Steering Drop Arm

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ER1C said:
I spent about 30 hours on it... then ground it off..
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Takes me about 1-2 hours to remove one. Might give it some punishment and go back to it in the morning if it was very stubborn. Change ball joint in situ takes about an hour once yu have made a few simple special tools.

flat said:
Yep exactly this, you don't actually have to split it much I am sure mine only expanded a fraction of a mm but it was enough that it let go
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Cant say it too often! ;) A club hammer and a selection of big, sharp cold chisels is one of the most versatile and essential tools for working on an old landrover! :)

ER1C said:
I wouldn't let a garage do it.. They don't understand the different types and tapers on the boxes if they fit a new one. I went to get a Drop arm from a LR garage (freelance) and he didn't see why I was paying big bucks quid when Britpart was about 8 quid.... His slid on with an inch.... mine slid on about 3 inches right to the bottom. The taper is different (we always fit the Britpart to all Defenders he said) It doesn't matter.
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+1 A garage that is only used to working with road cars will really struggle with undoing heavy components. A landrover specialist will have their own tools and techniques for these jobs. At a pinch, an ag fitter might be better than a garage for some of the heavier jobs.

The cheap parts are absolutely useless. Much better to pay the price and get something you can actually assemble! :rolleyes: That has to be one of the most safety critical parts of the whole thing.
 
Decided to buy a ball joint kit and change on vehicle using a press, because I can not work out where to put a big pole/ chisel to whack it hard???

When replace box will put new arm on and lots of grease/ oil.

Designed by some sadist engineer imo
 
Shanec said:
Decided to buy a ball joint kit and change on vehicle using a press, because I can not work out where to put a big pole/ chisel to whack it hard???

When replace box will put new arm on and lots of grease/ oil.

Designed by some sadist engineer imo
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Changing it in situ works well, little bottle jack and a short piece of broomstick. Jack up the baseplate and remove circlip, take out the guts. Wedge a piece of wood under the arm, and using a suitable socket, drive the top race out with your club hammer. Make a little puller using steel plates to pull the top race back in square.

Taking the arm off you need to box clever. Smack it a few times each way with the club hammer, spray plenty of fluid, then a few more hard smacks with the hammer. Turn the steering, and remove cowl and anything else in the way, long bar onto the flange of the arm, good few sharp smacks with a hammer. Then maybe put a rigid puller on, tighten it right up, and a few more smacks with the hammer, they usually come off. :)
 
Turboman said:
Changing it in situ works well, little bottle jack and a short piece of broomstick. Jack up the baseplate and remove circlip, take out the guts. Wedge a piece of wood under the arm, and using a suitable socket, drive the top race out with your club hammer. Make a little puller using steel plates to pull the top race back in square.

Taking the arm off you need to box clever. Smack it a few times each way with the club hammer, spray plenty of fluid, then a few more hard smacks with the hammer. Turn the steering, and remove cowl and anything else in the way, long bar onto the flange of the arm, good few sharp smacks with a hammer. Then maybe put a rigid puller on, tighten it right up, and a few more smacks with the hammer, they usually come off. :)
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Plus don't forget that all the smacking with a hammer wont do the bearings much good, the shock of every hammer blow has to go through various components before it gets transferred to the steering box case and then to the chassis
 
Kwakerman said:
Plus don't forget that all the smacking with a hammer wont do the bearings much good, the shock of every hammer blow has to go through various components before it gets transferred to the steering box case and then to the chassis
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Not had a problem in practice. Even a TRE would get a couple of hefty lamps with the club hammer before the ball joint splitter went on. Shock is the guvnor with seized components.
 
