Swivel Housings

[luffy]

I've got to change both swivels on my truck and am trying to get the list together of all the parts I need.

Paddocks sell a kit which seems to contain most bits but as I'm trying to keep the costs down, does anyone know if I need to get a new halfshaft bearing?  

The parts manual shows it located in the back of the chrome ball so I'm not sure if the ball comes with it already fitted or whether I can just swap the old one over.

Also, has anyone got any tips on how to do the job easily as it looks a bit involved.

[JIM 2B]

I read some where that the bearing dose not come in the kit and the old one is usualy damaged on removal, if not allready worn out!

I have not replaced swivels myself as yet but when i do, i would replace the bearing for the added cost as i wouldnt whant to go there again in a hurry. :!:

[Inked_Raven]

As for the half shaft bearing, we replaced it when my freinds and I did my swivels last year.

The most important thing to do is insert the bearings (Bush, Halfshaft and roller shell) into each of the Chrome balls before you start pulling anything apart.  We didn't and when it came to assembly time we could not get the bearings to go in, and so my mate had my landrover with no front wheel stuck on his drive for a week, until we managed to sort out the bearings.

Fill the groves of the large Oil Seal that goes arround chrome ball with grease before you fit it otherwise it will trap water and perrish.  When you do the ring up to pull the Oil Seal into place tighten the bolts in turn to pull the seal into place evenly otherwise you may start to leak oil again.

One part you may find dificult to obtain are the 1/4 BSF bolts that attach the ring that holds the large oil seal onto the back of the ball.  We found a die and ended up remodeling 12 M5 bolts to fit.

Other than that it is all fairly simple providing you follow the Haynes Book of Lies.  My Series three has a very early 90 axel which mean that I have an extra small oil seal inside the swivel housing at the end of the axel to prevent the swivel oil making it to the wheel bearings.  That unfortunatly we had to deal with during reassembly, because it was not shown in the book, and therfore not purchased before hand.

We also ended up breaking a brake line during reassebly, which extend the job even further.  :(

In general my friends and I have decided that if we ever need to do swivels again we will swap the axel and get a recon unit, it may sound drastic, but it would probably be alot less hastle.

[luffy]

Cheers for the replies.

I've ordered everything I think I need to do both sides including the halfshaft bearings.

I'm just hoping that I can get it all apart without having to break the brake lines down as I don't want to have to bleed them as well  :(

[blackbob]

:D when you reassemble the swivel try making gators from a shamie
use a large real skin shami leather
rub with petrolium jelly and make it fit between the large oil-seal and retaining plate
then lace the open seam with a boot lace and seal the other with a large cable tie
leaving enough slack to let the swivel turn
this will stop any stone, grit and water damage
the early millatry vehicles had perpous built gators and they save loads of wear and tear

[mark.yellow.series.3]

if your reconning your swivels ect. i would replace the brake cylinders as well ( only £6 each).

if it was me, i would replace all i could whilst the front axle is stripped, as the parts are cheap.

[luffy]

if your reconning your swivels ect. i would replace the brake cylinders as well ( only £6 each).

if it was me, i would replace all i could whilst the front axle is stripped, as the parts are cheap.

I upgraded the brakes to the dual cylinder set-up last year before doing the v8 conversion and had a hell of job bleeding them which is why I'm hoping that I don't have to split them now.

[mark.yellow.series.3]

ive got the joy of bleeding next week. ive heard that those pressure bleed thingys are the way forward for series brakes.

[MOTORSPORT_SAFETY]

BLEED THEM hell iv got to build them first  

iv got a spare axel here that im planning on rebuilding so would you guys suggest just plopping the front axel on and rebuilding the spare over a weekend say and they just transplant it.

Im not wanting to do the swivels really but I just know if I dont there going to go up a lane somewere and the nice AA man is going to say stuff that.

[luffy]

BLEED THEM hell iv got to build them first  

iv got a spare axel here that im planning on rebuilding so would you guys suggest just plopping the front axel on and rebuilding the spare over a weekend say and they just transplant it.

Im not wanting to do the swivels really but I just know if I dont there going to go up a lane somewere and the nice AA man is going to say stuff that.

That's got to be an easier way of doing it that taking everything off the truck like I'm going to do.  At least that way if you get stuck for parts you truck's not left unfinished which is the risk I'm running.

[luffy]

ive got the joy of bleeding next week. ive heard that those pressure bleed thingys are the way forward for series brakes.

Yeah, that was the only system I could get to work properly but it still wasn't particularly easy.  The bleed nipple being at the lowest point on the front brakes doesn't help either.