Rear axle ball joint

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crook110

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19
Location
Wolverhampton
So replacing the rear axle ball joint tomorrow, will be my first major ish job on the defender since i got her. Anyone done this one and got any tips for me before i start?
Thanks
 

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have you access to a press ,cos removing and fitting the joint requires one,you cut the lugs off so it will fit in a press,unless you buy joint a bracket already fitted
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Give it a good soak in penetrating oil (not WD40) or even diesel a few days before you start. That should at least help free off some off the rust. You have a lot of underside general corrosion which needs attention sooner rather than later. Don't be tempted just to spray it in your favourite wax- clean it off, treat and paint first is my recommendation.
 
Thanks guys - yes purchased the ball joint and fulcrum all in one so hopefully won’t need too much fiddling and the press. The Rust and corrosion... I know! I am getting some welding done this week then will be treating all the corrosion etc. Made sense to do that first. Any tips on the best products to use would be appreciated. I was thinking the dinotrol products, paint and spray options?? And you gotta start somewhere right - it’s a project...
 
Dinitrol's great...and many of us can recommend Buzzweld chassis product too. Buzzweld for outer chassis and components, Dinitrol for inner chassis. It's best to fully buzz back outer chassis and components, then thoroughly clean out inner chassis and allow to dry. Acid treat inner chassis and spray copious amounts of Dinitrol. Once dry, degrease outer chassis then etch prime and use Buzzweld. Be sure to remove chassis cross member too, to treat/paint behind + the crossmember will be full of crud...jet wash out, dry and Dinitrol the inner tube. The under body/tub and inner wings come up a treat with Dinitrol 4941.
 
crook110 said:
Thanks guys - yes purchased the ball joint and fulcrum all in one so hopefully won’t need too much fiddling and the press. The Rust and corrosion... I know! I am getting some welding done this week then will be treating all the corrosion etc. Made sense to do that first. Any tips on the best products to use would be appreciated. I was thinking the dinotrol products, paint and spray options?? And you gotta start somewhere right - it’s a project...
Click to expand...
I’d say your first mission would be to physically remove as much corrosion as possible. Weapons of choice would be angle grinder and flappy discs, angle grinder with brushes, drill with brushes, good old sturdy wire brush, air needle scaler. Then you can start attacking it with chemical rust converters and preventers. Good luck with it!
 
For getting the big nut undone I’ve always found the best way is to use a big ring spanner of the correct size (30mm rings a bell, or something in that sort of area) and then with your back braced against the tyre use your leg to push the spanner. Hopefully it won’t turn in the taper. Once the nuts off a drift and a big hammer will knock the ball joint out of the taper.

The two long 1/2” bolts through the housing are prone to seizing in there and snapping off. Grinder and hammer on standby.
 
You won’t be able to get an impact 30 on it. I bought a stubby 30 just for the job. It took that and a 4ft pole to get mine loose. Then on another vehicle i did it by hand!
 
A new multsided 14mm socket to get the 4 bolts out of the top

Did mine two weeks ago.

Undo the two long clamp bolts and drive out if you can, mine needed heat and then a big tyre lever to part one side off then tried to drive it out.. One went ,had to angle grind one as it had snapped mid bolt.

Then the 4 top bolts with breaker bar, do not make mistake of trying them with a hex socket they are tight and you want a s much grip as possible.

Then take it off clean up etc.

I changed the balljoint which involved as @jamesmartin posted above cutting the lugs on and a lot of effort with the press..

Went back in easy

Good Luck
 
Cavey_P38 said:
A new multsided 14mm socket to get the 4 bolts out of the top

Did mine two weeks ago.

Undo the two long clamp bolts and drive out if you can, mine needed heat and then a big tyre lever to part one side off then tried to drive it out.. One went ,had to angle grind one as it had snapped mid bolt.

Then the 4 top bolts with breaker bar, do not make mistake of trying them with a hex socket they are tight and you want a s much grip as possible.

Then take it off clean up etc.

I changed the balljoint which involved as @jamesmartin posted above cutting the lugs on and a lot of effort with the press..

Went back in easy

Good Luck
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That’s a good point - your lucky on defender as it has the plate with the four bolts you mention. Bastard d1 didn’t!
 
Sure mine was 14mm borrowed a new one off my mate who had done his a week before and bought the socket to make sure he had a brand new one with no wear at all.. But he work 400m from an awesome tool store..
 
Well thank you for all the tips - as you can see I managed to get it done. Took about 2hrs - bolts came out with the breaker bar and didn’t shear (thank god) knocked them out nice and easy. Had a little trouble getting the ball joint to dislodge but a little heat from the blow torch loosened it up. New one greased up and in nice and easy. Managed to do a bit more clean up on the rust whilst I was down there. Plenty still to be done! Thanks again guys!
 

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crook110 said:
Well thank you for all the tips - as you can see I managed to get it done. Took about 2hrs - bolts came out with the breaker bar and didn’t shear (thank god) knocked them out nice and easy. Had a little trouble getting the ball joint to dislodge but a little heat from the blow torch loosened it up. New one greased up and in nice and easy. Managed to do a bit more clean up on the rust whilst I was down there. Plenty still to be done! Thanks again guys!
Click to expand...


Well done, nice to have reported back as well we all appreciate that when we have given advice
 
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