Yes I know it is a common practice and most will get away with it (I've done it myself), none the less the steering box will be suffering from stress during this process and stress causes damage or weakens components. You may not have any immediate issues but you can be saving them up for the future. What I was trying saying to say is don't stand there with a big drift and sledge hammer battering it for 10 minutes
 
Kwakerman said:
Yes I know it is a common practice and most will get away with it (I've done it myself), none the less the steering box will be suffering from stress during this process and stress causes damage or weakens components. You may not have any immediate issues but you can be saving them up for the future. What I was trying saying to say is don't stand there with a big drift and sledge hammer battering it for 10 minutes
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I wasnt talking about a sledgehammer. I was talking about a club hammer, about 2-4lb, on a little wooden handle about six inches long. The shock of that will dislodge a component a ten ton press will struggle to shift.
If I was working on a tractor, that is when the sledge would come into its own! ;) :D

In a serious vein, what I have seen on LZ over the years is that most on LZ come from one of two backgrounds. Those who previously worked on cars, and those who previously worked on heavy goods or ag machines.
A landrover is somewhere between the two in terms of component weight and strength.
So I guess over the years I have evolved a system where if someone is struggling, and they are from a car background, I will suggest they give it a bit more welly.
And if they are from the heavy machine background I might suggest a bit more technical finesse! :)
 
Cut mine at an angle then split it with a chisel, not a bad job and certainly not two hours.
The 1mm cutting discs are awesome, but wear out real quick.
 
jamesmartin said:
in practice it doesnt hurt
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+1, I fully expected my box to weep oil after the pounding I gave it.. I don't think anyone has mentioned pullers,
tottot said:
You can get a kit on line for not many beer tokens for changing the joint.
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I spent 20 on a puller as I figured it would only need to be used once. The jaws just bent open and popped off, I suspect gradual pulling with copious amounts of oil and penetrating fluid may be the best but by that time the jaws would hold any kind of load again.,
 
ER1C said:
+1, I fully expected my box to weep oil after the pounding I gave it.. I don't think anyone has mentioned pullers,

I spent 20 on a puller as I figured it would only need to be used once. The jaws just bent open and popped off, I suspect gradual pulling with copious amounts of oil and penetrating fluid may be the best but by that time the jaws would hold any kind of load again.,
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I did! :)
The little adjustable pullers are no use at all on that kind of job. You need a big rigid puller. Best is custom made for the job. Two legged, and just enough room to get on the arm under the box. I have posted a pic of mine in the past too.
The landrover dealers have them, and there is a picture of one for the job in the genuine Defender manual. But I have never been able to find out where to buy one, altough I have bought quite a few special tools, including the drop arm puller for series, from VL Churchill, now taken over by SPX.

The puller may not shift it on its own, because it gives a straight pull, the hammering knocks the thing off at an angle, if that makes any sense. Soften it up with hammer first, then puller, then hammer again.
 
Turboman said:
I did! :)
The little adjustable pullers are no use at all on that kind of job. You need a big rigid puller. Best is custom made for the job. Two legged, and just enough room to get on the arm under the box. I have posted a pic of mine in the past too.
The landrover dealers have them, and there is a picture of one for the job in the genuine Defender manual. But I have never been able to find out where to buy one, altough I have bought quite a few special tools, including the drop arm puller for series, from VL Churchill, now taken over by SPX.

The puller may not shift it on its own, because it gives a straight pull, the hammering knocks the thing off at an angle, if that makes any sense. Soften it up with hammer first, then puller, then hammer again.
Click to expand...
i usually find a good few whacks as well as pullers are needed,an old half shaft makes a suitable drift
 
Brown said:
Are we talking about the Sykes one?
http://www.autosessive.com/products...=2632d601e70ed720d518de97aa2e432a&fo_s=gplauk
Looks like a handy thing. You can screw it down and hammer it.
Or there's this on the JLR website
https://jlrequipment.service-solutions.com/en-GB/Pages/ItemDetail.aspx?SKU=211-294
that looks like the one in the factory manual.
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Intersting, they look ok, but not exactly bargain basement prices. Mine is a bit more agricutural, I made it for about 60 quid,IIRC.



Shanec said:
Puller I used that is ten ton is not land rover tool, but does have only two legs.

Instead tomorrow midday fitting ball joint kit
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Puller rarely removes on its own. You need to show it who is boss with the club hammer first.

Hope that is a quality ball joint kit, costing about 35 quid. The £10 cheapies sometimes no-one can assemble them!
 
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