rack.

You can put a pry bar through the hole in the chassis rail to hold the rack forward while the other person uses a long pry bar and hammer from the front to drive the lower UJ section off the splines of the rack.

The top section should wiggle off the spline reasonably easily.

Now line up the old and new part on a bench and transfer the marks you made onto the new part.

Insert the new part into the top splines (lining your marks up) and tighten the bolt.

Now line up the marks on the lower spline and tap fully home, tighten bolts.

Push the steering rack back and wrestle the bolts back in, tighten up and job done.

 

[Clive Bennett]

It sounds likely, same on mine and replacing the lower UJ on the steering sorted mine.

It's a pig of a job, I'd recommend 2 people.

Centre your wheels and apply the steering lock. Before you do anything mark the shaft where it meets steering rack and mark the rack itself I.e. both marks line up, use tippex or nail varnish for example. Do the same for the top part too.

The new part comes with some nice pink painted lines but you wont see the corresponding on the steering rack spline once you've split it. Its imperative to get the new bit lined up bang on otherwise the car thinks the steering is off and will apply the ABS. There is a recalibrating procedure if you've not lined everything up perfectly.

Undo the top and lower bolts of the lower UJ section.

Undo the 2 steering rack bolts ( drivers side will catch on stuff above as you try and remove it but you need to pull the rack forward to create the space to drive the old UJ off.

Try not to move the steering position of the rack.

You can put a pry bar through the hole in the chassis rail to hold the rack forward while the other person uses a long pry bar and hammer from the front to drive the lower UJ section off the splines of the rack.

The top section should wiggle off the spline reasonably easily.

Now line up the old and new part on a bench and transfer the marks you made onto the new part.

Insert the new part into the top splines (lining your marks up) and tighten the bolt.

Now line up the marks on the lower spline and tap fully home, tighten bolts.

Push the steering rack back and wrestle the bolts back in, tighten up and job done.

Thanks Trevor thats brilliant

I was wondering on the part as id seen 2 sorts but rechecked after your description and think this is what i need

Clive

 

[Rob Cowell]

Part number is 45203-35320 if you're searching for it. One of those parts worth looking at Amayama / Part Souq for. Roughtrax have them for about £190. About £140 including delivery, VAT, etc from the UAE vendors.

 

[Trevor]

I was wondering on the part as id seen 2 sorts but rechecked after your description and think this is what i need

That's the fella. If it's anything like mine was, when you get the old one off the UJ will be virtually seized in one direction and probably stiff in the other.

 

[TonyP]

+1 on the above responses. Pig of a job and whatever you do, do not move the steering wheel once disconnected. I did and ended up damaging the steering wheel clock spring.

 

[Clive Bennett]

Thank you for the replies. Looks like its a job that needs some care. I appreciate the words of warning and wisdom

 

[Clive Bennett]

+1 on the above responses. Pig of a job and whatever you do, do not move the steering wheel once disconnected. I did and ended up damaging the steering wheel clock spring.

I read somewhere else if you can imobilise the steering wheel by taping or tying it down it helps

 

[Trevor]

Just applying the steering lock will do it.

 

[TonyP]

I read somewhere else if you can imobilise the steering wheel by taping or tying it down it helps

As per Trevor, I did not do this and I actually turned the steering by 1 rotation and could not figure our centre position.

It's out by about 1 tooth so works fine, but bothers me every time I drive it, not enough though to try and fix it

 

[Clive Bennett]

Thanks i'll use the steering lock then when i do it. Managed to source one online from an off-road specialist for £75 arrives tomorrow. Had its MOT today and nothing said about the steering just an advisory on a wet rear shock so ill be looking at changing those as well sometime soon

 

[Clive Bennett]

So I fitted the new lower steering column u joint today and everything is sorted. I followed alot of Trevors advice but did it a little differently without undoing the steering rack as i was on my own

I jacked up drivers side removed front road wheel and secured with axle stand

Removed flexible covers in wheel arch to get access to top and bottom yokes

Turn steering slightly to position yokes to easy remove bolts (2 from top yoke 1 from bottom) I didnt need to rotate it much. then secured steering wheel. I used the steering lock but i could have used the seat belt tensioned.

Used an sds chisel to drive top sliding yoke up and free top of shaft from splines. Apparently its designed to do this.

Used long cold chisel put into the slot in the bottom connector where the bolt goes to widen splines and drove it off the rack. I had to do this from the front so removed the front under engine protector panel and had an 18in chisel. This part was very awkward but once it was in the gap it moved very easy.

Installed the new shaft in reverse doing the rack end first. Cleaning up the splines makes assembly easier and the new part should just wriggle on, if you dont move the splines top and bottom alignment is maintained.

I did mark the old and new parts to make sure they went on the same as Trevor suggested

The most difficult part was getting the top sliding yoke back down. The electric chisel helped here.

If you don't have an sds chisel then this could be a lot harder

Oh and you need loads of wd40 soaked in to make things easier

Thanks for all the assistance