Fitting a Drop arm ball joint kit?

[Fireyred]

My car failed the MOT ,  one of the reasons was because there was a fair amount of play in the drop arm joint, I have purchased the kit but have been informed it isnt an easy job to change?
 :?  

Has anyone done one before?

[Range Rover Blues]

Yes.

[Fireyred]

So was it difficult then???

[mmgemini]

Simple....
Have a look on www.REEDX.net

[Range Rover Blues]

Sorry, I had a quite detailed reply in there but some piece of Yahoo s***e came up on myscreen and I lost it

So anyway, it's not the end of the world but the first time I did it it was a bit tricky, not least because the drop arm wouldn't come off.  Heat and a big hammer

Oh, you'll need a 33mm socket, it's the only one on the car too

Remove the drag link, the rubber cover (carefully if it's in good nick) and turn the steering to the right unless the drop arm comes off.

Remove the cirlcip from the bottom, the joint might explode it might not, if it doesn't give it a tap from above but try to see how it's fitted together.

You need to drift out the main outer race from the drop arm, mine was so well worn I had to make 2 cut-outs in the drop arm with a Dremel so I could get to the top of the race, you should be able to see a small lip if it's not too far gone though.  Drift it out carefully working round or across but not in one place or it will jam.

Once out clean up the drop arm, remove any burrs inside the arm.  Drift the new outer race into place as carefully, make sure it's fully home or you won't get the thing back together.

One of the hard bits out the way :)

Now you need to assemble the joint, grease the living daylights out of it, there is no grease nipple (I had thought about fitting one) so this is the last chance. Assembly goes Balljoint, lower pressure race, spring, small end first IIRC, O ring, bottom plate chamfered side first (for the O ring) then circlip.  A good bit of grease help stop it falling apart until you grow that 3rd hand .

You won't ge the circlip in yet but don't worry.  Have a deep socket to hand that fits oer the top of the balljoint and rests on the drop arm not the thread.  Have a second much smaller socket to hand that will fit inside the drop arm.  This goes against the bottom plate so that you can work the circlip around the outside of it.

Compress the joint using both sockets and a G clamp.  It's a bit wobbly at first but once the joint is fully compressed it will be secure, you can let go of it and deal with the circlip now.

I like to pop the cirlip in then drift it into the groove so that it clicks into place, I find it more reliable than trying to lift it directly into the groove.  Use a small screwdriver as a drift here.

If it's all gone well you can remove the G clamp.

Now, just as you think you have finished comes another tricky bit.  I often finsd the rubber boots are too tight a fit (I've bust one)  so check it fits whilst it's dry.  It's a good idea to fill it with grease but this makes fitting it difficult if it's a bit tight.

Once the boot is on and secure, reassemble the drag link.  Quick check over that nowt's missing and job done.

Cup of tea :D

[Les Henson]

Not so easy as you might think if you can't get the frop arm off the steering box, or the upper ball cup is rust welded to the inside of the arm. You can do the job on the vehicle if you can't get the arm off, but it's so much easier if you manage it.
The last one I did anyway:-


http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=10088


Les.

[mmgemini]

HEAT MUST NOT BE APPLIED TO STEERING COMPONENTS FOR ANY REASON WHAT SO EVER.

I've not had to remove the drop arm YET !!!!

[Hangover]

You'll need hydraulic puller to shift the drop arm,kit can be fitted without removing it just depends how handy you are with the spanners,if not take it to a garage.

[extreme90]

HEAT MUST NOT BE APPLIED TO STEERING COMPONENTS FOR ANY REASON WHAT SO EVER.

I've not had to remove the drop arm YET !!!!

why not ?
dont say it damages seals as ive never once damaged a seal  :shock:
and thats with oxyacetyline
careful use and common sense    use a welding nozzle instead of cutting/heating torch

can apply heat accurately then and not everywhere


you can change a droparm ball joint in situe but its a pita and i prefere to remove

dan

[Range Rover Blues]

If a cast compnent in the steering or suspension shows signs of heat being applied (welding) then it's an MOT fail.  Heating with a blowlamp isn't going to leave visible traces.

[Les Henson]

You can apply moderate heat, but if you use too much it affects the structure of the metal and makes it weaker. You have to use common sense in this matter. Excessive heat/welding steering components is a big no-no as far as ther MOT and personal safety is concerned.


