A frame bushes renewal... help questions and advice needed:

[hawky666]

Hey guys and girls.
My rear axle is kicking around like a mule everytime i change gear brake etc.
I've taken a look underneath and seems that a new A frame ball joint has been fitted but the bushes are shot so i'm going to have a go at doing this.

My first question is.. i have disco rear axles fitted so would the ball joint that's already been done, be a disco ball joint or defender one!! and would changing the axle have meant that the a frame might be a poor fit causing bad wear on the bushes etc. I'm not adverse to changing the ball joint again as well as the bushes if this might be an issue.

Next.. how do i actually tackle doing this!! is it a case of jacking her up or??
what do i do, and what issues am i going to hit??

The next thing after this will be the jocky stick bushes (Trailing arm might be the correct term) you know what i mean. Same question relates to this.. where and how do i start etc.

Any advice in advance is good so please fire away.

Thanks.

 

[300tdistu]

I'm doing my a frame ball this week

disco ball joint and defender one are the same upto 1998

Your trailing arms and hockey stick bushes I burn them out with heat gun

 

[hawky666]

great, at least i know thats correct then, thanks

 

[johnny curt 1]

id ave done the trailing arm bushes first as these usually take the forward back torque more obbruptly and would show more as axle movement rather than the a frame or ball bushes would

or have i got it mixed up

 

[jamesmartin]

to do a frame bushes you just need to support axle from rotating ,arms are secured to brackets on chassis cross member 3 x 10mm bolts which means 17mm socket and spanner needed,front arms are called radius arms, rear trailing arms ,when doing radius arms chassis needs supporting too as you need to get arm stright to remove/refit through chassis bush, a frame ball joints are the same on all vehicles

 

[hawky666]

Thanks james.
To stop axles rotating, what's the best way to do this!! is it just simply stop the wheels from turning. Do i need to jack up or do i just leave her on wheels and bloke the wheels etc.
Sorry, but not tackled linkages before so need to be sure.

 

[jamesmartin]

trolley jack under trailing arm bracket on axle or bottle jack under diff nose

 

[big si]

jack under the front of diff should do it mate, and if you do radius arms or trailing arms i found ratchet straps around the chassis and axle a good way to lift and pull it all in line.

 

[hawky666]

oh god, feel like a right idiot now as no idea what your referring to

 

[3.5 efi]

jack under the front of diff should do it mate, and if you do radius arms or trailing arms i found ratchet straps around the chassis and axle a good way to lift and pull it all in line.

+1 on ratchet strap. used one to good effect doing my radius arms last week.

 

[hawky666]

thanks guys

 

[hawky666]

thanks guys.
A couple of bits to buy then memories my swear word dictionary and crack on lol

 

[big si]

good luck matey.

 

[3.5 efi]

as johnny said, most likely to be trailing arm bushes. easy enough job if bolts aren't seized in bush.

 

[hawky666]

oh, you can bet the bleedin bolts will be siezed as everything on this beast has been a challenge to date.
Will let you know how things go.
Just hoping for a dry spell to get on with it as will be doing out on drive.

 

[hawky666]

Well, it's all off, just need to get the bushes out and new in now... oh and new bolts as a result of some rather un enthusiastic grinding as 'YES' the upper front bolts of both trailing arm bushes were indeed seized into the bushes as someone predicted.
The actual arms are slightly scored, but hey, nothing a little paint wont hide lol.
There wasn't a single bleedin nut and bolt that gave it up easily and i thing i remembered just about every swear word in my vast collection, and some.

Also sorted some electrical light prob's so wasn't to bad a day. Soaked by rain in morning but dried well by sun in the pm.

 

[Grit Valve]

Hope you bought poly bushes makes it so so much easier next time maybe a presoak with penetrating fluid would help days before.

 

[hawky666]

yeh. All polly bushed now and i did put plenty of penetrating oil on the old ones days before but to no avail unfortunately.

All much better now.

 

[Tronicus Maximus]

I'm thinking of doing this at some point on mine. Anyone got advice on how to get the bushes back in? what tools you using?

 

[Grit Valve]

I'm thinking of doing this at some point on mine. Anyone got advice on how to get the bushes back in? what tools you using?

For ease use poly bush type no tool required for fitting, to remove they are pressed out, or like most burn the rubber out carefully hacksaw a line through metal sleeve and tap out.