tweetyduck Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Yet again i'm after your experience.......please I've bought an A frame ball including the housing so i don't need to press it out or in. http://www.gwynlewis4x4.co.uk/page82.html My vehicle is on rear axle stands and chocked on the front wheels. Any tips on swapping the Ball Joint and Housing without the vehicle falling on me???? Any tips advice or what to do or the pit falls would be welcomed. I have no clue what i'm doing...........I'm presuming its a couple of hour job but any experience would be wonderful. Whats needed? Big hammers? Lots of lube? Blowtorch? IT looks like a big job but am i being a big girl ? Thanks Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 It was OK to do on mine - but the bolts can be tough to get out. Partially undo the large ball joint nut and hammer it to release the ball's taper. Loosen the bolts on the housing - then chock the wheels and put a jack under the nose of the diff - to stop the axle coming out of alignment. Then you can remove the old housing. Mine did come out of alignment despite that, but I was able to wriggle the new one in though after making small adjustments with the jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy V8 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 if you can get the split pin out you'll need a 30mm spanner to undo the nut.if you can't,get an angle grinder with a 1mm cutting disc and cut through the nut on an angle.it should come off after a bit.then undo the 2 bolts holding the housing in place then just remove. refit is just a reversal of said procedure. should take you less than half an hour if you get no probs. took me about that time and that was with a change of balljoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Chock the front wheels, loosen the swivel ball nut but keep it on the thread. Jack up the rear axel by putting the actual jack on the 'A' frame mount, you might need some nice thick bits of wood to build up the jack hight etc. - not the axle itself. you don't need to jack it super high, just enough to allow the weight of the rear axle to aid the next step. With the load of the rear axle been taken up on the taper insert of the ball joint, carfully tap (quite hard) the end of the nut/tapper shaft of the ball joint. This is how i got my Salisbury off the ball joint. - be aware it might go with a wee jump - and your jack might fall over when load comes off it. This is done with all your wheels on and not an axle stand in sight so nothing to get squashed by. - does that make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco-Ron Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I would advise NOT to support the weight of the rear of the vehicle on the axle, when you undo the a frame bolts the weight will force the axle to twist somwhat, and the joint will either not come apart, or you'll never get it back together, far better to support the weight on the chassis!!! It should be quite an easy job to be fair, undo the two big nuts/bolts that hold it to the a frame, and remove the plit pin under the axle mount, undo the nut, and it should come off easily, that said, some people struggle getting the castelated nut undone......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I only used the jack to lift the nose of the diff and control the rotation of the axle. The A frame only controls rotation and sideways movement of the axle - so no need to support anything except the rotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm probably going to do this next weekend now. It sounds scary but i understand what your saying. I like the idea of not getting squashed ! I have a trolly jack that gets really high so i can use that on the diff nose. I'll put the wheels back on and mix all your instructions and advice into a plan. I just hope the big nut comes off. I'm not keen on cutting stuff as i usually end up in A&E. (However i do have some plasma disks for the grinder just in case) Thanks a million. A lot happier now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Actually decided to do it today. Loosened the castle nut. Put bottle jack under nose of diff and took the strain. Put trolly jack on A frame mount and jacked the car about 1cm off the floor. I used the leveller mount as the jacking point but not everyone would have that easy jacking point. Wholloped the end of the taper shaft. One large trouser staining bang later the taper was loose and the rest is history. Thanks for the help. Easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrat Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Hi, I did mine this weekend with the same balljoint holder from Gwyn. Managed it on its wheels. I used a 32mm socket and 5ft scaffolding pole on my breaker bar to undo the ball joint nut, then removed the 2 19mm bolts from the A-frame arms and hit the ball joint from below using a limp hammer and socket extension bar. Job done in 2 hrs Hope it helps Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Paul.....Looks like your nut was very tight !!!! Mine was removed using a standard breaker, long socket extension and my thighs laying on my back on the drive. Pushed the breaker bar with my legs. I also used a long socket extension to whack the taper bolt. Took me less than 2 hours but then again i didn't have to resort to 5 foot poles. One of the 19mm bolts was actually only barely done up, lets say 15nm and barely needed the wrench. Hopefully others will search this thread and find the info useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will4x4 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 i just hammer and chisel that nut around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrat Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 I think it should be on everyone's to do list as soon as they take ownership. Its amazing the ill's it cures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 At least on a 110 you can get a socket on that 30mm nut and use a breaker bar on it. On 90/Disco/RRC the mount is slightly different and a socket (or my sockets at least) won't go on so you're limited to a spanner. I have a big Britool 30mm spanner which does the job with some hammering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landrover598 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 On 90/Disco/RRC the mount is slightly different and a socket (or my sockets at least) won't go on so you're limited to a spanner. I have a big Britool 30mm spanner which does the job with some hammering. I had a socket and rattle gun on the ball joint nut on my 90 yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 I had a socket and rattle gun on the ball joint nut on my 90 yesterday. Then you sir, have a slimmer socket than I! My 30mm socket is quite deep, a shorter one or one that slimmed toward the 1/2" drive end, would fit without issue I should think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrat Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Halfords do a nice short impact socket for £9. Rattle gun would not shift mine due to the fact I think it was used as a launch tug for United Utilities and was full of rust. I even came close to taking the carrier off, but chickened out due to the afore mentioned rust threat and getting snapped bolts drilled out in that position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 @ Paul. LMAO....."launch tug"...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Swan head 32mm - (i think) spanner fits... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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