Les.

[mmgemini]

HEAT MUST NOT BE APPLIED TO STEERING COMPONENTS FOR ANY REASON WHAT SO EVER.

I've not had to remove the drop arm YET !!!!

why not ?
dont say it damages seals as ive never once damaged a seal  :shock:
and thats with oxyacetyline
careful use and common sense    use a welding nozzle instead of cutting/heating torch

can apply heat accurately then and not everywhere


you can change a droparm ball joint in situe but its a pita and i prefere to remove

dan

What would I know about doing my job.

As for heat on steering components.
The heat will cause the molecules in the metal to break up and could cause failure.
Of course like a lot of people you don't seem to be comcerned with saving lives.
How do you know if you've exceeded the A3+40 of the metal ???

The quote I gave was from a HUGE notice in the blacksmiths shop where I served my time.

As for removing the drop arm. I don't have either a hydraulic press or puller in my workshop and now that I no longer work I don't have access to those either. Still I can remove a drop arm without them.

[extreme90]

apply pressure with puller, then apply the heat, rapid expansion with oxyacetyline will pop it off far sooner than applying a slow heat with a blow lamp which will then damage things

failures...never had one so cant effect it that much  :roll:

[Range Rover Blues]

If you're going to get technical then the coefficient of thermal expansion for cast iron is about 1.2x0.000001 (ten to the power -6) per degree C

You barely need to get the thing warm to make a difference but mostly I find heat helps the WD40 do it's job.

[mmgemini]

If you're going to get technical then the coefficient of thermal expansion for cast iron is about 1.2x0.000001 (ten to the power -6) per degree C

You barely need to get the thing warm to make a difference but mostly I find heat helps the WD40 do it's job.

Not they way I would do it.
I didn't mention the thermal expansion of any metal.
I posted the A3=40 which in the case I'm talking aboutr wouldn't even make the metal look hot. Nowhere near even starting to colour.

[Range Rover Blues]

I havn't got a clue what you are on about there mate :?   but heating the thing up, that's about making it get bigger and loose it's grip on the thing it's wrapped around surely, or is it just getting our own back on it?, personally I like to hit stuff for that reason :roll:

[mmgemini]

I havn't got a clue what you are on about there mate :?   but heating the thing up, that's about making it get bigger and loose it's grip on the thing it's wrapped around surely, or is it just getting our own back on it?, personally I like to hit stuff for that reason :roll:

Exactly.
So when the drop arn breakes due to the metal crystalizing you'll know what you've done.
The drop arm is forged. ANY heat will take away ALL the work done by the forge.
Of course you could use heat, then send the drop arm to have it normalised again.
There's three ways of doing the job.
The right
The wrong
The government.

The right way in this case is to change the drop arm ball joint in situ.
If the drop arm ball joint wont play the game then I take the steering box outy and pay a company to use their press.
 Simple and no worries about unseen damage. Hey but what would I know as a time served fitter/mechanic that's done a course in metalurgy.

[stageonesimmo]

I agree with Mike on the heat thing - dont do it, ever.

Anyway, to get out of that argument - a good DIY tip for doing it in situ is to use a mastic gun as they are much more common and cheaper than 'G' clamps (the end where the nozzle of the tube would be goes over the top of the joint and the 'piston' is used to push the pin and all of the associated gubbins up into the body leaving your hands freee to muck about with the circlip pliers)  - works a treat - just showed one of my younger lads how to do it only this morning - he'd been on it for an hour and had been cir-cliped in the eye twice, I came along and it was done in 2 minutes - he did it, I just told him how - so if an 18 year old sprog VM in my place can do it, why arrse about taking the thing off when its not necessary....

[muck_truck]

have you managed to do your ball joint ?

i did mine tonight, well took it all apart, still waiting for the kit to turn up  :roll:

The arm came off mine with a few taps from a hammer, literally fell off.  Getting the top race out was proving to be a problem, made a little cut so i could get a punch on didnt work.

But what did work very well was to put the main ball joint piece back into the arm the wrong way round (from the top) rested the arm on the vice and belted it twice with a hammer, that moved the race.  Then i used a 14mm socket that was tapered in shape that fit in nicely and tapped it all the way out.

easy.  :D