Discovery drop-arms and steering dampers

[Turbocharger]

I'm sick and tired of doing the ball joint on the drop arm every six months. I did it again when I fitted the solid steering bars and the swan neck didn't screw in far enough to make the drop arm point straight when the wheels are straight ahead:

Presumably if I go and buy a Disco drop arm, I can just screw a normal trackrod end into the steering bar? Any clue how much the drop arms are? Since this'll leave the damper hanging, does anyone do a clamp kit to keep it mounted at the front?

[BogMonster]

I have a vague notion that a Disco one won't fit for some reason (does it hit the front x-member maybe??) not sure? If it will go on, then yes you can use the normal ball joints.

There are kits to fit the damper onto a Disco at the front, I am not sure who makes them but I seem to think Kev Baldwin might have fitted one to his Disco as part of the mods featured in LRW? seen something about them somewhere anyway. Wouldn't be hard to make with a couple of U bolts the right size and a few bits of metal anyway.

[SteveG]

I'm sick and tired of doing the ball joint on the drop arm every six months. I did it again when I fitted the solid steering bars and the swan neck didn't screw in far enough to make the drop arm point straight when the wheels are straight ahead:

Presumably if I go and buy a Disco drop arm, I can just screw a normal trackrod end into the steering bar? Any clue how much the drop arms are? Since this'll leave the damper hanging, does anyone do a clamp kit to keep it mounted at the front?

4allfours do a kit for moving the damper position on a Disco. So I should think you could use the bracket in this kit to secure your damper. ..

Discovery to Defender position kit

A kit that allows the Discovery steering damper to be moved from behind the front axle up to the Defender position away from the knocks of off roading. We supply a special gooved drag link bar with a bracket to fit it. A plate to mount to the chassis, swop the damper to this position, also in the kit is a new full length track rod bar, lock nuts and all bolts required. For Discovery I not Series II

http://www.4allfours.co.uk

Click on Sumo bars on left on go down the page.

Cheers

Steve

[Matt Neale]

I'm sick and tired of doing the ball joint on the drop arm every six months. I did it again when I fitted the solid steering bars and the swan neck didn't screw in far enough to make the drop arm point straight when the wheels are straight ahead:

Presumably if I go and buy a Disco drop arm, I can just screw a normal trackrod end into the steering bar? Any clue how much the drop arms are? Since this'll leave the damper hanging, does anyone do a clamp kit to keep it mounted at the front?

Jon, (aka Mini-Dave)

QT also do a bracket which clamps onto the heavy duty drag link - can't tell you the price but Bish has one on the Rangie.

As an aside, you said that the swan neck didn't screw in far enough to set the adjutsment of the droparm.... you no doubt checked, but how much thread was left on the other end of the drag link - ie did you adjust the other TRE too?

If you don't want to go to the expense of replacing the drop arm etc, why not do what I did and fit a grease nipple on the base plate of the standard Defender drop arm kit? Simple to do - all esp if you're fitting another drop arm balljoint anyway...

Matt

[Turbocharger]

Yes, the axle-end TRE is screwed right in - it's bottomed out at the swan-neck and you can see there's still plenty of thread exposed - coincidentally enough to nearly meet the drop arm! Has anyone fitted a Disco drop arm to a Ninety?

I want to use a normal TRE because they last much, much longer than the other type, with or without grease nipples. The rubber gaiter comes adrift very easily on mine and then it's 2 months to notchy steering...

Wouldn't be hard to make with a couple of U bolts the right size and a few bits of metal anyway.

It would when you've only got a powerdrill and a space at the side of the road... Of course, if the "kit" comes in at £60+VAT then I'll charge the battery... Thanks for the leads though, I'll make a few phone calls tomorrow.

[robhybrid]

Presumably if I go and buy a Disco drop arm, I can just screw a normal trackrod end into the steering bar? Any clue how much the drop arms are? Since this'll leave the damper hanging, does anyone do a clamp kit to keep it mounted at the front?

Gwyn Lewis does a clamp kit that fits onto the stronger replacement front disco bar.

(intended for moving disco damper up to the front rather than behind the axle)

[Kev Baldwin]

4allfours do a kit for moving the damper position on a Disco. So I should think you could use the bracket in this kit to secure your damper. ..

Discovery to Defender position kit

A kit that allows the Discovery steering damper to be moved from behind the front axle up to the Defender position away from the knocks of off roading. We supply a special gooved drag link bar with a bracket to fit it. A plate to mount to the chassis, swop the damper to this position, also in the kit is a new full length track rod bar, lock nuts and all bolts required. For Discovery I not Series II

http://www.4allfours.co.uk

Click on Sumo bars on left on go down the page.

Cheers

Steve

Unless they've improved the design of the 4allfours relocation kit i bought a couple of years ago, I recommend you leave well alone. It's poorly made and badly designed. I went it for it because it worked with the oversized Sumo Bars I'd fitted. The main problem stems from the fact the bracket that clamps to the Sumo drag-link doesn't align correctly with the chassis bracket. This means the bushes and the studs on the ends of the damper are permanently stressed. In my case, within a couple of weeks of installing the kit, this lead to one of the studs breaking off the end of a brand new OME damper; something that D4x4 told me was unheard of. Luckily, D4x4 were good enough to replace the busted damper.

I changed it for a Defender type with a stud and an eye and welded two tabs onto the drag-link to take the eye end of the new damper. Two years later, it's been no problem.

QT sells Sumo Bars so worth checking to see whether its the 4allfours kit. If it is, don't bother.

Never seen the Gwyn Lewis version, so can't comment.

Kev

[freeagent]

i know it won't help your cause but i can strongly recommmend to anyone else that putting a grease nipple in the bottom plate of your drop arm ball joint is a good idea, and works a treat.

[GBMUD]

I want to use a normal TRE because they last much, much longer than the other type, with or without grease nipples. The rubber gaiter comes adrift very easily on mine and then it's 2 months to notchy steering...

John

You know I am as careful with money as a student but I have one top tip for you. I used to be like you, buying the cheapest drop-arm ball joint kit available and then being suprised when the rubber stayed on for a week. Then, a few months ago, sick of poor quality tat, I bought a genuine one - it cost me nearly £20 IIRC - struggled like buggery removing the old seat from the drop arm (but that is a whole 'nother story), and fitted the genuine article. I was amazed at how well the rubber fitted initially and I am constantly amazed, every time I look at it, to see there is no sign of it coming off.

I know it is a cheap and easy alternative but it might be worth a try before changing yours. You can get the thread tapped all the way into your drag link thereby solving the problem there.

Chris

[freeagent]

i'll agree with Chris on that one, fitted a genuine part drop arm kit to a mates 110 recently, quality was worlds apart from the britpart ones i buy........

[Turbocharger]

I hear what you're saying Chris, but this one is a genuine kit after exactly that train of thought

Tapping the bar did appeal, but a call to QT confirms that their kit is £12+VAT and fits the Defender-type damper. I'll check on the design and report back... Now I just need a cheap (ie not £55) drop arm!

JB