Power Steering Question

We are just completing the refurbishment of the wheel bearings and swivel joints on my sons 1989 Defender 90. Everything has been done to the book including the force needed to move the swivel and the end float etc.

However when we turned the car around to get at the other side, there was a lot of squealing from under the bonnet, a quick inspection showed it was the power steering pump stalling and the belt slipping around the pulley. This happened at full lock (so you have maximum pressure and the pressure relief valves open) but also did it occasionally mid-travel (just a small squeal!)

The belt is not fantastically tight, but neither is it that loose. Would you expect the pump to stall? Should I just tighten the belt or is this symptomatic of a bigger problem looming (e.g. a knackered pump?)

The car has only been driven a matter of 2 miles (to an MOT station where it failed!) and there were no problems then. There are no leaks in the system and plenty of fluid.

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter
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My first reaction would be to start double checking the jobs you have just done and if you have replaced the right parts in the right place before you do the other side. It sounds to me like you have a restriction on the movement so I would suggest jack up the side you have just done and disconnect the track rod and/or drag link and see if it moves freely from lock to lock. Which book did you refer to? Only last month someone asked me about a similar problem and after a quick check I found they had secured the stub axle to the outer swivel housing with the bolts from the hub drive plate! As the bolts were too long they were fouling the inner swivel ball on lock. Easily done if you've not done it before, so I would check before you look for another (possibly non- existent) problem. Something is increasing the effort normally required to move the steering. Steering damper not damaged?

Martin

Reply to
Oily

On or around Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:38:07 -0700 (PDT), puffernutter enlightened us thusly:

is it a single short belt? If so it needs to be quite tight to avoid it slipping. I'm assuming the belt is in good condition.

The normal cues for v-belt settings don't really apply, the amount of play you get on something like a 10" run on a normal fan belt style arrangement is too much on the short run on these. Also, steering pumps take quite a lot of power and when you hit the end stops, you create extra load on the pump, same as you do when steering stationary or at low speed. It's usually a sign of a slack or worn belt (or pulleys, check them!) when it starts squealing like that.

Obviously, you want to check for full, free movement as Oily says - best bet there is axle on stands (or 1 jack and 1 stand) so the wheels are just off the deck, engine off and turn from lock to lock using the steering wheel. Any stiffness needs investigation.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Martin/Austin

Thanks for the pointers. The car's been turned around and he's (my son) spent the morning dismantling side 2, so I can' do much (access is difficult) on the other side at the moment. I am reasonably sure that we have got the correct bolts in the right places (but I agree it's worth checking) , I remember last night thinking that the ones that hold the stub axle on showed remnants of the old threadlocker when I fished them out to put it back on! Could it also be that the belt was marginal before and now we've replaced the top swivel pin and bearing and it is at the correct tightness so the belt is suffering? It is a short belt and it is primarily at the end stops that it squeals.

Austin - still on for Sunday? We're (the Clumbers) are on after Field Spaniels and Irish Water Spaniels, so it will probably be after lunch/ early afternoon we get to your place.

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

Martin/Austin

Thanks for the pointers. The car's been turned around and he's (my son) spent the morning dismantling side 2, so I can' do much (access is difficult) on the other side at the moment. I am reasonably sure that we have got the correct bolts in the right places (but I agree it's worth checking) , I remember last night thinking that the ones that hold the stub axle on showed remnants of the old threadlocker when I fished them out to put it back on! Could it also be that the belt was marginal before and now we've replaced the top swivel pin and bearing and it is at the correct tightness so the belt is suffering? It is a short belt and it is primarily at the end stops that it squeals.

Austin - still on for Sunday? We're (the Clumbers) are on after Field Spaniels and Irish Water Spaniels, so it will probably be after lunch/ early afternoon we get to your place.

Cheers

Peter

Peter Sunday ? you aint doing the Cheshire Game Fair are you?

Derek advert--Kato will be there sporting £800 ono cards in the window

Reply to
Derek

Derek,

No, at the Welsh Kennel Club Championship Show at Builth Wells.

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

On or around Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:26:59 -0700 (PDT), puffernutter enlightened us thusly:

yep. theoretically, you have email, but the server I've been using to send mail has gone awol, and BT-yahoo have been getting all keen (a good thing) about anti-spam, and will only accept relays from confirmed addresses.

See you Sunday afternoon then. Any time from about 2 onwards is fine.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Austin,

I've sent you a private e-mail using my work address, have you seen it?

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

On or around Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:17:45 +0100, puffernutter enlightened us thusly:

probably, the reply may have gone into a black hole though, been playing with SMTP. was it the one that mentioned a deposit? or another?

If the former, then I did reply but it may be lost, I'll re-send it.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Yes it was but sorry, no trace of it sorry - try peter.at.puffernutter.co.uk as an alternative address.

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

On or around Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:25:15 +0100, puffernutter enlightened us thusly:

I re-sent it via a known-good route. I'll copy it to the above as well though.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

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