Wish I hadn't started this job!

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Anaconda

Well-Known Member
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2,406
Location
Thames Valley
For some reason I decided it would be a good idea to replace the rear suspension bushes. Done this before on my son's Ninety and all the bolts came undone no problem. So, I thought it would be a good thing to do mine.
Both long bolts holding the fulcrum on rusted solid, although the nuts came off with a struggle. Nuts and bolts holding the arms to the chassis brackets, no chance!
Spent a couple of hrs getting the bolts out of the chassis brackets. I wasn't going to take the ball joint off but had no choice now, what a faff that is on a TD5!
Tried a socket, nope! cut it down a bit, nope! Cut it down a bit more and welded it to a spanner I cut the end off. I could then use a breaker bar and extension on it, nope! Got a scaffold pole out and HAPPY DAYS!
So, tomorrow I will just have to persuade it all to come apart.
If I was a drinker I would be drinking many beers tonight.
 

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Anaconda said:
For some reason I decided it would be a good idea to replace the rear suspension bushes. Done this before on my son's Ninety and all the bolts came undone no problem. So, I thought it would be a good thing to do mine.
Both long bolts holding the fulcrum on rusted solid, although the nuts came off with a struggle. Nuts and bolts holding the arms to the chassis brackets, no chance!
Spent a couple of hrs getting the bolts out of the chassis brackets. I wasn't going to take the ball joint off but had no choice now, what a faff that is on a TD5!
Tried a socket, nope! cut it down a bit, nope! Cut it down a bit more and welded it to a spanner I cut the end off. I could then use a breaker bar and extension on it, nope! Got a scaffold pole out and HAPPY DAYS!
So, tomorrow I will just have to persuade it all to come apart.
If I was a drinker I would be drinking many beers tonight.
Click to expand...
The joys of old landies my friend. Been there…hardest bit done 👍
 
Someone likely put grease or similar on the bolts of your son's Ninety when bushes changed before.
A Friends a frame joint snapped at the point where it joins the axle [ was doing some severe off roading]
Getting the broken stub out of the axle bracket was a right barsteward. Lots of heat and a big steel wedge between the axle case and stub end did it in the end.
 
Well, I'm glad it's not just me. The nut holding the central ball joint to my back axle is positioned so you can't get a socket on it, because the body of the axle is in the way. On mentioning this on Landyzone I was met with some scepticism, even from the late great James Martin, who'd worked on lots of Land Rovers, so I thought he might have seen this before.

I can get at mine by jacking up the chassis and letting the axle drop, and getting an offset ring spanner on it, when the axle is low enough for the spanner to clear the fuel tank.

Clearly there was a good deal of variation in where the bracket was welded onto the axle - the suspension geometry obviously doesn't need to be too precise!
 
Brown said:
Well, I'm glad it's not just me. The nut holding the central ball joint to my back axle is positioned so you can't get a socket on it, because the body of the axle is in the way. On mentioning this on Landyzone I was met with some scepticism, even from the late great James Martin, who'd worked on lots of Land Rovers, so I thought he might have seen this before.

I can get at mine by jacking up the chassis and letting the axle drop, and getting an offset ring spanner on it, when the axle is low enough for the spanner to clear the fuel tank.

Clearly there was a good deal of variation in where the bracket was welded onto the axle - the suspension geometry obviously doesn't need to be too precise!
Click to expand...
I did think about letting the axle drop but to be honest I didn't think it would drop far enough. Also I would have had to put the axle stands under the chassis and take the rear wheels off to let it drop far enough. Couldn't be bothered to try something I didn't think would work, but now I know for next time. We'll, actually I hope there isn't a next time!
 
Always grease every bolt/nut fitting that you refit, not copaslip just ordinary grease.
 
lynall said:
Always grease every bolt/nut fitting that you refit, not copaslip just ordinary grease.
Click to expand...
Out of interest why not copper grease? I usually use that where the bolt goes through a cavity/bush/sleeve.
I have some of each, also have some ceramic grease, that any use?
 
Anaconda said:
Out of interest why not copper grease? I usually use that where the bolt goes through a cavity/bush/sleeve.
I have some of each, also have some ceramic grease, that any use?
Click to expand...
I just hate copaslip, plus last job told us it damaged alloy wheels, not sure I believed that, but no issues with a thin smear of general purpose grease.
Years ago I swore by copalsip, now I just swear at it.
 
Copaslip is fine on metal to metal. It’s not recommended on aluminium. I noticed this a few years ago with the height sensors on my D2. Where they bolt through the plastic end bracket has an aluminium bush liner. I used Copaslip and the bush rotted out and split the plastic. I changed to plain grease and they are fine.
 
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