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2002 range rover steering shudder 4.6 hse westminister

5K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  nazdackster 
#1 ·
i have a problem with front end shutter only at speeds of 50 to 55 mph. had the suspension checked by wheel works here in vallejo,ca. installed new tires. problem still there. could the steering damper be the problem. i dont feel any play in the steering, any suggestions please!!!!!!
 
#4 ·
Most likely a dampener. Try changing that out first. If still does it, look at steering box for some play. Might need to be adjusted a bit. Shutter is a very common problem with Classics and P38's
Shudder might be more common :twisted:

Definition of SHUTTER

1
: one that shuts

2
: a usually movable cover or screen for a window or door

3
: a mechanical device that limits the passage of light;especially : a camera component that allows light to enter by opening and closing an aperture

4
: the movable louvers in a pipe organ by which the swell box is opened

[h=2]Definition of SHUDDER[/h]intransitive verb
: to tremble convulsively : shiver, quiver

 
#5 ·
x2 Wise words indeed! Also check the "run out" on the tyres. It's not unknown for tyres to be slightly "out of round" ...
 
#7 ·
Good. You never stop learning. Oh, your spelling was correct. The word was wrong.
 
#8 ·
Funny how I can build pretty short wheelbase rigs and lift them with 35"s or 37"s, and never have to use a dampener on the steering...
Even with low mileage, these rigs are rapidly approaching 10 years old, and thats just the 2002's:-?
Parts wear, rubber gets brittle and breaks down, and so on.
Just have someone turn the steering wheel hard from side to side, while you are under the front end feeling for any play. This is of course assuming that the tires and rims are all good.

Martin
 
#10 ·
I'm having the same issue. I had originally brought the truck in for what I would call 'chatter' going over choppy pavement at any speed over 30. At highway speeds, it would feel as if the tires were not even touching the ground. It was pretty un-nerving, any input from the steering wheel would have almost no effect. I had the same issue on a 98 Disco and a new steering dampener fixed it immediately. The land rover mechanic I brought it to thought it could be the same issues as you guys mentioned above and checked all the bushing, dampeners, and looked for any play. Nothing. He suggested new shocks, and seeing how they were original, I agreed. I took his suggestion on the old man emu's. Upon the 1st ride with the new shocks I thought the chatter was much, much better but not 100%. This is where it gets odd, because now I am periodically getting the 'shudder' that was mentioned above; almost like the wheels are egg shaped. It vibrates quite violently and there is nothing I can do but hang on, slow down and it seems to fade after awhile. Any thoughts? Should I just go down to Firestone and have them do an alignment?
~greg
 
#11 ·
Put it on a flat surface and try to move the sway bar end links too. Mine were shot, though it wasn't producing shudder, but it fixed a looseness over bumps. Mine was pretty good until I put on oversized (1" over stock dia) tires. They were badly out of balance from the first day, but I wasn't driving it much at the time, so it was a while before I got it fixed. New balancing fixed it. You must get it to zero balance, not just close. They said mine were about 1/2 to 1 ounce off (with almost no miles on the tires). Mine had the issue at 51 mph and it would go away at any other speed. If it seems to be at the same frequency as tire rotation, I would still suspect balance. With 31" tires, they will rotate at about 11 times per second at 60 mph, which is a pretty low frequency. Easy to feel, too low to hear. Discount tire did mine over for free, I think they do free rotate / balance for anyone, not sure. It was doing all kinds of weird stuff with bad balance, it really introduced lots of extra motion in the system. I would take it somewhere else and balance it again, to zero. You have to do the inside and outside too, it must balance left-right as well or it will introduce other vibes.

The damper is important too. If it seems to be going out of control to the point of death wobble at one frequency, balance is probably inducing it and the damper is unable to stop it while the front end resonates. If it repeats at the same speed all the time and you get anywhere near 10 pulses per second, I would still look at balance. An easy way to check the damper is to just take one end off and see if it is still dampening well by using your hands. If it is very low resistance, replace it. If it has a lack of resistance anywhere along the length, replace it. If it feels smooth and has good resistance, and you can hear the fluid going through the orifice, it's probably OK. A few bubbles is OK.
 
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