Drop arm ball joint

[graham2306]

Just got an advisory on my MOT for the drop arm ball joint.  It is pretty well knackered.  Can i do it on the vehicle if I have the right tools?  If not how easy is it to get the drop arm off the box?

Cheers


Graham

[muck_truck]

i found it easier to take the arm off.  I was lucky enough with two taps from a hammer and it came off the steering box no worries. 

[Range Rover Blues]

It's easier if the arm will come off but not impossible if it won't.

You need a biggish G clamp, a deep socket that fits over the taper of the ball joint, another that fits inside the circlip, then with these you can compress the assembly to remove and replace the circlip.

You then need a drift (strong screwdiver) to drive out the old race.  If it's mega badly worn like moine was you need a dremel to grind 2 cutouts so that you can get to the top face of the static race.

At least if it's still on the car there is no chace of it flying off when you hit it.

[Disco 90 george]

Try this link.

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=14338

Get all my tips from here.

Graham

[graham2306]

Thanks for that guys, very useful. Think I'll have a go as it cost me £70 when I had the last one done a few years ago.

Graham

[Range Rover Blues]

*%^$*  £70?, the parts cost a tenner :-.

[graham2306]

*%^$*  £70?, the parts cost a tenner :-.

Well I bought the repair kit at lunch time from my local independent Land Rover specialist and it cost £24, I know I could have got them cheaper mail order from someone and I also know they would be like the UJs I got from mail order, cheap and nasty.

I've got the ball joint taper apart and got the guts out, can't budge the races at the moment and have decided I may have to take the arm off of the box, or get a bigger hammer.

[Range Rover Blues]

Yeah, that's a toughie, I won't fit hong-kong-fuey wheel bearings, UJs or rubber doughnuts but I'm perfectly happy with Britpart drop arm balljoints, in fact all their balljoints, dampers and many other parts.

I guess half of it is knowing which components are pushed to their design limits and which have a margin built in, most components are selected off the shelf by designers after all.

[cotefarmboy]

Just bought one of these Britpart kits for mine, cost £12 from my local supplier + 1 hour labour to fit, £42 all-in ain't bad in my book.

[graham2306]

Just bought one of these Britpart kits for mine, cost £12 from my local supplier + 1 hour labour to fit, £42 all-in ain't bad in my book.

Yeah but your hands a clean and you haven't had a struggle, where's the fun in that? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[graham2306]

Ok the ball joint was so knackerd it had trashed the end of the drop arm so my £25 repair kit is useless.  I broke my hub puller trying to get the drop arm off and I've got no skin left on any of my knuckles.  Considered opinion said get the grinder out but I couldn't get the disk in without damaging the steering box and the disk on the dremmel would take about 4 years to get through.  So a mates coming round tomorrow night with his diamond drills and a big cold chisel.

To cap it all I just tried to order a new drop arm from paddocks website and it hung just after the order was submitted so I don't know if I've ordered one or not!

I love Land Rovers.

Graham

[graham2306]

I've just cut it off with the grinder and a cold chisel.  Ordered a new one from Paddocks this morning.  I asked if the nut and lock washer were included in the price and the guy said he didn't know as he had never been asked that before, but he would supply them anyway and they would only be a couple of quid extra if not..  This implies to me that there are a whole load of you out there who re-use the lockwasher!  So there are a whole load of Land Rovers out there on the roads with there steering held together with a second hand lockwasher, scarey.

Graham

[Range Rover Blues]

Yes but you can bend it in a different place ;)

[clbarclay]

This implies to me that there are a whole load of you out there who re-use the lockwasher!  So there are a whole load of Land Rovers out there on the roads with there steering held together with a second hand lockwasher, scarey.

From experiance of much slower moving vehicles (the sort of which spares are as good as non existant) and in field repairs my experinace is a locking washer is still effective after being reused several times. In most cases only part of the washer gets bent over when used once. More pressing is making sure the nuts are done up to a suitable torque.

If you can get a new one easily enough then use a new one.

[graham2306]

Drop arm arrived with ball joint in it.  No new nut and the new 'lock washers' sent are just standard 48mm washers without the lock tabs that fold over at the front of the box to stop it turning.  Not been out and had a look under it as it was dark when I got home from work, but it looks like I will be re-using the old lock washer and joining the rst of you.  I appreciate it can be re-used and locked in a different place and I also have experience of slower and faster moving vehicles that have scarce parts, I run a Skoda Estelle and a 1971 MG Midget.  That doesn't stop me from wanting to be a perfectionist though.

A very good old freind of mine always makes this cautionary statement when tightening wheels nuts. 

Make sure you torque them up right or the wheel may fall off when you go round a corner.  the wheel could roll through the front of a school playground killing a child on it's way and when you loose control of the car and carreer into the queue of people at the bus stop killing them all you will never forgive yourself.  Torque your nuts up proper.

Graham