300tdi pitman arm fix?

[Colin]

Has anyone successfully fitted a discovery pitman arm to a defender to do away with the balljoint pressed into the pitman arm?

Seems like a more sensible and easier way to service in the future.

[AK83]

RRC also had the balljoint in the pitman arm.
I replaced mine in the RRC with a disco type with the balljoint in the drag link.

Can't see why you couldn't with a defender.

Obviously you then need the appropriate drag link arm tie rod end.

Defenders have the steering damper mounted onto the front, whereas RRC's and Disco 1's use the track rod mounted damper.

[SSmith]

Did it a few years ago to a friends 200tdi.

IIRC Disco 2 pitman arm & disco 2 drag link - with a moveable bracket to fix the steering damper to the drag link.

Les Richmond auto in Melbourne supplied the parts.

[Dervish]

There are rebuild kits for the Defender setup that are reasonably simple to implement in situ with a little mechanical nous. Given how long the ball joints last (if the boot is regularly inspected and replaced when necessary), surely it isn't worth changing to a worse setup just to save half an hour every 15 years or so?

[Colin]

Thanks for your help everyone!
Worse? I reckon ive replaced the boot on the pitman arm ball joint at least 3 times in the last 8 months. Can you please tell me how the discovery setup is worse?

[SSmith]

There are rebuild kits for the Defender setup that are reasonably simple to implement in situ with a little mechanical nous. Given how long the ball joints last (if the boot is regularly inspected and replaced when necessary), surely it isn't worth changing to a worse setup just to save half an hour every 15 years or so?

We changed the setup because the joints were only getting 3 - 6 months (on stock tyre size) 1 joint didnt even last from Albury to the cape. Possibly a bad batch of joints, I dont know, we tried a few different brands. The disco setup has been going fine ever since.