Front axle swivel rubber gaiter

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raywin

raywin

Well-Known Member
Posts
3,808
Location
North Yorkshire
My offside front swivel looks like it is completely buggered on my 2001 90 TD5 , I have ordered a kit from an e-bay seller, but while I was looking I saw some rubber Gaiters advertised which go over the swivel and should keep some of the muck and dust out. They seem to be split so that they can fit around the swivel and I suppose they are designed to go slit down to allow any water to drain out.
Anybody fitted them? Just wondered if they were worth the effort, or do they get chewed up?
 
There is a vid on youtube showing the guys from Paddocks fitting these. It appeared to me that they needed the "Split" gluing together during the fitting process.

Viz:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQwjpNhjeso

I have my doubt about the relevance of such a gaiter TBH, as, it seems a bit too possible for water and mud to become trapped inside, making a super, very effective grinding paste holder - which is not what I would want round my chalices !!

not too bad a job to replace them - even on an axle stand, in your driveway.....

a bit more time spent cleaning them is the better investment IMHO. Obviously YMMV, and that is only my opinion.
 
Disco1BFG said:
There is a vid on youtube showing the guys from Paddocks fitting these. It appeared to me that they needed the "Split" gluing together during the fitting process.

Viz:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQwjpNhjeso

I have my doubt about the relevance of such a gaiter TBH, as, it seems a bit too possible for water and mud to become trapped inside, making a super, very effective grinding paste holder - which is not what I would want round my chalices !!

not too bad a job to replace them - even on an axle stand, in your driveway.....

a bit more time spent cleaning them is the better investment IMHO. Obviously YMMV, and that is only my opinion.
Click to expand...

Thanks I had not seen that, seems odd to me to try and seal it up I supposed they would just leave a small gap to drain, bit like the spare wheel cover on the back, I can imagine that gluing these on the vehicle would be a bit like juggling soot.
I would think if it was 90% tight then as you say it will hold in the muck, seems a better idea just to deflect the worst.
 
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if grit/mud or whatever gets in then it'll cause more damage.

they aren't new, been around for donkeys years on series... no-one seems to bother
 
trax said:
if grit/mud or whatever gets in then it'll cause more damage.

they aren't new, been around for donkeys years on series... no-one seems to bother
Click to expand...

Which reminds me that my Dads IIA had canvas ones - they were a complete PITA....
 
I have used them on one of my series trucks and they was a waste of time leaked in course its stuck in then and fooked my new balls up.

for your defender did you buy the std balls or the Teflon ones as i have fitted the Teflon ones and they are great BP ones aswell :D
 
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cornish rattler said:
I have used them on one of my series trucks and they was a waste of time leaked in course its stuck in then and fooked my new balls up.

for your defender did you buy the std balls or the Teflon ones as i have fitted the Teflon ones and they are great BP ones aswell :D
Click to expand...

I bought a kit with the Teflon coated ball I thought these would stand a better chance than the others. I'm thinking of doing it on Saturday as the weather looks a bit better, seems that most people are not impressed by the rubber gaiters so I may miss them out seems like a pain in the arse fitting them on the bench so must be tough on the vehicle :
DEFENDER 90/110 TD5 1999 onwards NON ABS SWIVEL HOUSING REBUILD KIT DA3179 | eBay
 
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As an asside it will be interesting to see if my swivels hold up.

As per turbomans advice i cleaned my originals up , then blowtorched the pitting to burn off all the ****e let them cool and applied some 2 part epoxy

Sanded back to a nice even smooth surface and fitted.

Looks to be holding up nicely l
 
Did it over the weekend.
Bit of a slog but not really anything which can't be done just by taking it steady and think about what you are doing.
It's been well covered before but for what it's worth I would say.
Be sure to get a 52mm box spanner / socket for the hub nut
Take great care with the double hex nuts which hold the swivel ball to the axle, they are covered in loctite and were so stiff they were cracking loudly as I wound them out, I wire brushed the heads and worked the 14mm ring onto them then took it off and brushed them again until the spanner was snug onto the full depth of the bolt head, if you damage the heads you are in it big style, you can only get a ring spanner in there
I wound each one out 3 or4 mm then squirted WD40 down the shank of the bolt and into the threaded hole in the axle from behind, then wind the bolt back in to carry the lubrication into the threads, sounds long winded but well worth it as they then come out with much less effort.
I cut the open end off a flat combination spanner and used the jack handle to extend it, I woul not be tempted to hit the spanner with a hammer, don't want to chew up the bolt heads
Get new wheel bearing seals (don't cost much) then you can clean out both bearings in the hub an put in new grease when you re assemble.
Double check the large seal on the swivel and the retaining plate when you fit don't want them on the wrong way.
I put a bit of clear silicone around the outer edge of the seal before pressing it in
Buy the wife some ear plugs
 
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raywin said:
Did it over the weekend.
Bit of a slog but not really anything which can't be done just by taking it steady and think about what you are doing.
It's been well covered before but for what it's worth I would say.
Be sure to get a 52mm box spanner / socket for the hub nut
Take great care with the double hex nuts which hold the swivel ball to the axle, they are covered in loctite and were so stiff they were cracking loudly as I wound them out, I wire brushed the heads and worked the 14mm ring onto them then took it off and brushed them again until the spanner was snug onto the full depth of the bolt head, if you damage the heads you are in it big style, you can only get a ring spanner in there
I wound each one out 3 or4 mm then squirted WD40 down the shank of the bolt and into the threaded hole in the axle from behind, then wind the bolt back in to carry the lubrication into the threads, sounds long winded but well worth it as they then come out with much less effort.
I cut the open end off a flat combination spanner and used the jack handle to extend it, I woul not be tempted to hit the spanner with a hammer, don't want to chew up the bolt heads
Get new wheel bearing seals (don't cost much) then you can clean out both bearings in the hub an put in new grease when you re assemble.
Double check the large seal on the swivel and the retaining plate when you fit don't want them on the wrong way.
I put a bit of clear silicone around the outer edge of the seal before pressing it in
Buy the wife some ear plugs
Click to expand...

set for you as well when she sees the state of the drive :)
 
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