How big is this nut?

Landlover99 · Sep 10, 2014

Hi all, I'm talking about the large nut at the bottom of the steering box; the one that secures the drag link to the steering joints and steering column. I've crudely measured it with a steel rule across the flats and it comes out at between 34 and 36mm, but I need to know exactly so I can order a socket to fit it. I'm guessing it's an imperial AF type but does anyone know for certain? I think it comes out around one inch and twenty-five sixty-fourths but I can't find a socket in that size searching online. If you're feeling really helpful, the torque setting for doing it back up again afterwards would be jolly nice, too, cheers. LL.

jamesmartin · Sep 10, 2014

usually 34mm but some nuts on some boxes vary

hctbn · Sep 10, 2014

Mine came off with a 1 3/8 in AF socket, and a breaker bar, and a mallet, and a lot of swearing. Then a lot more swearing with pullers, heat, etc, to get the drop arm off, then a trip to my friendly Landy garage to get them to get the drop arm off. Then the ball joint was so worn that the tool, drills, heat, cold, swearing, etc, couldn't pull the seat out and I had to get a new drop arm so I could have used a grinder in the first place. The only ray of light was that I won one on EBay for 99p and it was just down the road... Result!

Good luck!

easye1 · Sep 10, 2014

hctbn said:
Mine came off with a 1 3/8 in AF socket, and a breaker bar, and a mallet, and a lot of swearing. Then a lot more swearing with pullers, heat, etc, to get the drop arm off, then a trip to my friendly Landy garage to get them to get the drop arm off. Then the ball joint was so worn that the tool, drills, heat, cold, swearing, etc, couldn't pull the seat out and I had to get a new drop arm so I could have used a grinder in the first place. The only ray of light was that I won one on EBay for 99p and it was just down the road... Result!

Good luck!

some time ago I felt I needed the drop arm balljoint kit, as I had play in the steering..
it arrived and I looked at it for weeks.
then I ordered a new drop arm.
going underneath to see what size it was was a bit of a shock, because the nut was so lose, the only thing doing its job stopping the nut undoing further was the locking washer/tab...
new drop arm went on pretty tight after all that.....

jamesmartin · Sep 10, 2014

easye1 said:
some time ago I felt I needed the drop arm balljoint kit, as I had play in the steering..
it arrived and I looked at it for weeks.
then I ordered a new drop arm.
going underneath to see what size it was was a bit of a shock, because the nut was so lose, the only thing doing its job stopping the nut undoing further was the locking washer/tab...
new drop arm went on pretty tight after all that.....

though tightening nut ,might have reduced need for new joint

sharpe · Sep 11, 2014

Mine was a 36mm, ordered a socket especially, but only to tighten up the new nut as took the option to replace ball joint and arm for new ones for the sake of £20 when putting a recon box on.

Graynub · Sep 11, 2014

Mine was so seized on that after 20 mins of trying I lost the thread in the spline.

I would seriously consider removing the steering box and do it all on a table/vice.

I'm not an expert and the job took me days. In the end I angle grinded the drop arm and dug into the spline so I replaced the box anyway!!!

Landlover99 · Sep 11, 2014

Thanks all.
I've just come up with an ingenious wheeze for getting the drop-arm off once the steering box's nut and tab washer are out of the way:
1. Find one of those bolted-into-the-concrete fixtures that you typically see guarding private parking spaces from public access.
2. Drive over said fixture so it's directly beneath the drop-arm.
3. Pass a chain through fixture and around drop arm; fasten securely with hi-tensile bolt.
4. Place a hydraulic bottle jack under the front diff housing.
5. Pump up jack whilst tapping side of drop-arm with a club hammer.

Clever, eh? Sure beats all the aggro experienced by our less creative owners listed above!

Turboman · Sep 11, 2014

Landlover99 said:
Thanks all.
I've just come up with an ingenious wheeze for getting the drop-arm off once the steering box's nut and tab washer are out of the way:
1. Find one of those bolted-into-the-concrete fixtures that you typically see guarding private parking spaces from public access.
2. Drive over said fixture so it's directly beneath the drop-arm.
3. Pass a chain through fixture and around drop arm; fasten securely with hi-tensile bolt.
4. Place a hydraulic bottle jack under the front diff housing.
5. Pump up jack whilst tapping side of drop-arm with a club hammer.

Clever, eh? Sure beats all the aggro experienced by our less creative owners listed above!

They aren't actually that difficult to get off if you have a good rigid puller, and aren't scared to give the arm some welly with a hammer.

As regards the nut, as I have posted before, almost any nut can be turned by using a sharp cold chisel and a club hammer. Drive the chisel into one of the flats and hammer it round with the hammer.

Marmaduke · Sep 11, 2014

Just done mine last weekend, 34mm socket and an impact gun then 10 mins smacking it with a cold chisel and lump hammer, there are lugs on either side of the arm to help you get it off. Where about's do you live cos you can borrow the socket if you're local,save you buying one from Halfords for £10

lynall · Sep 11, 2014

Lifes to short, just cut the old arm off and start again

SmileySteve · Sep 11, 2014

Mine 34mm but cant get the arm off even with pullers, swearing, modified pullers, bigger pullers, more swearing, so leaving it as off on a trip and theres no play but the rubber has a small split.
When I am back I am just going to cut the #### off (carefully) and save time as have new arm.
Good luck

How big is this nut?

Landlover99

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jamesmartin

Well-Known Member

hctbn

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easye1

Banned

jamesmartin

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sharpe

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Graynub

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Landlover99

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Turboman

Mab An Gov

Marmaduke

Well-Known Member

lynall

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SmileySteve

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