SIII steering 'play' question

My '87 XJ6 drives just fine on nice and flat pavement, but when there are ruts, it is a whole different story. I have had my alignment and castor/camber set, and the ball joints and tie rods are tight. I have even put firm poly bushings in the steering rack. As stated, it drives just fine except on rutted roads. I am wondering if the steering damper (p/n CAC7732) has anything to do with it. Is there supposed to be rotational ‘play’ in it, and is there any way to eliminate that play. Are there any ‘racing’ mods that autocross or racing folks do to tighten up their steering?

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Your steering rack damper may not be adjustable, Kassaq - check…

In principle, lack of damping would lead to noticeable feedback in the steering wheel in situation described. However, the damper regulates the mesh clearance between the pinion and the rack - if adjusted, it is important that the steering wheel is turned lock to lock (wheels off the ground) to ensure that the adjustment is not causing binding. As racks wear most around the centre position eliminating clearance here may cause binding in other postions…

There are two other avenues; tyres unsuitable/wrong pressure - and rear wheel steering. Have you verified rear wheel geometry and that there is no slack at the rear end?

Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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That language and nomenclature thing pops up.

The post title refers to “play”. But, the post itself is equivocal.

  1. Wheels vibrate? Aka “shimmy”

  2. Car wanders. Can be so bad as to jump from lane to lane at speed!!!

A bit unclear in this day of assisted steering. But, with the car at rest. Turn the wheel gently left and right. Free play before resistance. should be none.

  1. Loose wheel bearings. And, I’ve read of unusual wear on the inner surface of the stub axle. Making a taut bearing adjustment impossible.

  2. The car may be just fine. Some road surfaces just induce wander. Around here, some are etched to increase friction when wet.

  3. An alignment genius might adjust caster to increase stability.

Carl.

CAC7732 shows as an XJ40 part. So, to clarify, do you have a Series III or an XJ40?

Anyhow, can you describe exactly what’s happening? Are you sure you have a ‘play’ problem and not a 'tramlining" problem? If the car has a seemingly unnatural (or sometimes scary) tendency to follow ruts in the road you may be experiencing tramlining. This is often tire related, just as Frank mentioned.

Cheers
DD

‘Tramlining’ seems to be what happens…which I notice with the E-types and my X-types to a degree, but the XJ6 has a significantly great degree of it, requiring me to put a LOT more steering input in rather quickly, to compensate for it; leading me to think I seem to have some free play somewhere in the system. Though ‘CAC7732’ may show as an XJ40 part, it is the same as the one on the XJ6. I have made sure the steering rack mounts arent’ broke or the bushings weak, the spindles and wheel bearings are without slop, the rack is without slop…the ‘knuckle’ below the steering damper is without slop…It’s too bad I don’t live where there are a few XJ6 owners to compare my car to theirs.

A good inspection is worth the money in this case.

                                                                                     Walter

Where did you get the number? You may want to look in the Series III parts catalog to verify so we’re all on the same page. CAC7732 doesn’t show up for SIII, and the XJ40 part really doesn’t look like the Series III one…
It’s certainly possible someone installed a later part in your car, though… could have something to do with your issue, if so…

What size and type of tires are you running? Broadly speaking, the lower the profile, the more tendency to tramline. And tire condition can be a big factor as well.

Interesting about the CAC7732. I never seen a Series III with any sort of steering dampener.

Cheers
DD

After looking at a few pictures of the lower steering column on the net search, I see a couple different styles of lower column. Mine has the ‘CAC7732’ looking ‘damper’ on it. I will look at another XJ6 (earlier series?) that a friend of mine has, to see if it has a different lower steering column shaft.

If it’s easier I can take pictures of our Series 1. It has the long tower steering rack and the “extendable” universal joint. Paul

Paul, Please do take a picture…I have a tall tower on my steering rack. I just went out and checked on my lower steering column, and it does seem that the ‘damper’ in the column has some wear/play when turned left and right. There is a ‘key’ that is part of the proximal part of the lower column, that is engaged in the lower/distal part of the ‘damper’. It seems that the key and slot both have some wear. I am wondering how much space there is supposed to be between the key and the slot, if any. Thanks! Tom

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There s no ‘damper’ on the steering column, kassaq - you mean the universal joints…?

Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Getting closer to what we are talking of!!!

Not a dampener at all. If one or more were present, it/they would be located out boards of the rack, between the rack and the steering arms. That is where it or they could dampen unweanted wheel “shimmy”.

Very similar to the dampenrs that reside above the front “A” arms. AKA shock absorbers.

I don’t see how a dampener would even be attached at the column not what effect t could have.

The nomenclature .thing bites again…

Working on my Chipper. Drilled out a busted 1/4" pice of rod in a swivel. Next comes tapping to 20 NC. Found proper tap in one of my sets.

Used tape and red tie wraps to neaten up some wires in the engine bay of My Jaguar.

Carl

Frank, there is a lower steering shaft thickened section visible in the engine bay, above/proximal to the lower expanding U-joint. The shaft is p/n: CAC2765. Some sources call that thickened section that has a long slot and tap/dog a ‘Damper’. Not having taken it out of my car for inspection, I can only guess that it is filled with rubber (like a Metalastic) trailing arm mount. I would imagine that it’s function is to dampen the transfer of tyre and road wobble felt at the steering wheel. Is it not used on the earlier series’ XJ’s?

Hi Tom, my understanding is that the Series 1 has an orphan system. See the pictures. All joints are spline and pinch bolt. There’s a standard double ended uni just inside the fire wall, extendable uni joint with integral long shaft coupling directly to the tower spline.

Though it’s not labeled in the official parts catalogs, Jaguar Classic Parts calls that a ‘steering column’ in series III, and it looks the same for all the Series XJ’s . XJ40 has a different arrangement wherein the lower part of the column adds what is actually labeled a damper (your CAC7732 above) just above the u-joint. These are the primary sources I would be inclined to rely on. A web search for CAC2765/3 turned up no references to “damper“. Out of curiosity, what sources are you looking at?

The bottom line, I think, is that you don’t have a damper as such. If I were worried about excess movement, I think I would be looking to make sure pinch bolts were tight and especially that the splined connections were not slipping.

Good luck,
Andrew.

Well, whatever it is, have someone turn the turning wheel while you observe what happens. If there’s free play between the damper and the shaft you will probably be able to actually observe it.

Cheers
DD

Never mind! I see that you’ve already done that!

Cheers
DD

When I turn the steering wheel with the engine off, It doesn’t seem to have loose or easy rotational motion within the damper, but there is movement when I go more than a quarter turn of the wheel, which is applying more torque to the system. There is about a 1/16" gap between the sides of the drive dog tabs and the sides of the slot…and it doesn’t really look like it is from wear. I put a large screwdriver in the gap on each side of the dog/tab and pried it each way. There seems to be an internal 'Metalastic" type guts to it. I’m thinking that there is always going to be a bit of natural ‘tramlining’ when the roads are rutted, but the damper may be allowing a small bit more than safe in traffic situations at 65+ mph.

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If fitted; it’s a ‘damper’ in the same way as engine mounts are dampers, Kassaq - to absorb vibrations…

Certainly, if worn it will simply allow play in the connection; road wheels moving independently on steering wheel - simple play. The crucial point is whether, during tramlining, the steering wheel moves in step with the road wheels - you have to fight to hold the steering wheel steady. If so, tramlining is caused by tyres or steering geometry…

Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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