Replacing the suspension A frame ball joint - The Fine Art of Land Rover Maintenance

Please note. Torque setting for the ball joint to axle mounting is 176Nm . At the time of video release we didn't have the data.
For this operation, it is advisable to use a workshop press.
Best tool tool for press is here on Ebay www.ebay.co.uk/...

[@trailerfitter2]

Ball joint press-fitting tool here www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Defender-Discovery-Range-Rover-rear-A-frame-ball-joint-fitting-tool/292079373599

[@Jin-Ro]

Seems you cant get them any more :(

[@lror]

One of the best Landy channels on the tube. Thanks Chris 👍

[@trailerfitter2]

Oh, thank you. Means a lot.

[@PeterWalkeronGoogle]

I can't say how grateful I am to have seen this. I've spent hours over the last two days swearing at an immovable ball joint! I simply hadn't thought you could cut the shoulders off the flanges!

[@trailerfitter2]

+Peter Walker Glad it was of help.

[@gilbertcharletty8008]

Je fais le même travail sur le 300 tdi , mais il est équipé d'un amortisseur central avec bonbons azote, le tout assemblé sur la traverse supérieure, 😡 ce qui nécessite le démontage de l'ensemble en ayant coupé les boulons des bras de triangle.. Un vrai kado🤔

[@jonatday]

I think your videos are excellent thanks, I have lost count of how many of those ball joints I have changed and I have never had to take out the 4 bolts on that mounting plate (the least you take off the better in my book) I just jack the vehicle up an inch under the A Frame itself in front of and close to the diff to apply about a tonne of upwards force on the ball joint, with the castlated nut unscrewed so it's flush or slightly proud of the ball joint thread hit it hard (the nut) upwatdswith a lump hammer, using a short drift if nessecary and it you get a good hit it will go bang and drop an inch, keep the wheels just off the ground an inch, can't drop on you, no axle stands to fall off or sink into the ground, sorted. Hope that helps someone, all about teaching eachother, that's why you videos are cool, cheers (ps remember the 2 M8 bolts are just a secondary fixing, the splines hold it together, so don't sand them off when cleaning them) 😊

[@matthewharris4966]

I would be screwed without your videos. Here in Australia defenders are not common at all. Yep it's the reverse of how common defenders are in the U.K. Thanks heaps. I've replaced most of my 1995 110 suspension and Bushes at home with basic tools & a cheap FeeGay press. A frame tomorrow & pitman arm joint next, only because i don't have the pitman arm puller tool yet. Total cost so far including buying the press is under $400aud. The shop quote(pedders) was $1328.

[@Auxinelectro]

hi there any chance of the details for the tool to use to press the ball joint back in please, the ebay "sean" or "shawn" lol

[@plumbc007]

Also the size of the nut is 30mm on later models of d1

[@chrismeagher7237]

Hi good video, but i would not recommend removing the ball joint mount plate from the diff, my Td5 has 4 special nuts with non-hex heads, and IMHO, never meant to be removed. I was easily able to fit a 30mm socket onto the ball joint castle nut, you just need a bar or pivoting handle with a compact end. It may take some force to crack it. Once the nut is off, an effective way to get the ball joint out is to use a wedge fork tool, the type that are specially made for this task. A worthwhile investment, I have 2 sizes, the smallone does the front suspension ball joints.

[@red90rover98]

They are 12 point heads. You use a 12 point socket or a closed end spanner.

[@mohammadnoormauludadnan1847]

That's for Salisbury axle, for Rover axle..... good luck to remove 30mm crown/castle nut split pin down there.

[@s1914]

Superb vid. I soaked mine daily in plusgas for a period of three weeks and it reluctantly came out with an almighty bang at an indicated 15 tonnes of pressure - the absolute limit of what my press would do. Overall an unpleasant job and I would recommend anyone who is at all unsure to get a pro garage to replace the balljoint.

[@trailerfitter2]

putting pressure on it then give it a few taps with a hammer helps sometimes to free off the taper.

