Vague Steering/Poor Brake feel/rear diff noise

[pmac]

Hi all,

I'm looking at a cheap 95 XJ ($2,500) for a back up tow vehicle in case my WJ spits the dummy at me one day. I need to tow a van for my business and can't risk losing a days work as the jobs are only on weekends.

I took the XJ for a drive, and motor seems great. Done 288,000 kms but supposedly has been rebuilt 20,000 ks ago. No paperwork, but engine looks like new and tell tale signs like new manifold gasket etc are apparent.

It had a roadworthy, but it has three problems:
- Steering was horrible. Very very vague. Is this normal. I definitely wouldn't want to be towing a van at 100 km/h with that steering. Felt like it was all over the road.

- Brake pedal feel was poor. They worked fine, but you had to push pedal down a long way.

- Rear diff sounded noisy

So basically, are these things normal? If not, are they problems that regularly happen? Are they easily fixed?

Many thanks

[Hamsteh]

G'day mate,

*Steering: check this link (www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107124) out.

*Brakes: check the obvious like how much pad is left, fluid levels. Might need a bleed/flush.

*Diff: sometimes just an oil change can fix a noisy diff (mine was noisy before oil change when i bought it 5 years ago - hasnt made a peep since)

[ginjaninja]

When you say horrible, what exactly do you mean? The upper and lower control arm bushes flog out, the steering box mount to the chassis flexes and breaks,, there is a sticky about that one

The brakes, are they out of adjustment? What's the handbrake like? Remember they are drum rears.

What's the condition of the oil in the rear diff like?

[pmac]

Thanks guys,

Yep, I did have a read of the sticky's and did a search on vague steering, but nothing really matched what I had.

It felt like there was heaps of movement in the steering box. I suppose without driving any other ones, I was just seeing if they all drive like that. I would hope not as it was scary. I didn't feel comfortable driving over 80 km/h although it was raining and a bit windy. It wandered all over the lane.

As long as they normally drive well, I might put in an offer and know it can be repaired.

Yep - handbrake works at very end of it's travel. Maybe new linings there too.

[Hamsteh]

Hey mate, with the steering get someone to turn it lock to lock and physically watch the steering box. Mine had a lot of slop present and this was because the steering box was physically moving on the rail! If this is not conclusive you can then begin to check all steering linkages for movement.

[rainman]

could also be somthing loose with the track bar, will also cause vague steering. be it the diff bolt or the mount bolts where it attaches to the frame. flogged out tie rod hole can also do it.

[Steve F]

Poor braking and rear diff noise could be related, if the shoes are worn down it means there is a lot of travel before the front brakes do anything and could also mean there is some rubbing or rattling of the brake shoes up back sounding like the rear diff.

Cheers
Steve

[davesta]

Mine has fairly vague steering (maybe not as bad as the one you've driven, i've had it up to at least 140 and isn't too bad- maybe i'm just used to it). The entire shaft (sector shaft i think its called) that comes out of the bottom of the steering box flexes around when the steering wheel is moved. One day i'll get around to getting a new steering box. maybe...