Steering problem / question

[Cuppa]

My 'new' 2006 GU cab chassis appears to be suffering from oversteer/bump steer. At least that is my best guess. It's OK at city speeds, but driving it home yesterday I felt quite unsafe cornering at 110kph+
It felt hard to keep my line, requiring constant 'adjustment' of the steering wheel. At lower speeds there is no noticeable problem. When on a straight road, at moderate speed, if I swing the steering wheel from side to side, it also feels unsafe, feeling like it could 'break away'. ie over sensitive requiring very cautious steering correction.

No problems driving in a straight line.

I have spoken with the dealer this morning, who has told me to book it into our local Nissan dealer to get fixed & they will cover the costs.

However I would like to try to understand what the problem is.
Our pre-purchase inspection revealed that the steering wheel was offset (not sure by how much) due to a new non-adjustable drag link having been fitted, with the existing 2" suspension lift. (ie. No accident damage)
Upon collecting the car yesteday I noticed that the steering wheel was no longer offset. I'm guessing that someone has done something to re-align the steering wheel, (not removing the steering wheel from it's splines & replacing) & that this has somehow changed some angles somewhere, causing the over sensitive steering problem that I have experienced. My question to you knowledgeable folks is Can anyone confirm that this is possible?


I am hopeful that fitting an adjustable drag link will fix the problem.

Thanks folks

[YNOT]

Without seeing and driving the car I can't be certain but it sounds to me like someone has moved the steering wheel on the splines to straighten it. This would mean that the steering box is not in it's central position when travelling straight. Without an adjustable drag link that's about the only way they could have centred the steering wheel. If that is the case then fitting an adjustable drag link and resetting everything should fix it.
Other than that I would be checking all the suspension bushes for wear and cracking, suspension bolts for tightness, rod ends for wear.

Tony

[Cuppa]

Thanks Tony,
So maybe they did just move the steering wheel on its splines.
I'll 'report back' after it's been to the local Nissan dealer. I'm a bit concerned that Nissan may not be prepared to fit an adjustable drag link, given that it will mean fitting an 'aftermarket' item, but I'll have to wait & see.

regards
Cuppa

[big_fletch]

Howdy mate, u say that it has a 2" suspension lift?? Has it had the caster correction fitted do you know? As sometimes this can make a vehicle feel loose and like a 'wandering' sort of feeling if lifted and this not installed

[Cuppa]

Dunno Fletch, but being ex Telstra I reckon the lift would've been done right in the first place. Doesn't feel wander-y in a straight line.

Thanks
Cuppa

[DX grunt]

Under all my black paint on the under carriage, I'm sure it's got OME shocks. What tyre pressure running and has it still got the split rims?

[Cuppa]

Yep OME yellow shocks partially painted black, & split rims all round. Not sure what pressure the tyres are at.

Cuppa

[thin on top]

I would have thought if it had a 2" lift kit, it would have needed a new longer or adjustable dragink

[YNOT]

Ideally yes but usually no.

Found this on Superior Engineering's website;
"Telstra fleet has chosen to use Superior Engineering's steering components
to replace the factory Nissan Y60(GU Patrol) steering rods.

Due to a weak point in the factory drag link at the point
of the damper bracket weld, Telstra has started to retrofit our draglinks on their Patrols

This problem was brought to their attention by a factory drag link that failed on a vehicle whilst being driven.

Telstra Fleet purpose built a test road and has done all the relevant and extensive testing
on our Superior draglinks, and was very pleased with the quality and strength of our steering rods."

Tony

[MudRunnerTD]

Hmmm. it could be as simple as one tyre running at a much lower pressure and it will require you to constantly adjust the steering. Check your tyre pressures to see if one has lost a little air. This happened to my dad's 80 after i picked it up from having a 2 inch lift and a new set of tyres fitted. The tyre fitter failed to inflate one of the tyres equally but enough that it did not bulge and show sitting still. But driving at HWY speed and the thing was a mess. Nearly took it back. Could not hand it over to dad like that. Checked the tyre pressures and sure enough. Added air and all good.

Otherwise not enough toe in on the wheel alignment. Good luck.

[Cuppa]

Well I got the car back from the Nissan dealer today, & it now drives & handles heaps better. Problem turned out to be a combination of too high pressures in the front wheels & being badly in need of a wheel alignment.
I talked to them about the stock Nissan drag link being used with the 2" lift. They were adamant that folks don't need to change their drag link with a 2" lift.

I also got them to check the brakes, I thought I had a problem. Now I know that it's just how Nissan brakes are. Not particularly happy about that, but .............. such is life.
With motor running, pedal has quite a lot of travel, pump the pedal & it gets a bit harder, leave foot applying pressure on pumped up pedal, & the pedal slowly drops. Now on any other vehicle such behaviour would indicate a brake fluid leak, a stuffed master cylinder or possibly a brake booster problem. With the motor switched off, pump the pedal & it hardens up, but does not sink with foot pressure. Master cylinder ok. Start motor & pedal slowly sinks - brake booster working correctly. The dealers checked for leaks & adjusted the rear drums & flushed the system, bleeding it & replacing the brake fluid (which was dirty). When they handed it back to me they commented that the brakes had "come up 100%". I drove home - brakes were no different to before I took the car in! Back to the dealer (60km round trip grrrr) & got mechanic to come & look again. He assured me that they were OK, & that I was lucky I didn't have a Navara, whose pedal travel felt similar, but with even longer travel. I looked at him like he was an idiot for expecting me to swallow that guff. He quickly picked up that I was a tad cynical, & suggested I try another GU Patrol's brakes, disappearing to find one, returning with an ST wagon. Well knock me down with a feather, the brakes in the ST felt identically crap to mine.
They stop the car, but I am amazed that a modern vehicle can be produced with brakes with such lousy 'feel'.

To finish off my day, I noticed, when I picked up the car - tell tale drops of water in the passenger foot well after the car sat out in 150mm of rain overnight. Further examination revealed channels along the door sill, under the mat, to be full of water, & all of the sound deadening material to be completely sodden. So I have now removed the seats & various bits & pieces, in order to remove the vinyl mat, which upon lifting it out, it didn't just drip, it ran like a tap! Very wet. The car has had a damp smell since we got it a couple of weeks ago. I think the dealers had hosed it out. The other patrols they had there smelled the same. I thought it would slowly dry out. Now I think I have a leak as well. It has a new windscreen, so I guess the windscreen seal is the first thing to check.

Cuppa