Bent swivel housing

[Fraz]

Somewhat related to another post of mine, however I thought I would make a new thread in case it can help others

My front left, and maybe right, swivel housing(s) may be bent or something.
Can anyone point me in the right direction to fix this? What do I need to do?

On that note, would anyone have a 52mm hub nut removal tool that I may be able to borrow? Pretty please? Standard fee, of course, is one slab :cool:

Fraz

[discowhite]

how do you figure that they are bent? your photo looks like every other D1,RRC and defender swivell ive ever seen.

cheers phil

[Blknight.aus]

its very rare to bend the actuall ball bit, fracture and destroy yes, bend no.

usually the axle tube will bend or the bearings will give out first.

[Utemad]

Not wanting to deny anyone of a slab but my hub nut tool only cost $11.

[justinc]

Hmm, looks normal to me. That is what they look like, the swivel hsg part is NOT supposed to be parrallel to the axle housing flange. To be certain of camber issues, stand back and take a look at the way the wheels are sitting, should basically look at right angles to the ground when in the straight ahead position.

JC

[Fraz]

To be certain of camber issues, stand back and take a look at the way the wheels are sitting, should basically look at right angles to the ground when in the straight ahead position.

JC
that's exactly the reason for the thread, they are not 90deg... Sorry should have said so. I've tried photos of the front but it won't show it properly on the computer :(
I'll try again though

Where abouts was this $11 Hub tool?

Cheers guys

[Sprint]

havent got a big lift kit in your deefer do you?

[JDNSW]

As Dave has said, it is not likely to be bent swivel housings. It could be one of several possibilities causing the wheels to lean, but the most likely (in rough order) are:

1. Worn swivel bush/bearings

2. Loose wheel bearings (but these usually show brake symptoms if bad enough to see leaning wheels)

3. Bent axle housing.

4. Loose bolts between the axle housing and swivel housing

6. Loose or bent stub axle.

Axle nut spanners are available from any Landrover parts supplier, and as indicated are pretty cheap.

John

[Blknight.aus]

As Dave has said, it is not likely to be bent swivel housings. It could be one of several possibilities causing the wheels to lean, but the most likely (in rough order) are:

1. Worn swivel bush/bearings

2. Loose wheel bearings (but these usually show brake symptoms if bad enough to see leaning wheels)

3. Bent axle housing.

4. Loose bolts between the axle housing and swivel housing

6. Loose or bent stub axle.

Axle nut spanners are available from any Landrover parts supplier, and as indicated are pretty cheap.

John

if there are no other symptoms you can ignore some of those.

Generally speaking

a brake pedal that has a lot of travel increases the odds of it being wheel bearings

if theres no unusual noises when you corner through an S bend at a bit of pace that generally eliminates the swivel bearings, a loose stub axle or the main joint bolts.

no oil leaking out of the mounting flange eliminates the flange bolts.

Id start out by jacking up the font of the vehicle and doing the freeplay checks. If that showed nothing unusual Id then whip the drive flange off and inspect the spines inside the drive flange and the inside edge of the drive axle for signs it had been rubbing on the inside of the stub axle. Depending on how the splines have worn and if theres any rubbing on the axle thats usually a good sign for a bent stub axle.

checking the axle housing itself is a litte more complicated but its achievable with some good measuring stick. Its a lot easier to check if you jack up the front of the vehicle and drop the springs and shockies.

Assuming you find no freeplay ID take it to a decent tyre shop and have the alignment checked its supposed to have 0 camber but up to 2 degrees camber per side is within factory acceptable limits. I start asking questions when its at 1 degree.

[Fraz]

havent got a big lift kit in your deefer do you?

No lift kit at all - but maybe down the track



a brake pedal that has a lot of travel increases the odds of it being wheel bearings

if theres no unusual noises when you corner through an S bend at a bit of pace that generally eliminates the swivel bearings, a loose stub axle or the main joint bolts.


I do have brake travel, but assumed it was air in the lines. If I dont use them for a while, I have to depress them, sometimes to the stopper, and then repump them.

I had the wheels and flanges off yesterday, the flanges look pretty good, no major wear on the flange or axle

So am I to assume its the bearings now?
Cheers

[Utemad]

My particular hub nut tool came from British Offroad on the Sunshine Coast.

