Thread: Front suspension arms

When I purchased my first RRC some years ago, it had recently had a full overhaul with genuine LR rubber bushes. I didn't realize how lucky I was at the time. But to be brutally honest, if I were doing it again for myself, I'd buy the super pro bushes. Simply because they aren't a PITA to install and do not require the steel chafer sleeves. Yes, they do require proper lubrication with the appropriate grease or silicone spray if you're in a desperate pickle, but ultimately if assembled properly they will last for a very long time - long enough to say beyond expected lifespan based on the type of 'abuse' you put the vehicle through.

The LSE had some shonky UK yellow urethane bushes in them and they lasted 2/10ths of SFA on-road up here in FNQ after I drove it up from central qld.

Most of our roads are pretty good considering, so it's hardly terrain related reasoning for the failure. It's material related and possibly a less than surgical installation by P.O.
segué:
The D2 has factory original bushes still in it from 99 and considering the paddock bashing abuse it cops regularly I am amazed at how much better they have lasted compared to the urethane in the LSE...

So the LSE will be getting a full super-pro urethane run-through replacement after the other maintenance / overhaul work is completed.

Two reasons:

1. Price
2. Ease of installation / replacement.

Longevity is assured if correctly installed, so I'm not concerned.

Agree with the Superpro posts, they are great bushes and easy to install. They are relatively easy to find too, seems that some Burson's shops keep one of everything in the Superpro range in stock and although expensive, unless you point out the list price on the Superpro web site (if its lower), they will match that price. SCA will special order them in too if you want your trade discount.

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered Super Pro bushes from Automotive Superstore.
They were the only ones that I could find that had all of the front bushes in stock, and reasonably priced as well.
Should receive them in the next few days according to Aus Post tracking.

I finally managed to get the track rod and drag link apart (all of the ball joints had rusted threads) and I have bought new ball joints.
But, the ball joint in the drop arm is loose vertically and has a bit of radial clearance as well.
How hard is it to remove the drop arm to replace it.
BDC9F718-5D16-4ED0-83AA-CBAF3DA05942.jpg

Regards
Phil

It's a right PITA, be careful.
lots of penetrating oil will help, sometimes a bit of heat carefully applied.

Originally Posted by Mercguy

It's a right PITA, be careful.
lots of penetrating oil will help, sometimes a bit of heat carefully applied.

Well, it has turned out to be a PITA, but not for the reasons above.
Firstly, the retaining nut was not tight, and then the drop arm almost fell off
When you look inside the top of the spline of the drop arm, you can see where it bottoms out on the “runout” of the spline on the shaft. Both show signs of fretting.
1A643C42-B2B1-4245-9086-00BEC45D75EF.jpg 8BCFDC70-EB91-44DC-924C-AF0289BFF2CA.jpg
When I refit the drop arm, it bottoms out on the top of the spline but it is still able to wobble as it is not a tight fit at the bottom.
I measured the diameter of the bottom of the indexing spline on the shaft at ~30 mm. The bottom of the drop arm is also ~30 mm, but the drop arm overhangs the spline of the shaft by 6 mm, so considering the taper, the drop arm would need to go onto the shaft another 6 mm to be size for size.
Now, I’m not going to reuse this drop arm because the ball joint is loose, but is there two spline sizes as the parts manual suggests.
B72A69D3-BC2E-4C67-AF17-075CBCB7AC93.jpg

Perhaps it is just wear from being loose and a new drop arm will fit correctly.

Anyone else had similar experience.

Phil

I've only ever replaced my drop arm with an entire new one, despite having a coupld of rebuild kits with new balljoints.

And I think it was because the first one was damaged from a direct impact with a boulder, while the second one was on the LSE and flogged out and I happened to have a spare arm assembly.

So to be fair, I have never refitted the original arm back on, only new parts and new locking washers and nut.

Mine were both a PITA to get off as both had fretting corrosion in the splines from decades of 'not being cleaned'.

Originally Posted by Phil 850

..................

Perhaps it is just wear from being loose and a new drop arm will fit correctly.

Anyone else had similar experience.

Phil

Yeah, similar.

When my POS was white it had a manual steering box.

Ball joint in the drop arm was worn so I I took it into the local indie I used to use.

He put on another arm that had a nearly new joint in it.

I noticed when he was doing it that the nut wasn't super tight to begin with but the old arm wasn't flopping about and he used a puller to get it off. I remember him saying at the time that when they're loose they'll always come loose no matter how tight the nut is done up.

Couple of years later the steering was getting a bit sloppier.......... I'm coming back from Adelaide on the Duke Hwy past all the black crosses thinking I should check all the steering joints when I get home.............which I did.

Well the nut was more than a bit loose, the tabs on the lock washer were only maybe just engaging and the arm had a fair bit of up and down movement.

I seriously considered welding the arm onto the shaft at the time, but just did the nut up super tight and kept an eye on it.

Have since fitted PS that came with the red body and had no probs.

The two sizes of drop arms you mention could be due to the change from manual to power steering or the change from 3 bolt to 4 bolt Adwest power steering boxes.

There is only one listed on the website of a mob in Melbourne I use for parts......... $110 including the ball joint or same made by Adwest for $290.

The trick to getting the old ones off when they're firmly in place is to use a strong puller and a pinpoint torch on only one spot on the outside of the splined section of the drop arm. The arm will expand much faster than the shaft and loosen with an almighty bang. Great care needs to be taken.

cheers, David L

Ordered a new drop arm from BMI this morning and it arrived this afternoon
This is it pushed on by hand and the nut loosely spun on just to stop gravity from ripping it off while I take a photo.
8EBB70DC-A3FC-4D34-80CC-DD7C2EC931D8.jpg
The nut is just overhangs the shaft, so presumably when it is tightened it will push the arm up far enough for the nut to fully engage including with the lock washer.
The new drop arm has a slightly longer spline section than the original one by a few mm.
98A22810-9FA5-4667-882C-3CF961C20270.jpg
I’ll tighten it up in the next day or so and see what the result is.

Phil