Defender wheel positions / alignment

Vinlander · Aug 3, 2016

Poly bushes will be easier by far to get in.
Wire brush that trailing arm thread, give it a clout, drench it in WD40, leave it overnight, do it again in the morning and then go at it with an 18in bar. Once you've got your geometry sorted and you won't be wearing them all uneven you can look at new bushes.
And put some boots on before you lose a toe.

Andytyav · Sep 25, 2016

Update!
I went for two part britpart yellow polybushes as disco1BFG said they're £60 from paddocks and Kwakerman and vinlander said they're easy to fit, so far I have done front and back radius/trailing arms and rear shockers, even though most of the bushes were worn some more than others, it's not made any difference to the wheel alignment but has made the truck feel tighter if that makes sense!
I'm planning on doing the front shockers next noticed the holes in the spring seats for the shockers were slightly elongated so I'll change them in the process, rear upper arms and ball joint will follow that, anyone know of a socket that will go on the ball joint nut? Mines to long and hits the axle, don't want to cut it down if I don't need to!
Also developed a slight vibration at 20mph from the rear, had the wheels balanced but it's still there.....think it's related??

Turboman · Sep 26, 2016

Andytyav said:
Update!
I went for two part britpart yellow polybushes as disco1BFG said they're £60 from paddocks and Kwakerman and vinlander said they're easy to fit, so far I have done front and back radius/trailing arms and rear shockers, even though most of the bushes were worn some more than others, it's not made any difference to the wheel alignment but has made the truck feel tighter if that makes sense!
I'm planning on doing the front shockers next noticed the holes in the spring seats for the shockers were slightly elongated so I'll change them in the process, rear upper arms and ball joint will follow that, anyone know of a socket that will go on the ball joint nut? Mines to long and hits the axle, don't want to cut it down if I don't need to!
Also developed a slight vibration at 20mph from the rear, had the wheels balanced but it's still there.....think it's related??

I usually get a new nut for the ball joint and just bash the old one round with a hammer and cold chisel.

If it doesn't turn it, it will cut it off!

gazman · Sep 26, 2016

I had to cut mine off with a die grinder due to how close it is to the tank on a td5 90

Marmaduke · Sep 26, 2016

Andytyav said:
Update!
I went for two part britpart yellow polybushes as disco1BFG said they're £60 from paddocks and Kwakerman and vinlander said they're easy to fit, so far I have done front and back radius/trailing arms and rear shockers, even though most of the bushes were worn some more than others, it's not made any difference to the wheel alignment but has made the truck feel tighter if that makes sense!
I'm planning on doing the front shockers next noticed the holes in the spring seats for the shockers were slightly elongated so I'll change them in the process, rear upper arms and ball joint will follow that, anyone know of a socket that will go on the ball joint nut? Mines to long and hits the axle, don't want to cut it down if I don't need to!
Also developed a slight vibration at 20mph from the rear, had the wheels balanced but it's still there.....think it's related??

Chock the wheels on a flat surface and leave it out of gear with the hand brake off, jack up the rear axle 'til one wheel is off the floor and give the drive shaft a good going over checking for movement at the uj's and these usually vibrate when they are on their way out. Any play replace them both and don't buy the cheapest ones as you'll be doing the job again in a couple of months, wouldn't hurt to do the same with the front prop as well

Andytyav · Sep 26, 2016

Turboman said:
I usually get a new nut for the ball joint and just bash the old one round with a hammer and cold chisel.

If it doesn't turn it, it will cut it off!

gazman said:
I had to cut mine off with a die grinder due to how close it is to the tank on a td5 90

Thanks Turboman Think it's a bit tight on space as gazman says to smash it off but I may end up giving it a go!! Thought landrover would've had a tool to get in there!

Marmaduke said:
Chock the wheels on a flat surface and leave it out of gear with the hand brake off, jack up the rear axle 'til one wheel is off the floor and give the drive shaft a good going over checking for movement at the uj's and these usually vibrate when they are on their way out. Any play replace them both and don't buy the cheapest ones as you'll be doing the job again in a couple of months, wouldn't hurt to do the same with the front prop as well

Cheers Marmaduke, I replaced the rear ujs a few months ago, I did notice what looked like a 'rusty water run' on one of then when doing the bushes I'll give them a look over.
I do have play in the rear diff which sounds 'clunky' I've had the rear shafts out and they look ok but saying that I had nothing to compare them too!!

