M&S Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Before I part with my cash tonight (could do with one ASAP I think) I have a couple of quick questions. I'm happy this is the way forward for me as I need a new track rod as the ball joint is well gone (advisory on the MOT but looks immediate to me) and my drag link does have a bend in it. http://www.paddockspares.com/pm023-heavy-duty-steering-rods-for-discovery-2-with-4-ball-joints.html Anyone know the make? Don't fancy them if Britpart. Are they good soild bars or poor quality jobbies? The drag link isn't needed, and money is tight, so does anyone know if you can buy these items seperately from anywhere as I could just do with the track rod for the moment? Also I can't see from the description or advert if the balljoints are replaceable with these (unlike the genuine replacements) in the future. Cheers, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 ball joints are replaceable, secured with lock nuts instead of the clamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks Ralph, so even if they wear out quickly I'll be able to replace them, that's good. Shopping around they are the cheapest out there so think they'll do. Got to be better than the standard ones at any rate, for no more money. Summo sell them seperatley but obviously twice the price. Overkill for my road going/greenlaning D2 I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landy-Novice Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 before you get them for paddocks, 99.5% of what they sell is britpart.. how lucky do you feel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Not very lucky this year to be honest! That's why I was asking,hoped someone might have got them and said they're great, why spend more... I shall phone them in the morning and ask. Saying that if the joints wear out quickly I'd think the bars would at least be ok...I mean a solid bar is a solid bar, right Not ideal, but affordable for the moment and if they last less than 12 months I'll get them changed under warranty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 a solid bar is a solid bar, right Well, it rather depends on what material it is made from, steel comes in many forms. How well are the threads cut? In reality, as you suggest, it will be just fine for what you want to do, even if the ball joints do turn out to be carp. Buy a couple of Lemforder joints too (one each hand) and carry them in the truck as with tougher bars the TRE will shear off first rather than bending the bar which leaves you with no steering. HTH Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Martin. I have a genuine Sumo track rod and a pair of brand new quality TREs here. The track rod was on my old discovery and was fairly well used. It does have as an imperceptible bow (less than 1mm in the centre if you roll it on a flat bench) but really nothing. I can do you a deal including postage for say £35. What type of drag link do you have, longer or shorter (swan neck or disco type?). I may have a good standard one i would stick in for free but no promises without checking the shed first. PM if interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 It's been discussed on here a lot in the past. Yes, they are Britpart but despite that they are actually very good. I've used them on my motor since 2005 and they've been fine, including 2 trips to Australia for the Outback Challenge. The TREs they supply are "variable", I've had some last for a couple of years and others a few months although they'd probably have got through an MOT OK, scrutineers tend to be stricter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi Dave, that's sort of the answer I was looking for, thanks. With what you have said and what Ralph has said about the tre's being changeable I'm going to go for those and be done with. I have a couple of spare right hand ends anyway. LR in their wisdom decided to press the other end in so it's can't be changed, and guess which end wears first Chris, I'll check the threads before fitting, and as you say, for what I want I'm sure the steel will be fine, and I shall carry spares. I don't tend to impact them, as I say, I think the bending is either weighting the vehicle on them or possibly from being stuck in ruts and getting a bit enthusiastic with the steering? OF, I'm going to order the set from Paddocks, thanks. These are for a D2 so both bars are straight but different to the D1 bars that I suspect you have? I could do with replacing the drag link for a HD one as well as that is bent and teh set isn't a bad price. Thanks anyway though. So, that's Monday nights job on order! I might one day afford the snorkel I've always wanted. One day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 im not sure if you know this but i have found this out in the past, with the paddocks d2 hd steering bars, they are quite good, however they use the d2 tre which have a slightly different thread so if you bust a tre you cant easily swap it for one that isnt D2, However if you buy the bars from gwyn lewis (sumo bars) they have the same thread on all the bars so you can use D1/defender tre as you need, i know this from bursting a tre on an event & having to wind a d1 tre into the paddocks bar till it bound up to continue hope this makes sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks Mike, I'll carry a spare D2 end with me so shouldn't be a problem. Well, no more than if I bust a standard D2 bar anyway, in which case the end isn't replaceable at all! Thanks for teh heads-up though, I wasn't aware the threads were different. The only thing I don't like is that they are powder coated rather than zinc coated. They won't look as bling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 have you given gwyn a ring in regards to the sumobars? http://www.gwynlewis4x4.co.uk/page30.