dag019 · May 7, 2023

I am currently looking to buy a drop arm
Ball joint puller. The cheapest ones available seem to be Neilson. Usually I would avoid neilson tools. But it looks no different to the more expensive Sealey version and with modern tool production possible even comes out of the same factory!
What are people’s recommendation/ what are you using?

Anaconda · May 7, 2023

There is one in the For Sale section, if that is any help?

Anaconda · May 7, 2023

I guess the weak point will be the bolt and thread.
I broke a SP puller the first time I did one, had to take the box of and heat it up.

slomofo · May 7, 2023

You can have mine, it was Laser from memory, but can’t be 100%.

I won’t need it again

cappers · May 7, 2023

Typical, would have saved time and effort when I replaced the ball joint last week but for a one-off job it wasn't worth the price.
We used brute force and coarse language plus bit of heat. I was worried about the shaft and seal but the box is leaking slightly from there anyway and isn't any worse since the hammering.

Turboman · May 7, 2023

dag019 said:
I am currently looking to buy a drop arm
Ball joint puller. The cheapest ones available seem to be Neilson. Usually I would avoid neilson tools. But it looks no different to the more expensive Sealey version and with modern tool production possible even comes out of the same factory!
What are people’s recommendation/ what are you using?

Are you trying to remove the ball joint, or the whole arm?

In either case, just beating it off with a big hammer, and long drift in the case of the whole arm, works better than pullers.

If you want to just remove the ball joint taper, get someone to hold the head of a sledge hammer against it, and whack the eye with a club hammer. It will pop out with a few hits.

sharkey964 · May 7, 2023

If you slack of the nut,(but don't take it off)then take it for a drive on a bumpy lane or field,the drop arm will usually come loose.

v8250 · May 7, 2023

dag019 said:
I am currently looking to buy a drop arm
Ball joint puller. The cheapest ones available seem to be Neilson. Usually I would avoid neilson tools. But it looks no different to the more expensive Sealey version and with modern tool production possible even comes out of the same factory!
What are people’s recommendation/ what are you using?

I have a Nielsen drop arm puller and it works perfectly fine. They are excellent vfm a quite robust.

dag019 · May 7, 2023

Turboman said:
Are you trying to remove the ball joint, or the whole arm?

Apologies should have been clearer. The whole arm from the box splines is what I am looking for, I am looking at this one: LINK

Turboman · May 8, 2023

dag019 said:
Apologies should have been clearer. The whole arm from the box splines is what I am looking for, I am looking at this one: LINK

I just bash them off, with a club hammer, using a long steel bar held down through the open bonnet.

When I replace them, I put a bit of copperslip on the splines, although I don't think you are supposed to do that.
Never had one come off, and it makes later removal easier.

tottot · May 8, 2023

I have had one come loose after replacement, good tab washer kept it in place. Went back with air gun and new tab washer.
First time I removed mine had an borrowed industrial hydraulic puller that failed to move it. Turbomans method got it.

Turboman · May 8, 2023

tottot said:
I have had one come loose after replacement, good tab washer kept it in place. Went back with air gun and new tab washer.
First time I removed mine had an industrial hydraulic puller that failed to move it. Turbomans method got it.

Method was suggested to me by James. What he said usually worked.

The tab washers are good, but I am always surprised by how few people bother to get a new one on replacement of the arm.
I have seen them pretty ragged around the edges, having obviously been re-used a number of times.

Grebby · May 8, 2023

I have a 10 tonne hydraulic puller that I used to remove my drop arm.
You are welcome to borrow it if you would like?

dag019 · May 9, 2023

I have managed to remove mine with a standard two legged puller wrapped in a strap wrench to prevent the legs splaying I have used this method a couple of times. This is more of a I really should have the correct tool for it rather than trying to make do. I have the correct tools for most other land rover jobs i have acquired during my ownership.

tottot · May 9, 2023

One thing I have noticed over time is if it is a first time drop arm removal from new it will be a barsteward after that not so bad.

Turboman · May 9, 2023

tottot said:
One thing I have noticed over time is if it is a first time drop arm removal from new it will be a barsteward after that not so bad.

They were probably put on completely dry at the factory, using an air ratchet set to a massive torque.

Most owners will put them on with a bit more care, probably giving the splines at least a spray of WD40 before putting the arm back on.

cappers · May 9, 2023

Turboman said:
I just bash them off, with a club hammer, using a long steel bar held down through the open bonnet.

That's how we did mine in the end. At first tried bashing with club hammers and bars but the angles were wrong and access poor. Then my mate appeared with a 4ft long pry bar and a big lump hammer, poked the bar through the engine bay onto the arm by the spindle and after a couple of wallops it came off.
Copperslip on reassembly but had to use the old tab washers but they were good, probably first time they'd been bent back!

Turboman · May 9, 2023

cappers said:
That's how we did mine in the end. At first tried bashing with club hammers and bars but the angles were wrong and access poor. Then my mate appeared with a 4ft long pry bar and a big lump hammer, poked the bar through the engine bay onto the arm by the spindle and after a couple of wallops it came off.
Copperslip on reassembly but had to use the old tab washers but they were good, probably first time they'd been bent back!

Applies a violent shock against the taper, and because it is applied on the side of the arm, the shock is assymetric, first one side then the other if you turn the arm while you are doing it.

And saves money on pullers, and you don't have a tool lying around for ten years until you need to do the job again. I always lose stuff like that before I use it again.

Flossie · Jun 16, 2023

Mine comes off easy and I've had it off many times (fnurr fnurr) to replace the balljoint over the last 20 yrs. Coughed up for a borg and beck ball joint kit this time as the BP rubbers fail way to quick. Just done the job and used the useful tool again to make the job easy. Apparently you can do the job in situ but getting the rubber retaining clips on is hard with it in a vice let alone on your back upside down. Could use some strong narrow tie wraps to get round that though.

dag019 · Jun 18, 2023

Flossie said:
Apparently you can do the job in situ but getting the rubber retaining clips on is hard with it in a vice let alone on your back upside down.

Oh yes I have had that joy before, 5min to get the old one out and new one in with the puller you have pictured and then 1.5h fiddling with the spring clips with everything covered in grease trying to get the rubber to stay in place only for it to split 6 months later!

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