Bit not mentioned in drop arm ball change

[Ian Barrett]

Hi chaps,

I'm following the tech archive guide Drop Arm Ball Joint Change insitu

And have a part which is in the photo showing the new parts but not mentioned in the guide.

It's the item second from left of the bottom 4 parts - between the boot bottom retaining spring and the Small Ring used to retain the top of the boot.

It looks like a thin washer with a lip

Can someone tell me where this fits.

I've gone through the guide and checked off all the other parts but this one isn't mentioned and I can't find it amongst the bits which came out either.

[dailysleaze]

It stopped being part of the kits several years ago. It fits around the lip of the drop arm with the wider end up.

If it is lost from your vehicle then you will need to fit a later type drop arm which has the lip in the casting, unless you can find one second hand. The guide may be of the later style

[dailysleaze]

Some info https://www.landroverexpedition.com/technical/replacing-steering-drop-arm/

[Ian Barrett]

Thanks both. I'm not certain and it's dark now so I can't check, but I think the drop arm on my 1987 Ninety has the lip as part of the casting.

It makes sense that's what it's for though now I look at it.

I'll check it on the morning and will also try a test fit of the boot and it's bottom spring to be sure it's all going to fit.

Otherwise I'll get the bits for the disco drop arm mod.

[David Sparkes]

It's the item second from left of the bottom 4 parts - between the boot bottom retaining spring and the Small Ring used to retain the top of the boot.

It looks like a thin washer with a lip

I think the OP is referring to this picture

Regards.

[Ian Barrett]

Yes David Sparkes that is the picture I was referring to. Thank you.

The picture doesn't show the part very well but before I started the job I laid all my parts out the same to check had everything. I have 2 circlips but other than that it's the same kit.

I've done a successful test this morning, attaching the new boot to the arm and attaching the old Spring retainer and it fits without being able to pull it back off again.

So it seems my early 1987 vehicle, and the one Les used for the tech guide photos has the lip cast in the arm and this part is redundant.

Though a thought did just occur to me.

I will thoroughly clean around there tonight and make sure it is cast, and not that I have to prize the old one off and replace it

[Les Henson]

Don't lever too hard. The housing is cast iron and will eaqsily chip.

Les

[Ian Barrett]

A quick final update to this thread in case anyone finds it in future

The lip for the gsitor was indeed cast so I didn't need the part I couldn't identify.

More importantly though, I couldn't fit the bottom plate which is held in place by the circlip.

I fought for about 5 hours in total, pressing, cajoling, stripping and cleaning etc, but eventually it dawned on me to compare old and new plates, only to find the were hugely different.

The chamfer on the new plate barely existed where on the old plate it was at least a 1-5-2mm - which is where the rubber seal no doubt fitted. When I cleaned then jacked the old plate in using the same method I'd been using all day without success it was in and circlip done in 10 minutes,

It was a bearmach kit I was using.

Next time I'm doing the disco conversion and will start collecting the parts now.

Thanks to all for your help, and to Les again for his fabulous Tech Archive.

[dave88sw]

A quick final update to this thread in case anyone finds it in future

The lip for the gsitor was indeed cast so I didn't need the part I couldn't identify.

More importantly though, I couldn't fit the bottom plate which is held in place by the circlip.

I fought for about 5 hours in total, pressing, cajoling, stripping and cleaning etc, but eventually it dawned on me to compare old and new plates, only to find the were hugely different.

The chamfer on the new plate barely existed where on the old plate it was at least a 1-5-2mm - which is where the rubber seal no doubt fitted. When I cleaned then jacked the old plate in using the same method I'd been using all day without success it was in and circlip done in 10 minutes,

It was a bearmach kit I was using.

Next time I'm doing the disco conversion and will start collecting the parts now.

Thanks to all for your help, and to Les again for his fabulous Tech Archive.

I use bearmach all the time but having done this job loads of times on customers vehicles, i will only fit a genuine or adwest kit, NONE of the others seem to fit and if they do, they don't last.

The disco drop arm is a very good mod though, it is so much easier to change the joints and i find they wear less, any farm defenders i see have to have the drop arm joint changed every year for MOT.