Steering wheel has moved !!!

[dazza85]

After hitting something that was buried in the mud I was was driving through at the Slippery forest (see Rallywoods 3day event)
Too fast ... Hit very hard ...

my steering wheel has rotated almost 180 degrees ...
My question how can this happen ???
What is the easiest way to put it right ??

[TJ]

Alignment can be out, which is best case scenario and easiest to fix. But make sure first that nothing is actually bent out of shape in your steering components. With a hard knock, things bend (weakest link has to give).

[Sadam_Husain]

You've probably bent a tierod or something dazza, that was a pretty hard hit on that log. Have a good look under the front of your truck and you may be able to see something thats a bit bent?

[dazza85]

Thanks Guys
I had a look yesterday and did not see anything obvious ... I will have to have a better look tomorrow

[TJ]

Post a photos of the front end (steering components) and experts on here might be able to spot the offending (i.e. bent) component.

[dazza85]

It was like this


Now its like this


OK so I got under there tonight and had a good look ...
Steering box arm to main link, solid as and the main link is straight
All joints are solid
The short arms on either end on the main link to the hubs are straight.



All the suspension parts are solid and do not appear to be bent

The other thing that I have noticed is that when you turn the wheel the smallest amount in one direction the wheels will keep turning in that direction until you turn it back the other way and the same thing happens
Whats with that ??

[86-surf]

HAve you had a look at the stearing box? Made sure its still bolted in?

[dazza85]

Yes is still bolted hard against the chassis. no movement there ...

[Sadam_Husain]

It might be time to take it to the alignment guy to put it on his machine and see whats happened, it took a pretty big hit on the RH side and there might be something bent that you cant see?

[NJV6]

Could it be twisted splines in the Steering box where you can't see it? Mine took a big hit and put it out, like you everything was straight.

Went for a wheel alignment and it was all ok.

Took steering wheel off and rotated it back to straight.....

I haven't taken the steering box apart to have a look at it inside.

[dazza85]

Well NJV6 you were basically right
I got the Steering box off last night, and then tonight I managed to clean all the greese and crud off it.

The first problem became apparent ....



Those splines are supposed to be straight

A friend of mine who also has an Isuzu has had the same problem found that when this had happened the shaft had bent along its length as well and also damaged the valves inside.
This explains why it was behaving the way it was.
Planing on striping it down to see what has happened inside.
Also looking for a second hand box



You know what they say... If you have a spare, you will never need it ... Now there's a Tui ad.

[Cloggy_NZ]

Fudgecakes
Who would expect that to happen? One would have thought the linkages would be the weakest link in the steering system and would bend or give way first. That way you end up with an easy and relatively cheap repair.
This looks expensive

[dazza85]

Well I suppose if you are going to do something ... you may as well do it properly
I not only twisted the spline I also bent the shaft and stuffed the control valve
The daughters boyfriend ( he is an engineer ) had a look at the output shaft and reckoned that I was lucky I did not sheer it off by the way it's shaped.
Thanks to to Garry I received a second hand box form down south today and installed it tonight.
I put it back in from the top as the radiator had been removed to clean the mud out of it.
There was a whole lot more room to work with that out of the way.
Its all back together and working.
Just got to recheck the fluid levels in the morning once the bubbles have all come to the top and we are good to go again.

[Sadam_Husain]

Good to hear your all up and running again dazza

[skid]

just a question for you dazza.

when it was stuffed, did the steering get hard at any stage or was it just an issue with it turning by itself.

the reason I ask, is coz I did the same to my cruiser a few years ago and I just left it and put the steering wheel back on straight, but from time to time the steering goes hard for a couple of seconds before freeing up again.

so after reading this, I'm wondering if my shaft has more bendiness inside than just the spline as well.

[dazza85]

Good to hear your all up and running again dazza

Thanks dude.

Skid,
I had did not have the problem that you describe, though I am guessing that it is most likely caused by a valve problem.
When it goes hard is it still turning ? Like it would if there is no power steering ?
I have noticed that trying to steer a vehicle that has power steering and no fluid is harder than driving a vehicle that does not have power steering fitted.

[skid]

Good to hear your all up and running again dazza

Thanks dude.

Skid,
I had did not have the problem that you describe, though I am guessing that it is most likely caused by a valve problem.
When it goes hard is it still turning ? Like it would if there is no power steering ?
I have noticed that trying to steer a vehicle that has power steering and no fluid is harder than driving a vehicle that does not have power steering fitted.

yup all of the above

[dazza85]

Deferentially sounds like the valve is sticking.
I have taken mine apart and the valve unit is completely stuck. I'm going to pull valve apart one day when I get bored.