Return of the stiff steering

[citroenxm]

I thought I was being lucky!

After a front wheel swap, side at a time, at the front last friday my steering suddenly sorted itself out - I had sieze'd UJ joint syndrome, and been quite bad..

Last friday though it dissappeared after fitting front wheels... and I thought BRILL! that's that sorted.. and its been fine till last night, when suddenly it returned!

I lowered the car and it improved slightly, but its still bad..

Am I looking at a suction or filter issue, or can the UJ free then sieze up again after a few days?

[Old-Guy]

A bit weird that. Fitting front wheels ought not to have disturbed the UJ at all - but you will have raised the suspension to HIGH and then lowered it again so maybe there's a clue there? Maybe it's not the UJ at all but something else.

Given that the steering pumps (6+2) circulate much larger volumes of LHM than the suspension/brakes, I'd check both the LHM tank filters.

[DickieG]

Last friday though it dissappeared after fitting front wheels... and I thought BRILL! that's that sorted.. and its been fine till last night, when suddenly it returned!

IIRC it was still cold on Friday plus the car hadn't been used for several days in freezing weather so maybe the UJ moving parts contracted allowing free movement until the weather warmed up last night causing the joint to expand and become stiff again? Just a thought.

[citroenxm]

Richard.. my car never has a day it doesn't get used.. she is used heavily every day poor girl...

[DickieG]

Ah I thought that the car had been off the road for a while, mind you as the joint of a UJ generally has a ball race it's not uncommon for the balls to displace temporarily then return, I'd still point towards the UJ.

[citroenxm]

Ok Richard.. Thanks.. Im assuming UJ.. Luckilly on Xantias they aint that hard to do...

However, the XMs are a PIG! You can hardly get in and move the lower colum joint.. When I did one, I had to remove the floor gromet to get at it properly in the end...

[isisalar]

I can tell you from bitter experience, and this was on brand new cars, that cv problems will dissappear and re appear depending on the position of the faulty ball bearing causing the problem.
Kind regards
Paul

[citroenxm]

CV?? No, not a drive shaft problem, but a STEERING problem with I think the lower UJ joint...

I will eventually change the steering lower colum and UJ joint... if it ever stays dry for a day or so....

[isisalar]

I miss read the thread, but if ball races are involved in a steering UJ I think the same principal would apply.
Kind regards
Paul

[Xantidote]

Had always assumed that the steering UJ is needle roller. Take it I'm wrong, and it is ball bearing?

[addo]

There's a motherlode of innuendo here for Malc. Where's he gone?

[myglaren]

There's a motherlode of innuendo here for Malc. Where's he gone?

Innuendo overload

[citroenxm]

Well get yur little or large brains round this one then... went to the farm this evening after work to have a bit more of a play with latest xm and after id finished to come home and a week of stiff steering hey presto we are in working order again!! and all the way home.. all 35 miles of it!!

[Xantidote]

So perhaps the lower steering UJ was a red herring? You've probably given it a good squirt of spray grease by now, so at least it's had some preventative maintenance

[citroenxm]

Haha Martin if only.. looking at the Xm was more important....

there's something happening but i cant be bothered looking.. it either a suction issue or uj....