Bloody Britpart drop arm kit doesn't fit

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zeaphod

Well-Known Member
Posts
3,110
Location
Belfast, Norn Iron
5 hours on the concrete driveway, the old ball joint came off easily enough, but the replacement is just a couple of mm out. Aaarrrrrghhhhh! Feckers!
 
You've been on here for a couple of years and you still went BP - shame on you:( I fitted a LR kit a few months ago, took about an hour all told, mind you it was about £35 but then again it does keep you pointing in the right direction on the road which it the important bit.
 
Yup, the tolerances on some of the cheaper kits are a bit generous. I've had ones where I've not been able to get the thing closed sufficiently to get the circlip into the groove. It doesn't do any harm to grind a bit off the flat side of the cup so as to be able to get the ball, cup spring and bottom plate in far enough to fit the spring clip.
 
You've been on here for a couple of years and you still went BP - shame on you:( I fitted a LR kit a few months ago, took about an hour all told, mind you it was about £35 but then again it does keep you pointing in the right direction on the road which it the important bit.

Guilty m'lud - I thought "how can you f%$k up something as simple as this?" I should have made sure it was genuine. Apart from a couple of bits that aren't needed on my drop arm, it did go together pretty well, until it became clear that the bearing cups were too thick to allow the circlip to go in , even using a jack to compress the joint.

Yup, the tolerances on some of the cheaper kits are a bit generous. I've had ones where I've not been able to get the thing closed sufficiently to get the circlip into the groove. It doesn't do any harm to grind a bit off the flat side of the cup so as to be able to get the ball, cup spring and bottom plate in far enough to fit the spring clip.

Exactly my problem, I'll get the grinder out later - thanks!
 
Last one I fitted was a Bearmach branded one and it went straight in and fitted neatly. About the same price as the Britpart ones too.
 
Last one I fitted was a Bearmach branded one and it went straight in and fitted neatly. About the same price as the Britpart ones too.
This is my experience too. the blue box stuff just means you gets lots of "practice" fixing the thing...

So, OEM or bearmach for me.
 
Yup, the tolerances on some of the cheaper kits are a bit generous. I've had ones where I've not been able to get the thing closed sufficiently to get the circlip into the groove. It doesn't do any harm to grind a bit off the flat side of the cup so as to be able to get the ball, cup spring and bottom plate in far enough to fit the spring clip.

With mine I had to grind a bit off the spring!

Had to replace it within a year. Didn't get ****part again lol
 
While it's apart you'd be better off just fitting a genuine one and being done with it. Otherwise you'll just be doing it again in a short period of time.

Britpart are the worst kind of **** peddlers and have done more to give Land Rovers a reputation for poor reliability than just about anything else.
 
ive fitted quite a few pattern kits and they van be a worse fit but using a press the top seat can be fitted fully not so easy on the vehicle
 
I am sorry for your wasted time, but it really really astounds me how many people keep buying Britpart utter rubbish after the constant reports of faulty, early failing, poor fitting tripe they sell.
 
I spent a few hours last Saturday fitting the bearmach borg &beck kit, what a pain in the ass it was. Ended up using lower part of the old one and the plate too, at twenty odd quid should have went OEM.
 
I think there is a lot to be said for replacing the whole drop arm sometimes. Sort of goes against my principles - of always trying to fix things - but a lot of people over the years seem to opt for a full replacement.

Funnily enough I may need to do this job soon myself, the spring that holds the gaiter on failed and let the gaiter pop off, so the joint is now probably contaminated enough to cause it to fail soon. Maybe I can save it yet. We will see.
 
I think there is a lot to be said for replacing the whole drop arm sometimes. Sort of goes against my principles - of always trying to fix things - but a lot of people over the years seem to opt for a full replacement.

Funnily enough I may need to do this job soon myself, the spring that holds the gaiter on failed and let the gaiter pop off, so the joint is now probably contaminated enough to cause it to fail soon. Maybe I can save it yet. We will see.
damage to wear the garter spring secures so keeps coming off is the usual reason i fit new drop arms
 
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