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Steering shakes....
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 7:48 pm
by JedFurneaux
Hi All,
When I bought my 1934 LQ2/20 the previous owner warned me that occasionally a bumpy road would set off a front wheel side to side snaking problem.
He wasn't kidding. When this happens the front wheels weave viciously from side to side and the steering wheel is almost impossible to hold on to. The only remedy is to lose as much speed as quickly as possible then when the snaking has all but disappeared to gently accelerate to iron out the last fading movements.
Has anyone else ever experienced this problem? Any ideas as to cause? Is it possible to fit some kind of after market damper? (although God knows this old beast doesn't need anything else to make the steering tougher!)
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:53 pm
by Sydsmith
There are several reasons why a bump in the road would start the shakes you describe.
The most common, which I presume you will have already checked would be tyre/wheel problems such as balance or uneven tyre pressure, loose missing or broken spokes.
Faulty dry or worn shock absorbers.
Incorrect toe in or camber angle.
King pin wear or uneven stiffness.
Worn dry or jammed up shackle pins.
Broken spring leaf.
Distorted or out of line chassis. Hope that helps. Syd
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:01 pm
by HenryC
Hi Jed,
Yes, I have on my 1939 EL24 Limousine. When I bought it, you had to be very brave to reach 30mph. It's now fine up to max speed.
Check the tyres for uneven wear. I swapped the best ones onto the front.
Check the tracking - probably the most important thing to do.
Set the tyre pressures to the correct pressure and then experiment by raising or lowering the pressure to get the best result.
Grease the king pins and any other joints that have a grease nipple.
Play in the steering linkage will be a cause. Go through the linkage very thoroughly, I got my local friendly garage to help me. If there is any play, you will need to sort it out before a damper will have any effect but hopefully you won't need a damper.
I managed remove the shaking by doing the above. I still need to get the steering box reconditioned, to reduce the cars habit of wandering around the road. Should have done that this winter!
Hope this helps
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:08 pm
by JedFurneaux
Sydsmith wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 8:53 pm
There are several reasons why a bump in the road would start the shakes you describe.
The most common, which I presume you will have already checked would be tyre/wheel problems such as balance or uneven tyre pressure, loose missing or broken spokes.
Faulty dry or worn shock absorbers.
Incorrect toe in or camber angle.
King pin wear or uneven stiffness.
Worn dry or jammed up shackle pins.
Broken spring leaf.
Distorted or out of line chassis. Hope that helps. Syd
Thank you Syd. The tyres/wheels are ok although the front springs are weak and almost flat on the offside. I will look at the other possible causes you so kindly mention.
Best wishes, Jeremy.
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:12 pm
by JedFurneaux
HenryC wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 9:01 pm
Hi Jed,
Yes, I have on my 1939 EL24 Limousine. When I bought it, you had to be very brave to reach 30mph. It's now fine up to max speed.
Check the tyres for uneven wear. I swapped the best ones onto the front.
Check the tracking - probably the most important thing to do.
Set the tyre pressures to the correct pressure and then experiment by raising or lowering the pressure to get the best result.
Grease the king pins and any other joints that have a grease nipple.
Play in the steering linkage will be a cause. Go through the linkage very thoroughly, I got my local friendly garage to help me. If there is any play, you will need to sort it out before a damper will have any effect but hopefully you won't need a damper.
I managed remove the shaking by doing the above. I still need to get the steering box reconditioned, to reduce the cars habit of wandering around the road. Should have done that this winter!
Hope this helps
Thanks, Henry.
The tyres and wheels are in good order although the front springs are weak....the offside one being nearly flat. I will get the tracking looked at and check the steering joints/linkages for play. Speed wise she will bowl along quite happily on a good dual carriageway at 50-60 but put her over a cattle grid at 20 and there's trouble!
Best wishes, Jeremy.
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:20 am
by ranald
Hello, I’m not sure if what you are experiencing is a “steering shimmy” but if so, there is lots of information in early motoring books and the internet. e.g.
http://www.hydrosteer.com.au/steer-axle ... -problems/
All the best, Ranald
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:48 am
by Sydsmith
Morning Jed.
I think you have diagnosed the problem with that spring, at the very least it is something that needs sorting as I am sure you appreciate.
If you think about it, with one spring weaker than the other the car will try to steer to that side as the whole car will be tipped toward that duff spring.
The important thing is to have both front springs reset at the same time so that the car will be evenly balanced, it will not do to have the weak spring re-tempered, you will just pass the problem on to the other side.
There is a recent thread going on springs "Daimler 15 spring busted" which should help you find some one to sort the springs, but it won't be cheap.
I love those huge Daimlers but madam would have a fit if I was to add and LQ to the fleet. Syd
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:47 pm
by JedFurneaux
Thanks, Ranald. I will check that out.
Re: Steering shakes....
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:49 pm
by JedFurneaux
Sydsmith wrote: ↑Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:48 am
Morning Jed.
I think you have diagnosed the problem with that spring, at the very least it is something that needs sorting as I am sure you appreciate.
If you think about it, with one spring weaker than the other the car will try to steer to that side as the whole car will be tipped toward that duff spring.
The important thing is to have both front springs reset at the same time so that the car will be evenly balanced, it will not do to have the weak spring re-tempered, you will just pass the problem on to the other side.
There is a recent thread going on springs "Daimler 15 spring busted" which should help you find some one to sort the springs, but it won't be cheap.
I love those huge Daimlers but madam would have a fit if I was to add and LQ to the fleet. Syd
Thanks, Syd. I do need to get the springs sorted and yes, of course they would both be done at the same time. I understand 'Jones's' are the best?