Mutley Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 As the wife has let slip that she has been paid this month, i thought i would save her the stress of deciding what to do with it!?! I mean FLOWERS are ok but lets be honest they don't really last and i DID get her some once before, so it's not like she's never had any!?! So i was thinking???..... A more practical option that would last longer than FLOWERS and be of more benefit would be if a renewed the A frame ball joint on the 90!?! Question is, i have seen that you csn get the Fulcrum bracket and ball joint together and this would save some faff!.... Are the wide angle versions with the grease nipple on top worth going with? Doubt i would use the wide angle side of this but i do like the idea of being able to maintain it grease wise!...... Or am i as well just sticking with a basic Lemforder joint???....This being for a 300tdi 90. Cheers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 A grease point is useful, though the joints last a long time without, but yeah if you don't have a big press it's worth buying the joint/fulcrum combined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Worked out fine for me, https://gwynlewis4x4.co.uk/product/a-frame-ball-joint-greasable-adjustable-in-housing/ Might be of interest too... https://forums.lr4x4.com/topic/105541-adjustable-ball-joint/?tab=comments#comment-938612 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Yep seen the Gwyn Lewis one Paddy...…. Saw the price too!?! Ouch!!! I also see others do a similar version about 40 quid cheaper DA1129ULTRA...…..So is it more faff to keep adjusting as I was hoping just to fit and grease it every 3 or 4 months, if so may as well just go with a standard Lemforder unit??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Just had a look and I paid £44.42 for a ball joint complete with bracket from Paddocks in 2017 which was when I overhauled the rear axle on my 110 due to fitting an Ashlocker. That's the non-greasable one although I think that it was a pucker manufacturer (probably Lemforder) when I opened the box. I've not touched it since apart from re-tightening the nut mid-way through it's shakedown off-road in France, not quite @miketomcat / @FridgeFreezer levels of test driving though. I'm fairly sure the one I took off was original - so that was 1994 to 2017... I do seem to be going through suspension components much quicker now it does more regular off-roading that the previous owners did, I mean actually my drive gives most vehicles a decent workout if they cut the corner like they all seem to. There was a very satisfying moment when Mum's friend had to take two attempts in a BMW X3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 A vote for getting whichever version you decide on fitted to the bracket. I thought i'd just buy the standard but more spendy A frame joint and some new bolts/nuts. Well almost a day spent to get the old one out with 2 or three rounds of soaking, beating, cutting, heating and finally 12 ton pressing it eventually came out. I reckon i used half a mapp gas canister, 2 hammers broken and half a tin of penetrating oil. Not to mention when it finally went the jack almost jumped out of the press. Getting the new one in still required the 2x m8 holes tapping out and the 12 ton press to push the new joint home using a range rover p38 hockey stick bush inserter/remover special tool thingy. Hindsight eh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Mine needed adjusting after a few weeks. Its been fine since, approx. a year of normal mileage and some off road. It may be in the first weeks the ball/grease bedded down and then fine after the adjustment. Possibly some else has had longer usage and could rate the unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 @pete3000 hindsight is having had the same Defender for 11yrs. and knowing how things play out on the little darlings, hence why i am going with the bracket and ball joint fitted!?! 😂 Cheers Paddy will take that on board, in the mean time anyone had experience of the DA1129ULTRA as the Boss will likely use my nuts in the ball joint if i went for the Gwyn Lewis costly item!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 How much is Gwyns now? I got the one from him and didnt think it was too bad - i am sure it came with new bolts too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 "So is it more faff to keep adjusting as I was hoping just to fit and grease it every 3 or 4 months" I have had two adjustable ones (non-greaser) and neither has needed adjusting. The first one was in for about 10-years and I replaced it at the same time as fitting a replacement rear axle but upon inspection the one I was replacing was still in perfect condition (in fact I still have it in the garage "just in case"). New replacement has been in for about 5-years now and once again, that has not needed any adjustment. I had it out of the axle-casing the other day (I am fitting a galvanised chassis) but once again, upon inspection it was perfect so I have left it alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Gwyn Lewis is 120 plus with postage!?!... A bit too rich for my blood in the current climate, the other one DA1129ULTRA is more affordable from 60 - 80 quid! So as much as i luke and have bought Gwyn Lewis gear in the past, not sure i can justify this item of theirs?.... Cheers Litch for the info on the adjustables, one would think it would only need adjusting after every year or so to take up the wear factor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Hunter Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Mutley, From personal experience, I'd recommend setting your heart on the Gwyn Lewis one but then allowing your head to take over, and buying one of the cheaper models. You can then have the money left over from the Gwyn Lewis non-purchase to buy the flowers for SWMBO. Although the flowers will not last as long as a new ball joint, they can have additional benefits😍! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 WISE words Troll Hunter, it would seem all those hours spent searching under dark bridges resulted in wisdom!?! And for a normal member of the female species FLOWERS would work magically! But alas mine is far from normal! If i produced flowers for the little godess i would be lashed to a stake and flogged untill i confessed my SINS!!! But maybe, just maybe if i got her something for thar PRECIOUS horse of hers, i might just pull it off!?! HELL I'll DO IT!!! What have i got to loose???????? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 3 hours ago, Mutley said: Gwyn Lewis is 120 plus with postage!?! Eh? The link above for Gwyn's is £78 Inc VAT?! £86 Including the bolts if you want them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 @ Ed Poore think i miss read it, thought the VAT needed to be included, but it's already been added. Will have to have a serious think now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 I made myself a press so now just replace the balls if needed I seemed to go though having to replace a few and for feed up I'd the bigger costs, use the oem lemford units, they seem to work fine. I think I got a couple if housing blasted and galvanised in my last batch, easy enough just to paint though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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