Turboman · Sep 26, 2016

Andytyav said:
Thanks Turboman Think it's a bit tight on space as gazman says to smash it off but I may end up giving it a go!! Thought landrover would've had a tool to get in there!

Mine has underseat tank, no issue. You might be able to gain clearance by jacking chassis up.

Maybe they did, it may have been made by SPX, who took over VL Churchill. Maybe available if yu put in the hard yards on Google search etc.

gazman · Sep 30, 2016

Turboman said:
Mine has underseat tank, no issue. You might be able to gain clearance by jacking chassis up.

Maybe they did, it may have been made by SPX, who took over VL Churchill. Maybe available if yu put in the hard yards on Google search etc.

unfortunately jacking it makes no difference to the soace near the tank. I even tried jacking the landy up and putting a bar against the thread in a attempt to push it out. In the end I just had the landy supported on a bar on the a frame joint with the wheels off the floor with me and a mate bouncing on the back!!

Brown · Sep 30, 2016

Yes, on some of them, particularly the later models with the tank at the rear, it is difficult getting anything on the nut that will give you enough leverage. Plus not all axles allow getting a socket on because the hole is over the axle tube rather than sticking out to the rear. I ended up chiselling my nut off, aided by drilling a couple of little holes in it to weaken it. All the hammering must have helped loosen the taper because it came apart very easily.

zeaphod · Sep 30, 2016

I used a 30mm ring spanner on the castellated nut - that's with the front tank, maybe there isn't room to use one on the later models with the rear tank. I couldn't get the joint apart either, until I used the blade of a big axe to prise the joint - came apart easily.

Andytyav · Oct 7, 2016

Turboman said:
Mine has underseat tank, no issue. You might be able to gain clearance by jacking chassis up.

Maybe they did, it may have been made by SPX, who took over VL Churchill. Maybe available if yu put in the hard yards on Google search etc.

Great tip Turboman! Checked out SPX and there's all sorts of goodies on their website, couldn't see an appropriate tool but it's one to remember!
Ended up drilling a few holes in the nut then smashing it off, it was fairly quick to be fair! I tried a cut down socket but it wasn't shifting!
The ball joint took some serious persuading before it gave up too!
Now I've done the aframe bushes and ball joint the wheels look a lot more centred, I've not been able to get out in it yet as the front panhard bushes don't seem right, the insert for the bush isn't tight and the fixing bolt won't go through! I've asked britpart if they had any advice they told me to ask paddocks......ive sent a few mails but I've been waiting a few days for a reply
Once that's sorted I'll investigate the clunk
No rest for the wicked and all that!!

Turboman · Oct 7, 2016

Andytyav said:
Great tip Turboman! Checked out SPX and there's all sorts of goodies on their website, couldn't see an appropriate tool but it's one to remember!
Ended up drilling a few holes in the nut then smashing it off, it was fairly quick to be fair! I tried a cut down socket but it wasn't shifting!
The ball joint took some serious persuading before it gave up too!
Now I've done the aframe bushes and ball joint the wheels look a lot more centred, I've not been able to get out in it yet as the front panhard bushes don't seem right, the insert for the bush isn't tight and the fixing bolt won't go through! I've asked britpart if they had any advice they told me to ask paddocks......ive sent a few mails but I've been waiting a few days for a reply
Once that's sorted I'll investigate the clunk
No rest for the wicked and all that!!

They have a lot of good stuff, although not the cheapest.

They took over VL Churchill, who made the landrover special tools for 50 years. VL were a much nicer company to deal with, but SPX still sell the kit.

They don't deal with the public, so tell them you are a sole trader business if you order. I did, and I am a sole trader, but they didn't check anything.

Andytyav · Oct 27, 2016

Gave up on paddocks answering the bush question in the end
Contacted Britpart again a very useful chap named Graham sent me a complimentry set of bushes which were perfect
Hope to get a look at the 'clunk' in the next few days

Andytyav · Mar 13, 2017

Final update on this one!
The wheels now seem to be more aligned after a few months of use, and the ride is so much better with the new suspension and bush set, the clunk has also improved and is hardly heard, unfortunately due to a change in circumstances I now need more seats so the trusty defender is being sold and replaced with a 2007 L322, it was cheaper than a decent 110!!
Cheers for all the info help and guidance!

Defender wheel positions / alignment

Vinlander

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Andytyav

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Turboman

Mab An Gov

gazman

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Marmaduke

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Andytyav

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Turboman

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gazman

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Brown

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zeaphod

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Andytyav

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Turboman

Mab An Gov

Andytyav

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Andytyav

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