ThreeSheds Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I have decided that the rear axle on the RRC is too corroded and stripping out the Disco donor axle wouln't be worth the effort, so I am going to swap the whole axle. I have undone all of the nuts and bolts - the lower shock nuts, the front radius arm bolts, the top 'A' frame ball joint nut, the brake pipe and the prop shaft but the axle won't drop. It appears to be hanging on the A frame. Any sugestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean f Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 You say you have removed the A frame ball joint nut but have you actually split the ball joint off the axle?. They are like an overgrown track rod end, you are unlikely to get a ball joint splitter big enought to work. A sharp blow with a BIG hammer on the saddle on the axle should free it but they are often very tight and access can be an issue, I normally use a 9lb sledge hammer nothing else usually does the job. The other way is to remove the two bolts holding the ball joint onto the two arms and drop the lot with the ball joint still on the axle then get it free once it is off the vehicle as you can get a much better swing at it then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clbarclay Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 As sean said the tper of the ball joint sticks inside the axle bracket. I find prying the joint apart while hitting is more effective at freeing the taper than just hitting, but it's idelly a 2 person job to pry and hit. Also leave the nut on loose while doing this so that it can't just fly apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Many thanks for the replies - I had never imagined from the look of it that it was on a taper. Hammering it looks awkward but removing the two through bolts may be even more difficult since I would then have to take the Boge unit off and I tried that once before - not easy.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Support the axle on axle stands. Put a bottle / trolley jack under the nose of the diff. Play with the height of the jack whilst systematically hammering the casting which the ball joint sits in. When you get the height right, the taper will line up and with a bit of persuasion it will come apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 Put a bottle / trolley jack under the nose of the diff. Aaaaaahhh! [Homer style] Light goes on! [/Homer style] Cheers! I will give it a shot tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 Well I spent the odd happy half hour this week clobbering the ball mount with the biggest hammer I had - perhaps a little surprisingly for someone who has been working on his RRC for three years - a 11/2lb ball-peen jobbie I have had for thirty years, and I have got nowhere. This morning I decided to go and buy the correct tool for the job - Land Rover Special Tool #1 - a 4lb lump hammer Four whacks and it's cracked. Brilliant! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Well I spent the odd happy half hour this week clobbering the ball mount with the biggest hammer I had - perhaps a little surprisingly for someone who has been working on his RRC for three years - a 11/2lb ball-peen jobbie I have had for thirty years, and I have got nowhere. This morning I decided to go and buy the correct tool for the job - Land Rover Special Tool #1 - a 4lb lump hammer Four whacks and it's cracked. Brilliant! :) May I sugest you but Special Tool #2, a 16lb sledge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 May I sugest you but Special Tool #2, a 16lb sledge! In the days of Red Robbo, a standard production tool used to set door gaps was a piece of wood. It is used in the door jamb, shut door onto wood, bingo door fits. Known as a Coventry screwdriver!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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