Swivel grease in the axle oil needs a strip down rusty bolts! Part 1

[@Viaticboston]

You always seem to be doing the job I’m about to do! Bloody mind reader as well as a Landy Jedi!!!

[@defendermodsandtravels]

These videos get to the parts the others cannot reach (e.g. Ronnie Dahl and ASPW) :-) Been there, done that but your bolts look particularly tough. One advantage of using Chonky oil seals is that you have to dismantle the hub before it can seize up like this.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Right on

[@Rob-cz7lg]

Nice video to watch Mike as you never know what problems you come up against. That’s why even though you say we have done it before, a lot of jobs are never the same as there’s always something different that is rounded off or seized etc. So I never get bored of watching something even if you have done it several times before.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Thanks 👍

[@davepearce6359]

Satisfying to watch again. Thanks Mike. 👍🏻😊

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@marklong2248]

All very familiar, Mike, after refurbing a front axle for my Disco last year. Nice new extra long 14mm ring spanners(cheap Neilson) & heat on them bolts got them free. This year I am doing a rear axle. Completely forgot the heat & snapped off two stub axle bolts. What a tit! Happy new year.

[@ryanmccollum6754]

Glad you addressed this side as I saw the wrist-slasher split pin on the ball joint from the previous inspection video. Glad you can reinstall the pin properly, so as to not hang up on your sleeve. 🥂Cheers!

[@peterjohnson2245]

Got to agree on the nut bolt idea it was far easier to do the series axle. Then there is that one 'alignment' bolt that has the slightly wider shank that is the tighter fit in the swivel.

[@lionelfalcoz6599]

Thx for ur wonderfull videos, very clear and helpfull

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Glad you like them!

[@666gwp]

Happy New Year Mike 👍🏻, I have the same seized stuff every job but normally manage to scuff a knuckle off or gash my hand at the start of the job then make it even harder to do the job with making tape bandage lol

[@BritannicaRestorations]

We have all been there!

[@garthlee8166]

Brilliant thanks for sharing the insight

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Glad it was helpful!

[@s.hutton2100]

Thanks for posting i was wondering how to remove those flange bolts. Now i know Thanks to Mike. Regards Stephen.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

They can be a bugger to get off!

[@simonrowlands7472]

Happy new year Mike, you have just reminded me my swivels haven't been done in over 10 years but I haven't seen anything wrong , only ever fitted wheel bearing kits , so I will have a look this year, just noticed no vented discs up front , great vid 👍

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Thanks 👍

[@gazzafloss]

Hey Mike, first job for the New Year that's one of those jobs you can sometimes wish you'd never started, you get deeper and deeper into the poop the further you go with it. But I guess it's just all in the game...

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yeap....

[@whitacrebespoke]

I brought a 14mm long box end spanner for undoing these flange bolts

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yes I looked at a Gearwrench that would be ideal, but no stock

[@rdflo6739]

Happy new year Mike! Remember whacking off the nuts on my series 109, now I understand why you prefer the but and bolt setup All that faffing around makes me wonder how field serviceable the defenders really are ....:| I always thought the swivels were a bit over complicated with all the shims and seals and stuff...

[@BritannicaRestorations]

They are a lot more field serviceable than the new Defender! Just need to plan ahead for what tools to bring with you

[@rdflo6739]

@@BritannicaRestorations true, and it's amazing how broken they can be (so long as they are stock) and still get you back to the workshop... I rented the td4 in South Africa once and it went into limp home mode due to some failed sensor in the middle of nowhere...

[@yorkchris10]

You could get seal wear ridges on shaft, but more common for seal To wear?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Never seen the shaft wear

[@yorkchris10]

@@BritannicaRestorations oh yeah, i was thinking rear pinion.m

[@nickboylen6873]

Those bolt extractors like you used on the last stub bolt are fantastic. I got an Irwin set years ago, along with the “expansion set” to have metric and Imperial sizes, and though expensive, they save a lot of effort and injury. They’re essential for people who work on old vehicles. The grease draining out of the swivel was far too thin for 1-shot, which shouldn’t drain much through a bolt hole at all, it should slowly ooze - it was evidently heavily thinned with oil because of the failed seal. Looking forward to the follow up video. Oh, and happy new year!

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Thanks 👍

[@denisscott3073]

Hi Mike 👋 just saying thanks again 👋👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🚌🚌🚌

[@BritannicaRestorations]

No problem 👍

[@mattsmith2051]

Why is it bad for the grease to migrate into diff from swivels? I think my seals have been removed so bearings are oil feed 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@TheSandman614]

That poor little 3/8" impact on those knuckle bolts, struggling for all its got. Happy new year

[@BritannicaRestorations]

That Dewalt is a great tool for light bolts about 10 -12 mm diameter - I have even taken head bolts off with it!

[@craig_chaznibond452]

I had contaminated oil recently on the rear axle of my 200tdi 110CSW. I thought the bearing grease had got into the oil but there isn’t a seal! Apparently they fitted a seal in later versions!

[@hammyh1165]

I have the same problem on my 90 and the axle oil is contaminating the brake drums , I'm currently renovating a 300tdi axle so I have discs and better seals. I also replace all the 12 point bolts with new ones so I don't have to deal with badly corroded one's in the future.

[@waikanaebeach]

Great work… I got to do this on my 2010 110 defender. And the gasket for the diff.. thanks for sharing it

[@BritannicaRestorations]

No problem 👍

[@philrogers1758]

There's a level plug !

