rear a frame ball joint

[colintandy]

anybody changed the rear a frame ball joint on a disco ..is it easy as it  looks any advice need to change mine ! soon regards colin

[Range Rover Blues]

It can be a 'stard.  It rust into place in the housing.  I thinnk I'd remove the whole casting from the arms, assuming you can split the taper from the axle, then take it indoors for some serious beating, sorry heating.

[Mace]

Don't get me started !!!  

Recently done mine on a 300 tdi. Used a pit to stand in too !  Had to remove the rear section of the exhaust.

1.  The 2 bolts holding the ball joint assembly into the A-frame, rusted solid, can't cut 'em out so move on...
2.  The BIG bolts holding the front a-frame to the chassis, rusted solid inside the bush. Bush is knackered too. Managed to ease the nuts out a little then sieze.
3.  Take one 5" angle grinder, blade too small to get into the gap.
4.  Take one 9" angle grinder and try cutting the nuts off, it works.
5.  Take one 9" angle grinder and try cutting the bolts off, blade starts to cut into the a-frame.
6.  Take one 5" angle grinder, grind the bolt heads down to nothing. Took forever !
7.  Take one large pry-bar and open the bush mounts, eventually the a-frame drops out.

I've now got one knackered a-frame ball joint still in the a-frame, now with knackered bushes in it too.

8.  Goes out and buys new bushes, ball joint and all bolts & nuts.
9.  Needs to use a 10 ton press to shift the old bushes
10.  Needs to use a 10 ton press to get the ball joint out, after cutting off the bolt flanges.
11.  Needs to buy a special deep tube tool (Difflock but huge socket would do) to go over the ball joint to use in the 10 ton press to get the NEW ball joint in. Take all 10 tons before it pops in !!
12.  Needs to use a 10 ton press to put the bushes back in.
13.  Liberally applies quantities of copper-slip to stop the dam thing getting stuck again !!!
14. Swears like a trooper that it's taken so long to do and would have been impossible without a PIT, 9" ANGLE GRINDER, 10 TON PRESS and the DIFFLOCK tool.

But don't let me put you off  :lol:  :lol:

[snezza69]

Don't get me started !!!  

Recently done mine on a 300 tdi. Used a pit to stand in too !  Had to remove the rear section of the exhaust.

1.  The 2 bolts holding the ball joint assembly into the A-frame, rusted solid, can't cut 'em out so move on...
2.  The BIG bolts holding the front a-frame to the chassis, rusted solid inside the bush. Bush is knackered too. Managed to ease the nuts out a little then sieze.
3.  Take one 5" angle grinder, blade too small to get into the gap.
4.  Take one 9" angle grinder and try cutting the nuts off, it works.
5.  Take one 9" angle grinder and try cutting the bolts off, blade starts to cut into the a-frame.
6.  Take one 5" angle grinder, grind the bolt heads down to nothing. Took forever !
7.  Take one large pry-bar and open the bush mounts, eventually the a-frame drops out.

I've now got one knackered a-frame ball joint still in the a-frame, now with knackered bushes in it too.

8.  Goes out and buys new bushes, ball joint and all bolts & nuts.
9.  Needs to use a 10 ton press to shift the old bushes
10.  Needs to use a 10 ton press to get the ball joint out, after cutting off the bolt flanges.
11.  Needs to buy a special deep tube tool (Difflock but huge socket would do) to go over the ball joint to use in the 10 ton press to get the NEW ball joint in. Take all 10 tons before it pops in !!
12.  Needs to use a 10 ton press to put the bushes back in.
13.  Liberally applies quantities of copper-slip to stop the dam thing getting stuck again !!!
14. Swears like a trooper that it's taken so long to do and would have been impossible without a PIT, 9" ANGLE GRINDER, 10 TON PRESS and the DIFFLOCK tool.

But don't let me put you off  :lol:  :lol:

That must have taken all of an hour!
 :D

[Mace]

Including tea breaks  :lol:

[dazzawhipple]

My method on a job like that would be

1. Bin spanners

2 Angle grind all nuts & bolts


It loks like I am going to have fun replacing the rear axle on mine ... :?

Darren

[sleeplessparadise]

Oh thanks guys....... johnty has to do his soon :?

[Porny]

Last time I did this, I got a spare A-Frame and built it all up... then just a case of swapping it over.  

Did use a 12 tonne press though (when rebuilding the spare one) and a selection of big hammers!!!

Meant I could do it all at my leisure though.


Ian

[clbarclay]

I don't recal the ball joint being quite so bad on mine and that was after 18 years on the back of a range rover. Soaking any siezed parts in a tub of diesel over night helps a lot, an oxy/acetaline torch is also very useful.

[drmike]

I did this on my RRC and it was tough going and a press was required to get something out and then in again but most of it was fine if tiring.

I hope the same will be true as I fear mine is going on the Disco now.

Mike

[Evilgoat]

not the same, but the diff mount on the audi took 15 tones to pop it out after 16 years of salt, dust and muck.