90 300tdi front axle/brakes etc.

[Terry.J]

Hi all- To cut a long story short have just come in from which started out as changing a set of front brake pads to now having the axle completely stipped due to component wear and oil contaminated wheelbearings and corroded pistons in the calipers   .
Does anyone know what type of tool to use to get at the bolts that holed the swivel balls onto the axle as i need to replace the oil seals behind them. are they a special torx type or are they just bi-hex.also because of the diameter of the ball i don't think there will be room for a torque wrench when reassembling which i would have thought would be important as it looks like quite a crital joint :?: .
Also i was going to fit stainless pistons to my calipers, but i think the castings are past their best(very flaky and corroded).So as i am now looking into new calipers and discs thought i might fit vented. is there much improvement and are they a staight bolt on job.
Any info would be much appreciated

[Xtremeteam]

oil contaminated wheel bearings are a good thing

wish mine would do it more regular to save changing the bearings

[Terry.J]

Are you being serious about the oil in the bearings :?: If so wont go to the effort of curing it.

[Xtremeteam]

Are you being serious about the oil in the bearings :?: If so wont go to the effort of curing it.

personally yes

My back axle humped both sides (4 bearings & 2 stub axles)
On rebuilding & fitting the new stub axles they came with a seal to keep the oil in the diff & the bearings dry,the seal got prised out & thrown in the bis so now i get some oil in the bearings which help when u spend weekends up to the bonnet in crap

[Range Rover Blues]

He's right, you'd be better p***ing on bearing than letting them run dry.

The bolts are bi-hex, I use a spanner and thread lock them in, your steering goes woolly if they come loose :shock:

Callipers, get new ones.  Vented are better as you can use performance pads but TBH I have found the difference marginal, eithe rOEM ones are goo or EBC are not that much of an upgrade, but for what Paddocks charge......

I'm looking into an upgrade on the standard Disco callipers as it happens and my LSE might have to get grooved, vented EBC disks and pads to make it stop.

[Leslie Henson]

The bolts are known as spline head bolts. 14mm ring spanner will undo them, but they will be mental tight. If the spanner slips, then you have little choice but to cut the heads off, remove the ball, and then unscrew the remains with a pair of mole grips. Stripping a front hub (Disco) right down to the axle casing is here, but it seems you are already almost there.
Filthy, yucky job it is as well.  :)

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=5601


Les.

[Range Rover Blues]

Good article that Les, well done mate.

[mmgemini]

Like Mike I too prefer the oil to seep onto my wheel bearings.

If you'd seen the state of my 110 Salisbury rear axle after being in a container with the sun beating down on one side I think you would want some oil in there.

[Leslie Henson]

If you'd seen the state of my 110

Indeed I have, you should bluddy clean it from time to time!!  :smack:


Les.

[Terry.J]

Thanks to all for your comments, they have all been very helpful. the swivel balls look in good nick so i  won't be taken them off to change the seal as it seems by your comments that they oil leak maybe of help rather than causing a problem (it does get deep in the brown stuff whenever possible so maybe the oil will help)
  Les, I looked at your rebuild thanks very much excellent article.