[@berndeikers8924]

well done mike. this was awful lot of oil in the diff. and to much for beeing grease from the swivel. and if the retainer was or is leaking- why the oil-grease mixture didnt make it back ifrom the axle into the swivel? could it be water in the oil? but then thecolor of the oil shouldnt be more creamy - very interesting. lets see what is coming up

[@BritannicaRestorations]

It is to do with the orientation of the swivel oil seal - it is made to stop axle oil migrating into the swivel

[@Defender110SLO]

Done that and destroid the ratchet spaner. 😪 Cheers King Mike. 🥃

[@harveysmith100]

I have a feeling, judging by the struggle, you just bolted that axle straight on. Normally if you have been in there in the last ten years they come apart a bit easier than that, especially when you use anti sneeze. Those mini Stilson's look useful, I will have to keep an eye out for some of them

[@BritannicaRestorations]

The original axle was an early V8 one with the mushroom drive flanges on on and old brakes so when a Disco 1 V8 was going to be scrapped I quickly swapped the axles Those mini Stilson's have got me out of quite a few scrapes!

[@harveysmith100]

@@BritannicaRestorations Now it makes sense. It didn't looked like part of your cherished vehicle. I go to a few auto jumbles where you can pick up cheap tools, (family from Yorkshire, say no more.) so I will keep an eye out, I think it is the small size that is a game changer.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Fantastic at getting rounded off brake pipe fittings if you can get them in!

[@deanh3741]

So if the oil is coming out behind the little plastic cap thing then spraying everywhere what does that suggest given I had the whole swivels done with the G suffix pack so branded bearings and seals. Is it a complete rebuild again?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

No - that will be wheel bearing grease = try genuine caps the replacements are too hard and they crack or do not fit tightly

[@husq2100]

I was going to ask if it was a D1 front assembly given the mass dampeners on the bottom of the swivel housing. I haven’t seen those on Defender axles

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yes it was a D1 V8 axle - the original was a early type with the mushroom type flange ends

[@ChibabaDave]

I was just wondering can you recommend an equivalent to the one shot grease used in the swivels please?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

I suppose you could us CV grease - you need 375cc

[@ChibabaDave]

@@BritannicaRestorations cheers mate 😆

[@graham-martin5847]

last time i did this procedure i had to get the angle grinder out as all the flange bolts were rusted to death

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yeap!

[@fionanokelly]

Hi Mike, What exactly is the importance of the shield ring on the stub axle bolts? What is it there for?? When I repaired my front axle (Discovery 1) on one side I forgot to put it back on. What's the purpose of that shield? Thank you!!

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Coming soon - but it is to stop the accumulation of mud etc on the inside of the brake disc

[@fionanokelly]

@@BritannicaRestorations I'm not talking about the mud shield. I mean the shield that goes with the six bolts holding the stub axle in place. Once you took the bearing nuts off, then you took the whole hub and disc out and finaly the six bolts holding the stub axle in place. On those bolts, there is a flat ring like a shield. What's that for?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Yes I know - dirt can build up inside the brake disc/rotor itself - 2nd or 3rd video will explain it all

[@matthewhaddon599]

Glad Mike knows his split pins from his cotter pins unlike Americans !

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Indeed and how to fit them !

[@philrogers1758]

What is the longish square metal block incorporated or attached to the bottom swivel bearing block/retainer, I've seen it on Discos but my 88 RRC doesn't have that ?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

An attempt to stop the 'death wobble' on the discos

[@philrogers1758]

@@BritannicaRestorations Mnn! Do you mean as a counter weight ? death wobble is a caster issue, but true another 88 model Rangie I had was very scary with wobble, all standard no lift, must have been radius arm bushes. I had a shonky home made front leaf spring set up on a Bedford CF when I installed front & rear diffs from a J3000 jeep truck, a pot hole would set it off, the axel had to be tilted back at the top by using a couple of Aussie 5cent pieces under each of the front of the spring pads, as roadside experiment, worked a treat, never wobbled again !

[@billpa22]

Why not filling the swivels with axle oil , just like land rover did on older days?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Because the gear oil foams and creates pressure which does not help the leaks

[@billpa22]

@@BritannicaRestorations there is a point there , but if the inner seal between the axle oil and the swivel grease has failed, then the air pressure on the swivels probably vents through the axle breathers . So my idea is if the swivels are not leaking outside and they just mix inside the with axle oil, then keep with ep 90 oil on swivels too. And if you keep wading or mudding a lot, better drain and refill with fresh oil than dismantle, clean and regrease

[@jackvaughan7577]

How'ya Mike Top of the Morning ta Ya I got a set of those Stud / F**k'd bolt Extractor sets off of You last year, they're great quality and save me destroying my lovely set of 1/2 Brittool sockets, beating them to death onto a stud/nut, I've had em since I started "Serving My Time" (Life Sentence) back in 84' when I was 15 (When Brittool meant, "Made in Britain" Tool, not the Home of the Toyota Corrolla Virus, China) Mike, You're soo entertaining and and Talented, I could listen and watch you doing the silliest of jobs as an Auld Fella up the road use'ta say, "Dat Fella's forgotten more than You'll ever learn" Thanks Mike Jack Vaughan Tipperary Ireland (There's a little package winging it's way to you at the moment)

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Thanks Jack! 👍

[@stevedangerous1]

😂 cant wait MOT in 2 weeks...got leaky balls! Did them 10 years ago...whup de du!

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Oh dear!

[@oriancunningham]

This is what its like to work on cars in the midwest Unites States

[@arbit3r]

Should have pressure washed them swivels before working on them. Hate it when having to work with so much grease buildup on everything.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

then you can force water into the housing - not good

[@arbit3r]

@@BritannicaRestorations should not matter if water gets in if your stripping them down for rebuild anyway. Atleast your not having to fight through years worth of grease and dirt!

[@andrewjjhalliday]

Are you going to have the dismantling tool on the front of the tee shirts and "drink up" on the back 😂

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Probably!