[Blknight.aus]

I do have brake travel, but assumed it was air in the lines. If I dont use them for a while, I have to depress them, sometimes to the stopper, and then repump them.

So am I to assume its the bearings now?



Thats what I'd suspect at this point. (side note on edit, Air in the lines gives you a consistently spongy pedal)

axle stand the front end stick a jimmy bar under the tyre and give it a bit of lift if it goes Clunk have some one stand on the brakes and repeat if it doesnt go clunk its the wheel bearings.

If that produces no clunk then its time to whip the front wheels off and check the runout on the disc and the motion of the pads while your at it do the back end as well.

If yours is a drum rear end then its also worth adjusting up the back brakes before you do any of the above.

[Fraz]

Ill try that shortly Dave cheers.
I have discs all round, but am in the process of replacing all discs and pads - just need this hub tool :(

How hard should I lift it? I dont have axle stands, can I put 2 jacks under it and do it gently?

[Blknight.aus]

How hard should I lift it? I dont have axle stands, can I put 2 jacks under it and do it gently?

The OH+S rep says No...

The on jack method is one side at a time. you lift it just enough to take the weight off of the wheel and bearings. When you lift and lower as the hub slops on the bearings it will go "clunk." If youre removing the wheel take the precaution of chocking as many wheels as you can, sliding the spare under the axle housing and the wheel you take off under the radius or locating arm.


If you cant get it to do it since your doing the rotors anyway when you get the hub nut spanner remove the outer nut the lock washer and then back the inner nut off about 1/2 a turn and repeat the test you should then get the clunk and some motion on the wheel.

Some plumbers stores and bunnings carry a tube spanner that ment for plumbing use but is the same size as the hub nuts.

four wheel drives in melbourne and MR auto up in brissy carry the thing and will post them out. in a pinch you can also use the toyota one its 54mm but works well enough for the bearing nuts.

[justinc]

Loose wheel bearings WILL give a shocking brake pedal, that will improve on the second pump.

JC

[Fraz]

Thanks guys, I got a 54mm socket tool from my 4x4 shop yesterday, but the previous owner/ his workshop has used a rattle gun to do it up - there is no way they are coming off with the gear I have :(

I just lifted it and yes, there is the audible clunk you speak of. It even did it when the wheels lifted using the jack - I just never noticed it before :eek:

So if I am doing the front 2 wheels, should the back be done also?
How much dosh am I up for? Does anyone have any part numbers or anything?

When it comes to actually doing it, will I need a press or a nice big hammer and dolly? Is this something that should be done in a shop?:confused:

Cheers again guys :cool:

[Blknight.aus]

double check it with someone with the foot firmly on the brakes if it still clunks its not wheel bearings but the swivel bearings

Since your pulling the bearings down to change the rotor nows a good time to redo the beaings (which you have to do anyway)

as you clean them keep an eye for sparklies in the grease or oil sparklies in wheel bearings generally means new bearings. if not its just a case of repack and replace tightening the wheel bearings appropriately.

theres a handfull of threads (at least) that cover doing wheel bearings on the forum some of them must have made it to the good oil by now.

IT should only cost you what it was going to cost you to do the rotors (assuming you had already budgeted grease and seals) + the cost of the number of wheel bearings you decide to change. bearings get replaced as pairs and my rule of thumb is that if one wheel needs attention then they all need attention.

shop smart and dont go for exotics and you will see change from $600 for all pads, rotors, bearings, seals, brakefluid and lockwashers. (not including expendables like loctite and sealastics.)

[123rover50]

I had much the same thing happen to my 110 that came from PNG with a 2.5 TD in it.
I put a 4BD1 in it and after 100 odd thous kays I thought the wheels were splaying out. Couldnt be , must be the toe out, just a bit much.
After a few more hundred kays oil started leaking from the housing. Looked again and saw a big crack along the seam weld and another around the housing.
Swapped housings and welded an angle iron under to strengthen and made a diff guard while I had it off.
Lots of people have 4BD1 ,s. Are some housings stronger than others.
Cheers

[Fraz]

wow 123rover50, mine looks nothing like that
:eek::eek::eek:

that would have stood out nicely though