Vehicle & Technical > Defender

Fitting a Drop arm ball joint kit?

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Fireyred:
My car failed the MOT :cry: ,  one of the reasons was because there was a fair amount of play in the drop arm joint, I have purchased the kit but have been informed it isnt an easy job to change?
 :?  

Has anyone done one before?

Range Rover Blues:
Yes.

Fireyred:
So was it difficult then???

mmgemini:
Simple....
Have a look on www.REEDX.net

Range Rover Blues:
Sorry, I had a quite detailed reply in there but some piece of Yahoo s***e came up on myscreen and I lost it :evil:

So anyway, it's not the end of the world but the first time I did it it was a bit tricky, not least because the drop arm wouldn't come off.  Heat and a big hammer :wink:

Oh, you'll need a 33mm socket, it's the only one on the car too :evil:

Remove the drag link, the rubber cover (carefully if it's in good nick) and turn the steering to the right unless the drop arm comes off.

Remove the cirlcip from the bottom, the joint might explode it might not, if it doesn't give it a tap from above but try to see how it's fitted together.

You need to drift out the main outer race from the drop arm, mine was so well worn I had to make 2 cut-outs in the drop arm with a Dremel so I could get to the top of the race, you should be able to see a small lip if it's not too far gone though.  Drift it out carefully working round or across but not in one place or it will jam.

Once out clean up the drop arm, remove any burrs inside the arm.  Drift the new outer race into place as carefully, make sure it's fully home or you won't get the thing back together.

One of the hard bits out the way :)

Now you need to assemble the joint, grease the living daylights out of it, there is no grease nipple (I had thought about fitting one) so this is the last chance. Assembly goes Balljoint, lower pressure race, spring, small end first IIRC, O ring, bottom plate chamfered side first (for the O ring) then circlip.  A good bit of grease help stop it falling apart until you grow that 3rd hand :wink: .

You won't ge the circlip in yet but don't worry.  Have a deep socket to hand that fits oer the top of the balljoint and rests on the drop arm not the thread.  Have a second much smaller socket to hand that will fit inside the drop arm.  This goes against the bottom plate so that you can work the circlip around the outside of it.

Compress the joint using both sockets and a G clamp.  It's a bit wobbly at first but once the joint is fully compressed it will be secure, you can let go of it and deal with the circlip now.

I like to pop the cirlip in then drift it into the groove so that it clicks into place, I find it more reliable than trying to lift it directly into the groove.  Use a small screwdriver as a drift here.

If it's all gone well you can remove the G clamp.

Now, just as you think you have finished comes another tricky bit.  I often finsd the rubber boots are too tight a fit (I've bust one)  so check it fits whilst it's dry.  It's a good idea to fill it with grease but this makes fitting it difficult if it's a bit tight.

Once the boot is on and secure, reassemble the drag link.  Quick check over that nowt's missing and job done.

Cup of tea :D

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