dear dear, pits on my balls

[newhue]

fellow enthusiasts,

I have discovered pitting on the ball ends, perhaps up to .5 to 1mm in depth.

I am re kitting the Swivel pin and all the front seals to hopefully stop all the leaks, and what looks like grease into the brake drums.

Is this worth replacing the ball ends as well? Rang Four Wheel Drives as they were advertised at 180 a side, which doesn't excite me. However they said they are now $360 per side because the mob who re-chrome them don't like one offs anymore.

Anyone have any alternatives, second handers, or know of places else where who would refurbish them around SE queensland. Would S2 fit, or just as likely pitted as will.

thanks

[chazza]

From what I hear, the re-chromed ones sometimes arrive as a weird shape and leak anyway.

I de-rusted mine in molasses solution and then I filled the pits with epoxy filler - the chap who put me on to it says that his had lasted for about 3 years with araldite in the pits,

Cheers Charlie

[Grumbles]

Chazza is on the money here I think. I recall reading years ago in the UK Land Rover Owner magazine about the poms having this problem - lots of salt on their roads. Rather than replace they cleaned, filled and then sanded them back to smooth. I don't recall this repair having a limited life and my Alzheimers is working well this morning and I can't recall what that filler was that they used. Sorry about that.

[Johnno1969]

[QUOTE=Grumbles;1563592]Chazza is on the money here I think. I recall reading years ago in the UK Land Rover Owner magazine about the poms having this problem - lots of salt on their roads. Rather than replace they cleaned, filled and then sanded them back to smooth. I don't recall this repair having a limited life and my Alzheimers is working well this morning and I can't recall what that filler was that they used. Sorry about that.[/QUOTE

I remember articles like that....may even be able to find them. I think they were using two-pack epoxy of some sort.

[chazza]

Quik Steel is the one I used but there seems to be heaps of varieties in the shops. The critical thing is to totally eliminate the rust first,

Cheers Charlie

[gromit]

My Series 1 had just 2 or 3 deep pits in the swivel housings. I derusted and used a liquid metal epoxy in the pits. Careful scraping and sanding gave a smooth surface for the seal.
No problems to date.

Colin

[newhue]

Thanks all, the metal epoxy sounds easy enough to do in house and a hole lot cheaper. :)

[clubagreenie]

It's not the chroming that's the issue so much as the re-ginding. If you look for a hydraulic piston rechroming shop they will specialise in hard chroming. I had to find someone to re-chrome steering box shafts many a year ago and they were ok as they were just straight and could be ground as a staight shaft.

The balls being curved and also offset are a cow to setup on center and grind. I had them done. I only had a set done once, we filled the pits as described then whetstone it smooth and chromed a thick (for chroming) layer that pretty much self levels.

[hodgo]

I have used this company (open sight below) in Adelaide to rechrome a couple of sets of swivel hubs in the past 12 months they do a good job and know how to surface grind them correctly they even show a picture of a landrover swivel hub in there advert
Poverty, our lastest project got done with knead it as time and budget did not allow us to send them away

Hodgo
Hardchrome Services (http://www.hardchromeservices.com.au/)

[Timj]

Hi Jason,

The swivel balls didn't change from 1954 (start of 86") through to the end of series 3. They may even have been the same in early defenders though I am not certain about that. The only difference between the ones in the 80" and the later ones was the internal dimensions and came about with the change from Tracta joints to universal joints. Externally they are identical still. From the Uk it is possible to buy brand new ones from as low as 69 pounds plus freight. They are Britpart from Paddocks but quality should be as good as an epoxy repair I would think. Other suppliers have very similar prices. Prices here in Oz for new ones go as high as $290 which is kinda ridiculous.

TimJ.

[fc110]

The swivel balls didn't change from 1954 (start of 86") through to the end of series 3.
TimJ.
In fact, initially to accomodate the breakages that started to occur on Forward Controls because of the weight, there were changes from mid-60s. First attempt was a very small machining change to the radius of the flange corner, then later there were improved grades of steel used. I think by Series 3 LWB there were no more changes. Yes, for bonneted LRs they are interchangeable, but no way on earth would I use a 54 version on a FC. The best practice is that you can use later ones on an earlier LR, but not use early on later, because of gradually increasing weights. They do break, although I admit never seen a catasrophic failure, just hairline cracks. I explained the steel grade changes in an earlier post in the Forward control threads.

[Timj]

Hi fc110,

Sorry, I have not read your posts in the forward control section. It is always interesting to find out those sorts of differences, I had thought the only difference was internal dimensions on the joint change since the part number did not change after that. It probably doesn't really effect Newhue though since he has a 1958 bonneted control that should not have the weight issues of a FC (at least if he doesn't overload it :)).

TimJ.

[dandlandyman]

I seem to recall one of the UK parts mobs were selling rebuild kits (complete with swivel balls, bearings, shims, seals, etc) for about 80GBP a while back. Worth a look, I reckon, especially at the 4wds price. Is it just me, or does Four Wheel Drives seem to be distancing itself from Series more and more recently? And from quality parts?

Dan.
69 2A 88" pet4(in disguise), 68 2B FC pet6 (resting quietly), plus others and more coming.

[newhue]

Had a go with the liquid metal, and for me, haven't had a great deal of success. Ordered a set of chrome swivel ends out of Paddocks.
Also received a box of goodies from Four Wheel Drives, I will be replacing sump and side gaskets this weekend instead of putting the diff back together.

Will pay a bit more attention to the UK shops next time, even the small things add up. A brake drum grub screw 21cAU from the UK, but $1.65AU at home

[The ho har's]

Glad you got your balls sorted out:angel:

Yes The old dart is very competitive on parts;)

See you at the meeting on Thursday:)

Mrs hh:angel:

[clubagreenie]

At least it's better than balls in your pits...

[rover-56]

Found this thread a bit late, but anyway, in the '70s when I was rebuilding the S1 I had the chrome stripped at a chrome platers (Free because they get to keep the chrome) then filled the pits with silver brazing rod, filed smooth by hand, then had them re hardchromed. (paid to have my chrome replaced:))
They are still in there now, no pits, no leaks.

Terry