Swivel types?

[Pastycrimper]

Hi,

Will be tackling my MOT as soon as I get ashore. I've noted that my RH swivel is leaking. Receipts I have from the previous owner show that the LH swivel was replaced. I notice that the two sides are different, the RH having a drain plug and the LH not.

A bit of research reveals that at some time the swivel kit was changed from a "fillable and drainable ep90" type to a "one-shot fillable only" type. I'm thinking I may just replace the RH older type with the newer type. Can anyone advise when this change occurred and what the correct part number is for the newer type? Also what are the general opinions between the two types?

Cheers

[Retroanaconda]

What do you mean by swivel? The chrome ball, the actual swivel housing itself, or the seal around the ball?

There are two types used in Defenders. Vehicles up to KA930455 use the older type which as you quite rightly say uses EP90 and has a drain plug. They have a railko bush in the top pin and a taper roller bearing in the bottom pin. Vehicles from KA930456 onwards use the later setup which has no drain plug and is filled with one-shot grease. These types have a taper roller bearing top and bottom. Other things changed as well, hubs/stubs went from wide to thin, drive members changed, diffs/shafts went to 24 spline, brakes went to discs all round and vented as standard on 110 fronts.

I'd fit the type that your vehicle is designed for, I don't think there is much between them performance wise. I certainly prefer the earlier setup for two reasons; firstly the ability to drain the EP90 when required and secondly it maintains parts-compatibility across my vehicles. That said, for the latter reason you may wish to 'upgrade' your RH one with the newer type to at least give you the same each side again.

I think the later type should give slightly lighter steering, the pre-load you set with the later bearing arrangement is certainly less that the earlier railko bush setup, but there are many other factors on the vehicle which could affect it.

For what it's worth you can mix-and-match between the axle components, so you can have the later swivel arrangement but with the earlier wide hubs or, as I have done on my 110, you can have the earlier swivel setup and later thin hubs/drive members. As long as you use the correct CV joints.

[Pastycrimper]

Thanks! That's a really informative and useful response. Quite honestly I haven't tackled this part of my defender. The last time I played with swivels was with my Dad on his SIII some years ago. What's baffling me is that I have a 1997 (VAxxxxxx) so surely both should be the newer type??!!! For the sake of continuity I'd like the same to be on both sides. I'm guessing other than the drive/hub/shafts differences you mention, the only other difference is the housing. Have the chrome ball and seal changed?

[Retroanaconda]

The ball changed, as there is a different seat machined into the top of it to accept the roller bearing rather than the railko bush. I believe the seal is the same, though not 100% sure. The parts books will reveal all, there are separate pages for early and late styles.

I would make it the same sides if I were in your position, as a 1997 (so presumably a late 300Tdi) yours should have the later type yes

[Pastycrimper]

Thanks. I've just got home and she's gotta go straight into an MOT so I'm sure I'll be dealing with this in the near future.