Steering issues

[Leeds Sprint]

Hello All<br>
<br>
My Dolomite 1850 seems to be developing some difficulties in the steering department. The symptoms are as follows:<br>
-Stiffness while at slow speeds and under cornering<br>
-Vagueness of steering (not very precise)<br>
-It feels a bit a bit "notchey". I have to turn heavily to begin the turn but then it feels quite loose on the exit of turns.<br>
<br>
The following may help with the diagnosis.<br>
-The shocks and bushes front and back need replacing, but its the ones at the back that seem the worst.<br>
-At my last MOT in March (over 5000 miles ago!) I was advised that the ball joints were not at their best. <br>
<br>
Can the problems I have described with my steering be explained by the need to replace ball joints, shocks and bushes? Or should I expect that yet another and unrelated problem has developed with my Dolomite?<br>
<br>
What do you all think?<br>
<br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
Chris

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[Stan Part]

Sounds to me as though you need another steering rack.

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[Leeds Sprint]

Argh

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[alun n]

Steering shaft UJ is my bet; gone stiff...no longer universaling

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[davepoth]

It's probably best to fit the Rally Design unit for the Ford Escort. It was a bit cheaper than the Dolomite one and gives much better feel in the steering.

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[Sprint36]

Rally Design lower joint: Good idea while things are apart and it will help with the vagueness, but it will be the top joint that's gone stiff. They go dry and stiffen up. Being positioned below the brake and clutch cylinders doesn't help.<br>
<br>
David

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[Leeds Sprint]

Is this "Rally Design lower joint" a straight swap for the standard Dolomite one? What do the cost? Where do I get one?<br>
<br>
Chris

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[davepoth]

the part comes from <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.rallydesign.co.uk" target="top">Rallydesign.co.uk</a><!--EZCODE LINK END-->, and is almost a straight swap. Some people find that they have to take a little off the end of the column shaft, others grind away part of the flange on the front wing. Some people can fit it with no modification at all. IIRC it's £25ish but can't remember the part number.

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[dollysteve]

Or get the Jigsaw one, requires no modification, fits straight on and costs about £5 more IIRC. <br>


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[LewisK]

My Rally Design coupling wouldn't fit at all with my intermediate shaft and I wasn't in the position to grind off the end and then weld it up again (to keep the safety notch).<br>
<br>
Just my 0.2. I bought a totally brand new UJ from Robbers for about 26 quid instead.

<p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.antchip.com/sig2.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>
<!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Crazy! I mean like so many positive waves, we can't lose! You're on!</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>

[Toledo Man]

Snowdrop's steering was getting stiff at a certain point so I sprayed some WD40 type stuff on the steering UJ and it cured the problem.<br>
<br>
It could be that simple.<br>
<br>
Chris, I've got some poly rack mounts that I could sell to you if Snowdrop doesn't need them for her forthcoming MoT.

<p>Toledo Man<br>
<br>
1974 Toledo 2-door (currently a spares car for Snowdrop)<br>
1973 1500fwd (Baby Blue slowly being recommissioned)<br>
1971 1500fwd (spares car for Baby Blue & future donor for the "Stretch 1500" project)<br>
1983 Acclaim HL (Becky, my daily driver)<br>
1977 Dolomite 1300 (Snowdrop my other road going Triumph)</p><i></i>

[djw113uk]

Stiff, loose, stiff, loose... Always seems to be the universal joint. The flexi joint beneath it just gives you about 3" free rotation at the steering wheel, and none at the wheels. Have only ever found the rack to be at fault once.<br>


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[Leeds Sprint]

Hey there<br>
<br>
I put some used motor oil on the universal joints, just to see if it made any difference. (thanks for the hint Toledo Man!)<br>
<br>
That seems to have done the trick for now. I have seen noticeable improvement in the feel of the steering.<br>
<br>
<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Stiff, loose, stiff, loose... Always seems to be the universal joint.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br>
<br>
This is exactly what mine feels like. So I think that this forum has helped me to make a yet annother diagnosis. <br>
<br>
Now I just need to decide which U joint is the one that is failing. As I put oil on both it is a bit hard to tell. I reckon it could have been the top one as it looked really dried out and crusty from the leaking brake fluid problem I have had recently. The other one seem to benefit from the natural lubrication of components located near to the bottom of the engine area.<br>
<br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
Chris

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[alun n]

It will be the top one, the bottom is a flexible coupling rather than a UJ and when it fails you get vagueness rather than stiffness.

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[Jon Tilson]

Sons pimento TR7 3 railer recently did just this. As the shaft didnt seem to want to come off the column (probably cos I didnt frighten it enough) and I was short of time I just plastered the u/j with fingers of grease.<br>
Jacked up the front and pulled it lock to lock a few times.<br>
Fixed...<br>
<br>
Jonners

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