Fed up - ongoing disco probs

ok, so I'm following the lead of others on here and starting a thread with all my landy issues in one place rather than spread around.

I have recently had some transmission issues, most of which are resolved, so she then decides to break a swivel bearing too.
So because I've had stuff on, and the weather, and waiting for parts I finally got round to sorting it today.

first problem that arose was the top pin bolts, as the second one to be undone started to round off, so I mashed on a slightly smaller socket and got it undone. need a new socket, but it did the job.
Then I managed to shear off 2 of the seal retainer bolt heads, and one just won't come undone at all.
Got the swivel housing off to deal with it tomorrow cos I've gotta borrow my brothers screw extractors now, and set to with the swivel ball bolts...

They are so corroded, that the splines are completely filled in. It looks like its been stored in salt water for the past few years on the front end.

So I'm a bit fed up, and open to suggestions for removing the swivel ball so I can get the seal etc on, and felt like venting a little too.

I think I'd be tempted to drop the whole axle off so you can have a good go at refurbing it. Almost certain that if they're that bad, other bits will be similar ...

removing the swivle cup can be fun as you can't really get a socket onto the top bolts, so its ring end spanner time. As paul said thou it may well be time to drop the axle off and rebuild

Well, almost got the swivel assembly sorted. Got hold of a replacement swivel due to the bolts shearing off in it and generally being a bitch, but still couldn't get the ball off. As I'm going to completely refurb the axle in the near future I decided to just do a temp fix basically, and cut the swivel seal to get it over the ball. Placed the cut at the top, bolted it all up after doing the preload etc, reassembled the whole hub etc, filled it with one shot, and went to put the ball joints back on...

And I now need a new sodding track rod end as its fooked, so much so I'd like to know how it passed mot a few months back!

So I've had almost all forms of grease and oil that can ooze from a landy all over me today, except atf I think, though there could have been some of that somewhere too, and I'm still not bloody finished!

Don't worry it will be apart so many time's now it won't have time to rust.

Next time....

Undo steering arms, wheels off, caliper off and remove the entire hub in one unit!

If you look behind the hub there is a ring of 6? bolts that once undone allow you to remove the entire hub and shaft from the axle. Get it either hub down in a builders bucket ( a great way of doing the hub seal without cutting it) or on the bench for a strip down. MUCH easier.

had the swivel ball bolts not been so corroded you cant get a spanner on them no matter how big a wire brush you use to get the crud off, I would have been able to remove it in one. As it was the top swivel bearing was mashed so had to all come apart anyway.
Ill be dropping the axle for a rebuild in the next few months anyway, so it'll all get sorted.
As for the track rod end, that too didnt want to budge, so just bought new track rod assembly, and decided to replace the damper while I was at it - good job I did as the other track rod end was screwed, and I put my fingers through the damper when I grabbed hold to remove it!!
Think it was being supported by grease and hopes and dreams lol.

symeon said:

Think it was being supported by grease and hopes and dreams lol.

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I just loved that !!! Talk about laugh out loud I nearly pîssed myself

And it just keeps getting better...

Driving down the road today, and heard a clunk outside. Looked in the mirror and saw part of an exhaust rolling along.
At first I thought Id just clipped it at the side of the road, but then I wondered if it was mine, and sure enough it was, sodding backbox had fallen off, completely rotten where the pipe joins the box, cant even see any clean metal where it's broken.

How this car passed its MOT in march is beyond me, half tempted to ring VOSA to make a complaint about the MOT place, get a refund, and get it done properly elsewhere!!

symeon said:

And it just keeps getting better...

Driving down the road today, and heard a clunk outside. Looked in the mirror and saw part of an exhaust rolling along.
At first I thought Id just clipped it at the side of the road, but then I wondered if it was mine, and sure enough it was, sodding backbox had fallen off, completely rotten where the pipe joins the box, cant even see any clean metal where it's broken.

How this car passed its MOT in march is beyond me, half tempted to ring VOSA to make a complaint about the MOT place, get a refund, and get it done properly elsewhere!!

Click to expand...

Just for your info, Paddocks do a whole new exhaust system for about £38+vat.

ESR2391 | Centre and Rear Silencer Assembly - 300TDI (except Japan)

When taking the swivel off the axle one of the special bolts with odd heads sheared off much to my surprise it was easy to drill it and use an easy out thread extractor to get the broken bit out of the axle

BUT the secret was to heat the axle up with a heat gun first to melt what seemed to land rover oem thread lock......In my experience it's that Super strength thread lock that makes these bolts such a bar steward to remove.