Land Rover Repair: FRONT END SLIGHT INTERMITTENT SHAKE, land rover discovery, tie rod ends


Question
I have a 1998 Land Rover Discovery I.  Recently I noticed a vibration or slight shake in the steering wheel at highway speeds 55-70 MPH specifically a few seconds after bumps or ruts in the road.  In other words the vibration last longer than normal; the front end seems to shake or wobble and transmits that shake or wobble up to the steering wheel.  I have replaced the four tie rod ends with only slight improvement, and the alignment has been cheched and tires balanced. This shaking does not occur continually and at speeds above 70MPH the steering wheel/front end seems to smooth out again.
Thanks, for any help you can offer.

C. Lehman  

Answer
Hello Christopher:

Replace your steering damper.  This is a shock absorber like device that has failed on you Disco.  I have experienced the exact same problem.  I had my tie rods replaced, wheel alignment performed and still the same shake.  LR was not forthcoming and never suggested the steering damper.  Only another Disco owner told me to replace my steering damper.  $125 later...the problem was solved.

Now, 3 years later, the same shake is coming back.  I have chatted with other Disco owners and it looks like a front-end suspension design flaw may be at fault.  Some owners have indicated that a wheel bearing design may be the root of the problem.  Others say its the steering damper location.  

My theory is this:  our Disco is extremely heavy.  The suspension and steering design is not adequate to maintain the vehicle for eventual high mileage.    

I had a LR mechanic tell me that the braking system on the Disco is not 'matched' to the weight of the vehicle.  "The braking system on the Range Rover is much better".  If "weight to brakes" is a known problem for the Disco, what does this say about the suspension and steering?  Alas, the steering damper failure is the weak link in this mess!

Have your damper replaced.  Almost any mechanic can do this, even you can perform this task.  Just make sure the washers and rubbers are installed in the correct sequence.

Best of luck,
JohnMc