Correcting Loose Steering in '89 MB 300

You definitely have play on your steering system. If the tie rods (3 pieces) are ok, check the steering housing. By the way: to check for tie rods, you better get the wheels off the ground and shake each wheel up and down, left and right. Did you check the bearings of the front wheels? Maybe they need grease and being adjusted. Remove the caps over the shafts, loosen the hex bolt an turn the nut until your wheels don't run freely anymore. From that point 1/4 turn back. Your steering house has a worm and worm wheel and maybe it has slack between them. There is adjustment possible up to a certain point. A third possibility can be the damper between the frame and the center tie rod. If that is worn out you have no absorber anymore. Good luck

I would check your suspension bushes and or links

I had a simlar issue and it was because the susypension was about the break !!!!

Is the problem worse while under braking in a turn ?

My friend, I feel for you, as I have what appears to be the same problem in my 1992 80 Series GXL 4.2l Turbo diesel Land Cruiser. I have very low mileage. Only 170,000 km (106,000 miles) Everything mechanical seems great. Starts in an instant and is quick off the mark at intersections I replaced every bushing (original Toyota) beneath the vehicle which was about 44 pieces on shockers and everything else at around $Au1,600 purchase price from memory. Shockers are OME Gas filled with the little tank attached and feel good to me. I suppose if all else fails I will have to get them tested, but they do jot bounce at all after a couple of little bounces when forced.

The vehicle still seems to have a slightly intermittant habit of being very light on the steering. Occassionally I do not notice it. I do think it might start on rough surfaces at speeds around 100 km and especially I believe on corners. I have not yet checked the loading on the wheel bearings, which I suspect, but find that although the freeplay on the steering wheel seems to be within limits, I have to keep moving the steering wheel back and forth to keep the car in a straight line. Tyres are almost new Michelins 275 / 16 ATs and the wheel alignment was done at the same time as the tyres were fitted. Does any one know if the steering box can cause this problem, even when the freeplay is within limits.

I have been avoiding the job, but my next attempt is to jack it up and put it on stands and check out the wheel bearings, all the time hoping I do not have the pull every thing a[part in the front wheels. I shall just adjust the tension on them first and say a quiet prayer that they are not starting to flake.

I hope that sharing this is of some use to you my friend

replaced every bushing (original Toyota) beneath the vehicle which was about 44 pieces

What did you do to wear out every bushing on that thing.

Many of the bushings were steel tubes with rubber bonded internally and another steel tube in the centre. Perhaps I shoud say two concentric steel tubes. bonded together with rubber. The outer steel tube was an interferrence fit into a steel control arm or stabiliser arm I belive it would be age rather than anything else, but the bonding rubber between the concentric tubes was fractured. I was surprised myself as the vehicle has only done about 175,000km. Shock absorber rubber bushings were also badly damaged and in a couple of places were falling out of the housings. The vehicle has done a small amount of off road work, but when you consider it weighs almost 3 tonne, I guess that rubber takes a beating even on the highways, such as they are in Australia

Regards

Bill Pilgrim

I am surprised that a vehicle as respected as that would wear them out so easily. If they wear again, there are polyurethane, and poly-graphite bushings sold aftermarket that are more durable.

Sloppy / loose steering suggests there must be components in the steering system that are worn out or have already failed.

Some components in the steering system need to be checked with the vehicle weight on them and others need the vehicle jacked up.

If all the links and ball joints in the system are still in good condition and no failed bushings, worn mounts, or loose parts are evident, then the steering box or steering gear needs to be checked.

Physically lock one of your tie rods to the frame and check how much play is available at the steering wheel. depending on this test - if more than 5 five degrees of movement is obtained your steering box will need to be adjusted. If no movement is evident, consider changeing your steering geometry a little bit - another 2mm of toe in and about one and a half until two degrees positive additional castor angle.

Hope that helps.

Get the wheel alignment checked out. if alignment is out sterring can wonder.

you say loose can you actualy feel the loosenes or are you assuming its loose because of the wondering?

Specifically the toe. A little toe-in is usually specified to make the car tend to track with fewer steering inputs. A little toe-out will make the steering more responsive, that is the car will want to turn, and require more steering input to go straight.

A little positive caster will help stability as well.

the usual cause of alignment issues is, of course, worn parts.

I suggest that you check the valves and piston in the power steering. If excessive wear allows the valves to alternately bleed small amounts of hydraulic pressure then it's possible that the car is simply responding properly to false commands.

L.J.

Don't forget the tires, Had the same problem, turned out it was the new set of tires i just put on! They had sharp edges and made the car want to "lane hop' due to ruts in the road (big trucks). The edges would ride up and cause the car to move over!

Problem went away when tires had a little wear on edges.

Del

Take a look at the steering box, there may be an adjustment screw to tighten up the box.

Like all things automotive this wear, my land Rover had the same issues, tightening the set screw fixed it.

Hello from 58flh Make sure all the bushings are in good shape & tightend to specs. Also check the donut at the steering, make sure its not worn & make sure its tight. The donut is made of kevlar & other fabric-like matieral. These tend to get a little loose with age, & oil soakage. Just follow your steering shaft down where it comes out the firewall you cant miss-it, its the olny connection there! Also check your wheel bearings, I have seen this alot!!!! GOOD-LUCK 58flh

The test that I normally use is to have the car sitting on clean level ground with the engine off, and the wheels straight ahead. Have an assistant move the steering wheel back and forth against the loose play. At the same time look under the car to follow the movement of the steering linkage. Follow from the steering column to the steering box, or rack and pinion. Then to the center link and idler arm(s), and finally to the tie rod ends. This should reveal any worn steering parts.

If the play is in the steering box, be very careful. An incorrectly adjusted steering box can cause the box to lock. If you do not have manual covering this adjustment, get one before you do that.

Be sure of the wheel alignment, and wheel bearing adjustments. If you paid for an alignment, go back to the shop and have them recheck the cause of your problem. If they aligned a car with worn parts, they owe you a refund. If there are no worn parts, perhaps they need to take a second look at the settings. Good luck.

BTW, welcome to the insanity.