Problems removing rear A Frame Ball Joint

Glyn D · May 26, 2018

Hi all, I posted a while back when I was about to buy my first Defender.

I went ahead and bought it, it's a 1996 300tdi Defender 90 and have tinkered with it almost every day since. Today's job is the rear A Frame ball joint but it's proving to be a bit difficult.

I've manage to free up most of the bolts with a big hammer. The problem I'm having now is that the ball joint thread is turning whilst I'm trying to undo the 30mm nut which secures it to the axle.

Any suggestions how to stop the ball joint from turning so that I can remove the nut?

Turboman · May 26, 2018

Glyn D said:
Hi all, I posted a while back when I was about to buy my first Defender.

I went ahead and bought it, it's a 1996 300tdi Defender 90 and have tinkered with it almost every day since. Today's job is the rear A Frame ball joint but it's proving to be a bit difficult.

I've manage to free up most of the bolts with a big hammer. The problem I'm having now is that the ball joint thread is turning whilst I'm trying to undo the 30mm nut which secures it to the axle.

Any suggestions how to stop the ball joint from turning so that I can remove the nut?

Using a big piece of wood, lever on the top of the ball joint to push the taper down tight in the axle, then undo the nut.

tottot · May 26, 2018

It is on a taper so pressure on top should hold it while you undo the nut.

Glyn D · May 26, 2018

Thanks guys. Following your advice, I ended up using a length of mild steel box section and a farm jack to apply the leverage. The back of the car was off the ground before there was enough pressure to hold it. All done now

Turboman · May 26, 2018

Glyn D said:
Thanks guys. Following your advice, I ended up using a length of mild steel box section and a farm jack to apply the leverage. The back of the car was off the ground before there was enough pressure to hold it. All done now

Good. The reason I suggested using wood was that it gets more friction on the joint, so you don't have to push so hard.

tottot · May 26, 2018

Good,sorted.

Glyn D · May 26, 2018

Another question...

Before I start trying to weld together some kind of jig, do you think an 8 ton bottle jack will be enough to remove the ball joint from the bracket?

Just so that we're on the same page, I'm trying to press part 12 out of part 16:

Glyn D · May 26, 2018

Not to worry, this answered my question:

Turboman · May 26, 2018

Glyn D said:
Another question...

Before I start trying to weld together some kind of jig, do you think an 8 ton bottle jack will be enough to remove the ball joint from the bracket?

Just so that we're on the same page, I'm trying to press part 12 out of part 16:

Probably not. The only way I can remove them is to put the holder in a blacksmith's vice, heat it red hot with a welding torch, and beat it out with a 10 pound sledge.
To save hassle, it is possible to buy them pre-assembled in the holder.

Glyn D · May 26, 2018

The Jig worked, although it took a long bar for added leverage in the jack, and a second person holding the jig.

Need to get the new ball joint in now...

dag019 · May 27, 2018

I have managed to get mine out with a big hammer and lots of swearing. But for the diferance in price it is definitly worth just buying the whole unit already fitted together. Rather than trying to remove the old one!

Def90man · May 27, 2018

I just changed mine on Thursday. I replaced the complete unit. 20 minute job from start to finish with the windy gun. It winds the nut off so quickly that the taper doesn't get a chance to spin.

Brown · May 28, 2018

Here's mine:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/springs-and-things.239690/
The nut wouldn't come off so I drilled a couple of little holes in it so it could be broken up with a chisel. Somewhere towards the end of that thread is a picture of me putting 25 tons of pressure on the ball joint to get it out of its bracket, At that kind of pressure, the bracket bends anyway. Fortunately I bought a new bracket and ball assembly so didn't need the old one. That's around the weight of 3 JCB backhoe shovels, to put it in perspective. I understand they're a little over 8 tons each.

Problems removing rear A Frame Ball Joint

Glyn D

Active Member

Turboman

Mab An Gov

tottot

Well-Known Member

Glyn D

Active Member

Turboman

Mab An Gov

tottot

Well-Known Member

Glyn D

Active Member

Glyn D

Active Member

Turboman

Mab An Gov

Glyn D

Active Member

dag019

Well-Known Member

Def90man

Percy the Pedant

Brown

Well-Known Member

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