Thread: Re-fitting Defender front radius arms. Help!

Ok i have now managed to get all radius arm bolts in a torqued up after removing the panhard rod. I was unable to get the panhard rod back on as one of the bushes got mangled in my earlier efforts. Fortunately I have new bushes. I am also unable to get the tie rod back on as the right side ball joint thread is a tight in a spot so the whole shaft is rotating. Will have a go with a wire brush and a small diamond or flat file. There is no torque value for the tie rod ends in the Land Rover manual.

Sounds like a job for the "ultimate tool"

Shifter/hammer/podger bar combo

40Nm for the tie rods. + what ever it needs to get the split pin in.

The panhard rod will go in easier if you put the wheels back on and drop the vehicle back on the ground.

Thanks all for your insight and advice.

Job done now and all good. I did put the wheels back on and lower it, I guess it made it easier but still was an effort requiring quite a bit of leveraging with a tyre lever and 500 mm length of gal pipe to move everything about an inch to the left so the bolt/hole would line up . I am not overly tall and could just reach the left side bolt while pulling on the lever mechanism like an oarsman with my bum sliding on the grass.

Might enjoy driving it for a while before attacking the A frame ball join and the rear bushes as they aren't too bad yet.

A bit of an update, took it for a drive yesterday and again this morning. All seemed fine, in fact a little tighter than before replacing all the bushes which i guess this is the idea.

However this afternoon went for another drive around the same roads, mixture of gravel and sealed has now developed the death wobbles at around 85-90.

Checked everything when i got home and all seems fine. Any clues?

If it just started, maybe panhard rod bushes, check with pry bar.
Could be swivel preloads, wheel balance.

Originally Posted by fitzy

If it just started, maybe panhard rod bushes, check with pry bar.
Could be swivel preloads, wheel balance.

Hi Fitzy

Yeah just started, new bushes in panhard rod, and radius arms, all torqued per manual. Wheels not rotated, nothing else changed.

Take the wheels back off and then refit them. Could be a bit something that is not allowing them seat.


Could be the swivel bearing preload. May have been masked by worn bushes.
Leaky swivel ball seals is a telltale sign of poor preload.
With the steering arms disconnected, there should be resistance when turning the swivels by hand.
If they flopped back by themselves then preload needs doing.