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yeah, Paddocks are twice the price of standard bars (but replaceable ends will save me that next time around) and Gwyn is twice the price of Paddocks. I tried my local supplier as well and they can't match Paddocks in this case. I think that I have hit the middle ground for my needs. I know Gwyns will be of higher quality, but I think Paddocks will be high enough quality for my D2. It's not used for comps anymore, just laning and touring. And judging by Dave's usage above it seems they'll cope! I can always fit Gwyns TRE's at a later date as needed as I like the fact that they are greasable. Why LR decided to press the bloody TRE in so you have to replace the complete rod is beyond me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 you wont be able ti fit gwyns tre's as the threads are different in the paddocks bars gwyns bars use the same tre on all of them, the paddocks one uses d2 tre on the d2 bars & normal tre on the d1/def bars, as you are probably aware you can only buy one d2 tre of the shelf as its a changable item, the other end is crimped in, i have no idea what the "other" tre that paddocks supply for the d2 bars comes from, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yeah, I know the long end is pressed in, found out the hard way last year! Hence why I'm going for these now, so I can buy cheaper ends when they fail. Will find out when they get here which TRE they use, but susepct it will be a standard Disco 1/Defender RH thread end, and a D2 LH thread at the other end. Pretty sure it won't be a unique TRE to paddocks for these bars only, that would be a bit stupid on their part. Still, at £6 each I'll be happy to buy them from Paddocks anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I have then, not bent them yet, and are well made, and yes they are Britpart -you can order them with Lemforder joints, which I did, and didn't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks, that has put my mind at rest as well. I was hoping for a few more threads like that before taking the plunge, but needed to get them ordered. They'll be coming with whatever joints they come with this time, money is tight and order is already on way! When they wear I'll look for better quality joint. Don't suppose the Lemforder RH joint had a part number on the packet did they, or is that hoping for a bit much! Cheers for all the info guys, much appreciated. Just another question, do you think the standard rods bend when steering in ruts? Obviously the power steering puts out some force, I'm wondering if I need to be a bit more gentle with my steering! I do let the vehicle steer itself unless stuck or trying to climb out of a rut. I ask becuase the arms look liek they have a gradual arc to them rather than any impact forces, and there are no obvious signs of impact. The drag link may have had the weight of the vehicle sat on it when stuck in deep ruts, but the track rod is high enough on the D2 not to have been weighted/hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robhybrid Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Gwyn sells all parts individually as you need them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Just another question, do you think the standard rods bend when steering in ruts? Obviously the power steering puts out some force, I'm wondering if I need to be a bit more gentle with my steering! I do let the vehicle steer itself unless stuck or trying to climb out of a rut. I ask becuase the arms look liek they have a gradual arc to them rather than any impact forces, and there are no obvious signs of impact. The drag link may have had the weight of the vehicle sat on it when stuck in deep ruts, but the track rod is high enough on the D2 not to have been weighted/hit. The standard ones (both drag link and track bar) can bend due to "forcing" them with the power steering. You should avoid using "excessive" force when trying to turn the wheel against something. With strengthened arms you probably won't bend them in that way but you won't be doing the steering box any favours either so it's still not a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks Dave. Will be a bit more sympathetic with the new arms on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Yes, you don't want this happening to you... At least the Britpart HD drag link is straight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Ouch, still, looks like I have no fears regarding the quality of the drag links! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Well mine have arrived and I must say I'm impressed. They are not Britpart, they come from a company called Atek who are Indian. I've greased them today, checked the nuts (full nuts supplied) up and down the threads, and the threads in the bars, and they are perfect. Powder coat finish is good, although I know it'll not last long anyway! The TRE's are very good as well. Obviously time will tell, but they certainly look and feel very good quality. Friend coming over later so if the weather holds we will have them fitted before closing time Oh, and before anyone knocks them coming from India, remember who owns our steel industry and Land Rover now I'd rather they be Indian than Chinese that's for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 All fitted, easy enough job. Only minor complaint is that there were no washers supplied with teh tre's, so I had to pop out and buy four 12mm washers. Also a minor gripe is that the steering damper bracket is welded on so you can only adjust the rod by one full turn If your wsteering wheel doesn't quite line up you'll need to remove it and reseat it so it's level. With these and the replacement upper and lower ball joints the steering is much improved! Didn't realise how bent the old rods were until I got them on the bench! So, I'd recommend these as a cheaper alternative to the rest, and see no reason the tre's won't last as long as any other, and at £6 for a replacement I'll not loose sleep if they don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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