Front upper & rear control arms

[PeterOZ]

who has tackled the front upper control arms and also the rears top & bottom?

What issues did you run into, what specialist tools?

I'm thinking:

- air hammer
- ball joint sperator but which type?
- gas torch - one of those yellow ones from bunning should suffice?

- sockets sets and torque wrenches etc
- bloody big hammer! :bangin:

What else?

[shanegtr]

I've done all my arms, never needed an air hammer or gas torch for any of them. You can get away with a decent hammer instead of the ball joint seperater - I good couple of whacks in the right sport and they seperate easy enough.

You may also require a IID tool or similar to readjust the suspension calibration afterwards - on the occasions that I've needed to remove the height sensor rods from the arms it hasnt selttled in the correct position so a quick recal has been in needed

[PerthDisco]

Plenty of write ups on Disco3.co.uk

[Eric SDV6SE]

No, I havent. What are the issues you are having?

Ive only had the lower fronts replaced at the dealer at about 150,000kms when the 'knock' appeared under braking or acceleration - bushes in the lowers flogged out

No other issues since then, not even a wheel alignment required.

Replaced front and rear sway bar bushes with Supa-Pro poly and added adjustable linkages on the rear - makes a bit of a difference when towing.

[PeterOZ]

2007 build D3, 240,000km. LCAs have been replaced 3 times from memory but all others are still original.

I did replace sway bar bushes and trailing links last christmas. Thinking all the other control arm bushes and ball joints would be getting a bit tired after 11 years.

How often do steering racks need to be done? Loaded question I know.

[PerthDisco]

Funny video

Brilliant info on rear arms.

Park brake rebuild how-to at the end.

YouTube (https://youtu.be/toU_Tx2hmy8)

[vbrab]

2007 build D3, 240,000km. LCAs have been replaced 3 times from memory but all others are still original.

I did replace sway bar bushes and trailing links last christmas. Thinking all the other control arm bushes and ball joints would be getting a bit tired after 11 years.

How often do steering racks need to be done? Loaded question I know.


I managed to get 300k out of mine, then they just put in a full new rack, but that was mostly on bitumen and very little off road, if that is a starting point.

[DazzaTD5]

Funny video

Brilliant info on rear arms.

Park brake rebuild how-to at the end.

YouTube (https://youtu.be/toU_Tx2hmy8)

I had to stop watching it, thats the land of hell when mechanical repairs to undo a nut and bolt require a power saw. [tonguewink][tonguewink]

[PerthDisco]

I had to stop watching it, thats the land of hell when mechanical repairs to undo a nut and bolt require a power saw. [tonguewink][tonguewink]

It certainly incorporates every bit of DIY pain you can expect. Frozen parts, accidental breakage, broken tools, missing tools. The corrosion related issues just don’t happen in Australia unless you drive on the beach every day.

He just about puts the car on its side at the end when he drives up that embakement.

[DiscoJeffster]

Yep the salted roads are a killer to vehicle undersides over there

[PeterOZ]

I had to stop watching it, thats the land of hell when mechanical repairs to undo a nut and bolt require a power saw. [tonguewink][tonguewink]


could not undo the nut because he was tunring it backwards, wonders why he broke the tool.
[biggrin]

[Odysseyman]

No, I havent. What are the issues you are having?

Ive only had the lower fronts replaced at the dealer at about 150,000kms when the 'knock' appeared under braking or acceleration - bushes in the lowers flogged out

No other issues since then, not even a wheel alignment required.

Replaced front and rear sway bar bushes with Supa-Pro poly and added adjustable linkages on the rear - makes a bit of a difference when towing.

Hi Eric

can you say exactly what difference the adjustable linkages make please.

David

[Eric SDV6SE]

Hi Eric

can you say exactly what difference the adjustable linkages make please.

David

For me it stiffened up the rear and reduced body roll, I found when towing our Jayco Outback poptop fully loaded it tracked better.

I only wound them in 10mm shorter than the standard non adjustable, haven’t noticed any adverse tyre wear. No issues with ride height either.

The Superpro poly bushes also got rid of the “clunk” under braking and acceleration, (and yes, before you ask, I’ve replaced the front lower wishbones with upgraded ones, so I know it wasn’t them) the oem rubber sway bar bushes were pretty flogged after 180,000 kms.

Easy to fit too.

[PerthDisco]

Another handy video with UK rust galore and use of powered cutting tools.

Don’t know about the parts but they make a great video.

YouTube (https://youtu.be/pDzSj70As5E)

[haydent]

Yep the salted roads are a killer to vehicle undersides over there

Ah ! Id always been so shocked to see videos of overseas people fixing their d3/4 and the conditions of their underside looks like 4 times the age of the actual car... nothing like what ours look like.

Do you think you could press out/in a rear with a 6 or 12 Ton press ? (assuming its not unusually stuck)

[loanrangie]

Ah ! Id always been so shocked to see videos of overseas people fixing their d3/4 and the conditions of their underside looks like 4 times the age of the actual car... nothing like what ours look like.

Do you think you could press out/in a rear with a 6 or 12 Ton press ? (assuming its not unusually stuck)

The shape of the arms makes it hard to set up in a press, id go 12+ if you are buying a press.

[Tombie]

Ah ! Id always been so shocked to see videos of overseas people fixing their d3/4 and the conditions of their underside looks like 4 times the age of the actual car... nothing like what ours look like.

Do you think you could press out/in a rear with a 6 or 12 Ton press ? (assuming its not unusually stuck)

Yes, 10+ tonne woiuld be the go.

You'll need mandrels to ensure you dont damage the bushes fitting them.

[Tins]

It certainly incorporates every bit of DIY pain you can expect. Frozen parts, accidental breakage, broken tools, missing tools. The corrosion related issues just don’t happen in Australia unless you drive on the beach every day.

