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Steering geometry

NeilH

NeilH

Trekker
Hi all. I've recently had the steering box/column out whilst repairing footwell and bulkhead. I'm now putting it all back together.

With the steering column centred, how should the drop arm connect to the box? Vertically? Parallel to the end faces of the steering box? Is there a prescribed length for the horizontal steering arm?

Thanks in anticipation

Neil
 
This is what you want.
The drop arm from the box should be as near to 90 degrees to the steering rod as possible mid way of steering circle.
 

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Since the previous screen snip mentions instructions 5 to 8 which are not shown, I thought you would appreciate what they are.
 

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js5d said:
Unless of course somebody removed the steering wheel and recentered it. E.i un centered it.
Click to expand...

The steering wheel has nothing to do with it, the drop arm can only be put on in one place, get everything else right, set the drag link to the proper length according to the workshop manual and last of all, centre the steering wheel, if it needs it.
 
as a rule all primary links (londituinal and drag) should be at 90deg to the arm. this ensures the travel is equal in both directions. the tracking link will have less then 90 deg for ackerman steering to work. as mentioned the steering box arm is master splined so will only fit one way. with the link to the wheels disconnected turn the wheel fully one way. use tape to mark it then count the turns all the way to the other stop (I think its 3and a bit.). you can then work out the turns and a bit to the centre.
 
Extreedoc said:
You are talking about the steering box drop-arm? It has a master spline, so you can't put it on wrong.
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There doesn't seem to be a master spline. It seems to be a later column/box and the original 2A arm?

With the the column centred, the drop arm right angles to the rod and the top relay arm at 81 degrees, I had to lengthen the rod by about 1" to fit. I'm guessing at some time in the past, whilst changing TREs the new ones have simply been wound in all the way to the shoulder making the rod way too short.

Many thanks. Im hoping for improved steering but not very confident. The inner column is past it's best so I'm saving my pennies for a new one.
 
NeilH said:
There doesn't seem to be a master spline. It seems to be a later column/box and the original 2A arm?

With the the column centred, the drop arm right angles to the rod and the top relay arm at 81 degrees, I had to lengthen the rod by about 1" to fit. I'm guessing at some time in the past, whilst changing TREs the new ones have simply been wound in all the way to the shoulder making the rod way too short.

Many thanks. Im hoping for improved steering but not very confident. The inner column is past it's best so I'm saving my pennies for a new one.
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According to the workshop manual in the screen snip I posted above the distance between ball joint centres should be between 621.4 and 624.6mm or 24.46 and 24.59 inches.
Perhaps the longitudinal tube is not the right one?
Just a guess.
 
You are right Neil, there isn't a master spline, my memory playing me false again... five years since I did a series steering box. I did look at a spare box and there was what appeared to be a master spline, what I didn't notice was that there are three of those "master splines" on the shaft and none of them locate the drop-arm in one place. My bad...
 
Now I'd better redeem myself.

Set the drag link, that's the one from the steering box to the relay, at the length specified in the workshop manual. Set the road wheels in the straight ahead position, rotate the steering wheel from lock to lock counting the turns as Holly has already said. From the resulting count, now set the steering wheel to the straight ahead position too. With the drag link fitted to the relay and the steering box drop-arm fitted to the other end of the drag link you can now slip the drop-arm onto the rocker shaft, (steering box shaft). Fit lock plate and nut, torque nut to 60 to 80 1bf. ft. You can now make minor adjustments with the drag-link adjustment if necessary.

PS: Don't worry about where the spokes of the steering wheel are at first, the important thing is the number of turns lock-to-lock and to centre. You can always take the steering wheel off and set it central once everything else is done and dusted.
 
Extreedoc said:
Now I'd better redeem myself.

Set the drag link, that's the one from the steering box to the relay, at the length specified in the workshop manual. Set the road wheels in the straight ahead position, rotate the steering wheel from lock to lock counting the turns as Holly has already said. From the resulting count, now set the steering wheel to the straight ahead position too. With the drag link fitted to the relay and the steering box drop-arm fitted to the other end of the drag link you can now slip the drop-arm onto the rocker shaft, (steering box shaft). Fit lock plate and nut, torque nut to 60 to 80 1bf. ft. You can now make minor adjustments with the drag-link adjustment if necessary.

PS: Don't worry about where the spokes of the steering wheel are at first, the important thing is the number of turns lock-to-lock and to centre. You can always take the steering wheel off and set it central once everything else is done and dusted.
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In my workshop manual the rod that goes from wheel to wheel is called the track rod, the rod that goes from wheel to lower relay arm is called the drag link and the rod that goes from the steering box to the upper relay arm is called the longitudinal steering tube.
Just saying.
 
Series 1 said:
In my workshop manual the rod that goes from wheel to wheel is called the track rod, the rod that goes from wheel to lower relay arm is called the drag link and the rod that goes from the steering box to the upper relay arm is called the longitudinal steering tube.
Just saying.
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I'd call them both, other than the track rod, drag links but fair enough, best to use the correct terminology according to the manufacturer, another maker might call them something else entirely, that's one of the joys of the motor trade...
 
Interestingly enough I've just been looking through the autobooks "green bible" (Land Rover Series 2, 2A & 3 1959-1978) and it is different to the later Series 3 workshop manual regarding the positioning of the relay levers.
Compare the two screen snips posted.
The earlier relay has the arms at 90 degrees to each other whereas the later has them at 81 degrees.
This may explain why NeilH found that the rod was too short and had to extend it.
 

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Extreedoc said:
The steering wheel has nothing to do with it, the drop arm can only be put on in one place, get everything else right, set the drag link to the proper length according to the workshop manual and last of all, centre the steering wheel, if it needs it.
Click to expand...

Just to explain my point: The OP had said he had centered the steering wheel. My point was that with this approach you have not allowed for the possibility of the steering wheel being re-centred at some point and thus this approach (centering the steering wheel) it not going to guarantee a correct geometry.

I think we all agree, but what is interesting is that as it is transpiring the drop arm does not only go on in one way, there is the risk that the steering box is not centered leading to it reaching it's limits at either left or right full lock.
 
js5d said:
Just to explain my point: The OP had said he had centered the steering wheel. My point was that with this approach you have not allowed for the possibility of the steering wheel being re-centred at some point and thus this approach (centering the steering wheel) it not going to guarantee a correct geometry.

I think we all agree, but what is interesting is that as it is transpiring the drop arm does not only go on in one way, there is the risk that the steering box is not centered leading to it reaching it's limits at either left or right full lock.
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Can you clarify what you mean by centre the steering wheel because I think we might be thinking of different things. When I think of centring the wheel (for the purpose of re-fitting the steering drop arm), I'm not thinking of getting the spokes level but of getting exactly the same number of turns to full lock on both sides. The position of the spokes being irrelevant.
 
Ah yes I totally agree with your correct definition of centering the steering wheel, however I have seen many references of centering the steering wheel as ensuring the spokes are correctly positioned i.e. removing and repositioning the steering wheel.

I think we agree that with the number of variations possible, don't assume any of them to be unaltered
 
Series 1 said:
Interestingly enough I've just been looking through the autobooks "green bible" (Land Rover Series 2, 2A & 3 1959-1978) and it is different to the later Series 3 workshop manual regarding the positioning of the relay levers.
Compare the two screen snips posted.
The earlier relay has the arms at 90 degrees to each other whereas the later has them at 81 degrees.
This may explain why NeilH found that the rod was too short and had to extend it.
Click to expand...

Phew, thanks ! Just as I was going to dig my bible out again as I know I set mine at 90deg in January when putting it all back on the new chassis.
 
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