[@mjallenuk]

That one was easy on your press... They often go off like a bloody cannon! Top job fella :o)

[@trailerfitter2]

thanks, yeah our 100 tonne press at work gets bigger noise jobs to do like that.

[@trailerfitter2]

of course....

[@mjallenuk]

of course your off course?

[@trailerfitter2]

Que?

[@patrickjobling8676]

Good stuff .. no good tryin to explain stuff to the Americans .. they drive on the wrong side of the road and on the wtrong side of the veeehickle... and there going the wrong way .. strooth ..😂🤣😂pip pips and carryon

[@markcollins8326]

Just did this a nightmare - everything rusted together - bolt heads rusted away.......

[@thomasperks8640]

I followed the video to change the upper link ball joint on my 1991 defender 90. Unfortunately it didn't go as easily as you showed in your video. 1 The ball joint wasn't secured to the top of the rear axle by a mounting plate secured by 4 bolts. In fact the taper was secured by the castellated nut to the mount which was an integral part of the axle so I had to remove this nut in situ and a good blow with a lump hammer didn't free the taper. It took the application of a good deal of heat and a hefty blow with a 4lb lump hammer to shift it. 2 After removing the unit from the vehicle and following your advice of sawing off the two lugs I then tried to press the ball joint from the mount, again my 10 ton press didn't shift it. Once more had to resort to the oxy-acetylene. This time it popped out with the expected bang. Just hope the assembly doesn't take the same brute force

[@markusw484]

I have big problems to loosen the 4 bolts and I am almost desperate. It's a Tdi built in 98. Does anyone have an idea or hint? Regards Markus

[@bencanham1727]

brilliant video I'm going to do mine on my Discover 1 300tdi, but it had a different set up to this one its got a nice bracket where the ball joint is that you can't fit a socket in, have you had any experience with this ? I've tried undoing it but its Tighter than a nuns ......you get the point i think I'm just going to heat the nut up and probably cut it out with the oxy

[@Nick-xc4fy]

Is this process the same for all land rovers with an A frame ball joint?

[@dariuszrad2661]

Chris, you have very good movies explaining how to greet at college.

[@TheOriginalbarmyboy]

@1:30... what do i do if the mount that the ball joint is in is welded to the axle? '96 defender 🤣

[@plumbc007]

Chris ---- not all of the axels have that plate - so u are forced to undue the split pin nut in situ

[@romanrob]

Great vid, until you mentioned poly bushes, and I had palpitations

[@TdrSld]

lol stop looking at the bush and look at the rust lol

[@trailerfitter2]

lol Rust? la la la can't hear you!!

[@TdrSld]

lol

[@trailerfitter2]

lol

[@JMckay97]

Land Rover Toolbox

[@JMckay97]

Land Rover

[@Nick-xc4fy]

Also sorry another question, is there a way to change this without a press? Using a vice, hammer, or bottle jack with some weights?

[@TheTomco11]

I know this is far too late but for anyone else looking you can now buy the whole assembly so you don't have to press the joint out/in

[@wonkeyleggs]

would it be a 1 1/8 AF socket for the castlated nut?

[@aussiefirestorm]

Excellent instructional video.

[@frankie1956]

Upper link balljoint nut 176 Nm 130 lbs ft hope that helps

[@trailerfitter2]

Thank you . i did find it later on however, it is good folk are listening.

[@rdalmoro923]

very helpful!

[@spillingvoid1]

Good vid but for us in the U.S. market the rear upper link bracket is welded to the rear axle, at least on my '98 D1, so you have to remove the entire link to get to that upper ball joint. You're going to have to lift the truck up by the frame until you can get a box end wrench on it and then use a second box end wrench as a kinda breaker bar, I used a 1 3/16" as my collection of metric box ends stops at 24 mm, then take off bolts holding link to frame and tighten all the 130 ft lbs/ 176 newtons when putting it back together.

[@stihl334]

Would this cause nasty vibrations at 62 65 miles an hour

[@trailerfitter2]

no it wouldn't ,...more a clunk at the rear end if worn. Vibrations are either wheels, steering or suspension related on the front