He just about puts the car on its side at the end when he drives up that embakement.

Going by the first 30 seconds you'd think that everything would be as loose as...

[josh.huber]

You have to modify the press a little, the normal bed is too wide to accept the arm. I'll send photos of what I did to get it done

[haydent]

Yes, 10+ tonne woiuld be the go.

You'll need mandrels to ensure you dont damage the bushes fitting them.

So I ended up doing it at a neighbours who just got a new 20T, with a gauge , so 12T would have been fine.

The biggest trouble was finding things to push the parts in and out. In hind sight I wish id not bothered replacing the ball joints in the upper/knuckle as they were fine, and it was just the bush that was squeaking.

We had the most trouble with the upper rear ball joint as you have to press it in past the rim of the arm and it has a rubber boot, where as the other 2 joints that operate the arm are flush.

I ended up grinding out the inside of the old balljoint casing and using that, but if i did it again id source a set of 'rings/collars'.

The other big slow down I had was the upper rear balljoint bolt, OMG how does anyone get on this .... not sure if just a l320 thing or not, but i had to grind down a 21mm socket both ends by about 7-10mm to get my torque wrench on there, and then when you are doing it up, to 275nm, you need the arm/knuckle at the right hight (not all way down) so you have bugger all swing room, struggling to get one click....

One little trick, its possible to get the upper arm off without disconnecting the brake callipers, so you dont have the hassle of bleeding. Just use a dremel to carefully cut a slot in the 2 mount brackets that have the 'horse shoe' clips (one clips removed and large block retracted), just wide enough as the metal brake line, and then they can slide out. As the block the clips attaches to is wider than the metal brake line it can slide out, and the clips hold the block in place still. should have come like this from factory.

[Tombie]

So I ended up doing it at a neighbours who just got a new 20T, with a gauge , so 12T would have been fine.

The biggest trouble was finding things to push the parts in and out. In hind sight I wish id not bothered replacing the ball joints in the upper/knuckle as they were fine, and it was just the bush that was squeaking.

We had the most trouble with the upper rear ball joint as you have to press it in past the rim of the arm and it has a rubber boot, where as the other 2 joints that operate the arm are flush.

I ended up grinding out the inside of the old balljoint casing and using that, but if i did it again id source a set of 'rings/collars'.

The other big slow down I had was the upper rear balljoint bolt, OMG how does anyone get on this .... not sure if just a l320 thing or not, but i had to grind down a 21mm socket both ends by about 7-10mm to get my torque wrench on there, and then when you are doing it up, to 275nm, you need the arm/knuckle at the right hight (not all way down) so you have bugger all swing room, struggling to get one click....

One little trick, its possible to get the upper arm off without disconnecting the brake callipers, so you dont have the hassle of bleeding. Just use a dremel to carefully cut a slot in the 2 mount brackets that have the 'horse shoe' clips (one clips removed and large block retracted), just wide enough as the metal brake line, and then they can slide out. As the block the clips attaches to is wider than the metal brake line it can slide out, and the clips hold the block in place still. should have come like this from factory.

I thought the same until I came across a fellow who had done exactly the same.

On corrugations being attached to a moveable arm, the pipe had worked free, was being hit with the arm and the line failed.

I just upgraded my brake lines at the same time - by the time rear arms need doing, brake lines should be replaced anyway

[haydent]

I thought the same until I came across a fellow who had done exactly the same.

On corrugations being attached to a moveable arm, the pipe had worked free, was being hit with the arm and the line failed.

I just upgraded my brake lines at the same time - by the time rear arms need doing, brake lines should be replaced anyway

Putting a slot in the bracket does not change ease or not of clip coming off. If the clip comes of the bracket will be banging against the pipe regardless

[Tombie]

Putting a slot in the bracket does not change ease or not of clip coming off. If the clip comes of the bracket will be banging against the pipe regardless

Not coming off, it vibrated/slid/worked its was up and off the top of the bracket, once the pipe was out completely it was damaged.

Looking at my current ones, the unit is in place but has moved to the edge of the metal.


Given LR has always made Brake line mounts slotted, and in this instance chosen not to - I'd say they have had similar experience in testing

[Tins]

I have to ask. Is this a job best done at "body off" time? I don't mean waiting until, I mean doing it preventably. Would having the body off simplify the access issues mentioned?

[Tombie]

I have to ask. Is this a job best done at "body off" time? I don't mean waiting until, I mean doing it preventably. Would having the body off simplify the access issues mentioned?

Heck yes!

I did mine body on, not impossible but took considerably more time.

[Eric SDV6SE]

One little trick, its possible to get the upper arm off without disconnecting the brake callipers, so you dont have the hassle of bleeding. Just use a dremel to carefully cut a slot in the 2 mount brackets that have the 'horse shoe' clips (one clips removed and large block retracted), just wide enough as the metal brake line, and then they can slide out. As the block the clips attaches to is wider than the metal brake line it can slide out, and the clips hold the block in place still. should have come like this from factory.
Not sure I follow....I got my upper arms out without disconnecting any brake lines. Unclipped the hard lines, remove caliper and zip tie it out of the way on the sway bar or similar. No need to crack any lines IIRC.

[Tombie]

Not sure I follow....I got my upper arms out without disconnecting any brake lines. Unclipped the hard lines, remove caliper and zip tie it out of the way on the sway bar or similar. No need to crack any lines IIRC.

Rears [emoji41] hard line goes through a solid mount, no way to slide it out

[haydent]

trying not to continue on that topic as more pressing content/issues in my other points re access to the top bolt, but here
182601

[Eric SDV6SE]

I stand corrected, been a while since I did them, didn't recall doing a brake bleed, but I would have had to now that I see the diagram.