Sam Coombes Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I ordered the repair kit for the drop arm balljoint. Anyway, i've realised that the lip which holds the metal srping around the rubber boot has completely rusted out Now, i'm assuming I can order this from paddocks and the balljoint will already be installed - correct? It would save me a lot of time and effort if it is! Also is the part above the piece I need? Not sure of the variations. thanks Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 that one is for Non power steering, if your 90 has power steering [most certainly has] you need the drop arm complete with ball joint for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 ah, so i need either the 3/4 bolt box one, or the 6 bolt box one. What does is mean by the number of bolts. Mine does have power steering. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 look at the top of the power steering box, the top of it is bolted down with 3,4 or 6 bolts. You should have a 4 bolt, if its still got the original box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 cheers guys. I'm assuming I have to fit the arm in a certain position too - to keep the tracking in line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milemarker Type S Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 The arm should have a slight variation in the spines that will only allow it to fit on in a certain position. Just be aware that you will need a decent hydraulic puller to remove the old arm from the box- they are a nightmare to get off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 damn. Can they be hired? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beekay Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I have to say that I looked with interest at this post. My replacement drop-arm complete with ball joint is still sitting on the shelf after the old one ate a 4 ton and 6 ton hydraulic puller. I had exactly the same symptoms, the rubber boot would not stay clipped to the bottom lip of the ball joint housing, but would it come off?....would it f@#%. If you are going to have a go, access is greatly improved if you take the driver side wheel off...and don't be tempted to put a gas torch on it to help matters as the oil seals inside the steering box dont like it much . I was informed the old one may require carefull cutting off (grinder/chisel etc.) and was directed to a great story on the LRO site of a chap who handed the complete steering box to a local engineering company. Anyway long story short they broke their only 16 ton press trying to get the arm off Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milemarker Type S Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Mine eventually gave in when I used a 10 ton hydraulic two leg puller that I had borrowed- It was a Sealey one that I have seen for about £80 ish to buy. Came off with one hell of a bang when it did let go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomG Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 The built in balljoint / curved drop arm has given a fair bit of bother for me, mine seem to last a couple of years and are fiddly to change. The later discoveries have a straight steering arm with a tapered hole for a regular type balljoint which sounds like a better arrangement and easier to change. I think the arm is NTC9236 but not sure if the drag link / damper arrangement needs to be changed too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reiny Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Yes the drag link needs to be changed too. A Discovery item has to be used. As for the steering damper, just weld two pieces of flat bar to the drag link, drill a hole through them to pass the bolt through and you're done. I'll do this modification to any Defender I own. Changing ball joints becomes a doddle and removing the drop arm requires no sweat, skinned knuckles or copious amounts of swearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSIIA Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I had the same problem with the lip wearing away. The solution was pretty straight forward without having to remove the steering arm. Using a junior hacksaw, I cut a shallow groove all the way round the section where the lip should have been. About 1mm below the top face. Find one suitably sized snap ring (from an old CV boot kit I think). Check it's a firm fit in the groove. Clean and degrease the snap ring and the end of the steering arm. Good coat of loctite and fit the snap ring to the steering arm. It has been on 12 months / 20k miles and no problems with the ball joint boot lifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 sounds a good idea. Hadn't thought of loctite. If removal of the drop arm really is that much of a pig, that myight be my only answer til it one day visits a proper garage!! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 one more thing, using this picture from the FAQ Guide: The metal ring next to the spring clip which hold the boot on, where does that go? I didn't see an old one fall out? (Second in on the left, bottom of the picture) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAttrill Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 There are normally a few bits left over when you do a drop arm ball joint B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyWinny Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I might be able to shed some light on the metal ring you are referring to. When my drop arm balljoint went I bought a repair kit (Britpart), removed the drop arm (I must be one of the really lucky ones as it came off with a standard two legged puller) and went to fit the new balljoint. However, I found that the lip that the rubber boot fits to was missing although there was a small flange protruding from the drop arm. The rubber boot was never going to stay fitted to the flange and the kit I bought didn't a new lip. I returned the Britpart kit and bought a different one from Paddock; this one came with the ring you are referring to and I believe it presses onto the flange on the end of the drop arm so that the rubber boot has a lip to fit round. At this point I must admit that I fitted a new drop arm complete with balljoint as I needed to get the Landrover back on the road before I got round to ordering the kit from Paddock. I hope this makes sense. If not, since the old drop arm hasn't had the kit fitted to it I'm happy to take some pictures of the drop arm and lip if you think it would help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 i think I see what you mean,m but i'm unsure of how it would press in? Some pictures would be nice ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Have you seen these in the Tech Archive ball joint change on vehicle ball joint change off vehicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 yes, but they dont solve the problem of the lip which holds the rubber boot on being disintegrated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 The metal ring presses onto the existing lip such that a groove is formed where the rubber can get a grip with the circlip. IIRC there are two sizes though so the size may be wrong... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantd5 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 That work is a bit sh.i.. tt..y...!! I destroyed a whole steering box cnaging the drop arm. Kindly follow the archive Western is talking about and sove some headache and quids.!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bull Bar Cowboy Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Most drop arms come off quite easily once you have the knack of hitting it in exactly the right place ................. but you will need a 4ft one inch diameter steel drift, a 14lb sledge hammer, and somebody to help............. I know for fact that Les removes them exactly the same way as I do .............. its all to do with the lugs Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 but I cant see how you can get a bar on the lugs - the PAS box is very much right in the way!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Coombes Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 ok, i'm going to have a go at this tonight. I'm going to buy this puller - anyone got one, is it likely to fall apart? it's the only one local which I can find.... Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSIIA Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Before going to the trouble of trying to pull the arm off the steering box, I would investigate the components in the ball joint kit and check if there is something suitable to fit the top of the arm. Only requires you lift the boot a bit and measure the diameter with a vernier, then compare the bits you have. BTW: Slacking off the nut below the drop arm by ~2 flats and then driving round has been known to free the drop arm from its splines. Not the sort of thing to be done on the Queens highway though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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