Thread: MEET Harry Highback

Originally Posted by jakeslouw

Silly ideas maybe, but what about baked-on ceramic coatings? Surely if you roughen the swivel ball, then use a ceramic layer, it should last almost for ever?

Teflon? PTFE? Other synthetics?

I reckon the only reason LR didn't do this originally was that the technology wasn't available?

How thick (or thin) can they get the ceramic? I've read some pretty good stuff about ceramic coatings just recently, but it was on exhaust extractors.

I dunno. I've heard of ceramic cylinder bores, so I assume they just blob that in and then mill it out, considering ceramics are just specialised clay mixtures.

So I assume the process with a swivel ball is to blob some ceramic on, take off roughly enough to around an oversize spec, bake it, then mill of the remains down to factory specs?

as per Jakes idea...

if you look around there are teflon coated balls available for the Disco', i've no idea if available off the shelf for Series motors...

i also like the idea of the epoxy filler, i've heard of it being used before with acceptable results

You can also get rubber gaiters that fit on and cover the whole swivel ball, kind of like a CV boot, not sure if you still use the seal or if it is self sealing but they look quite good. As I recall around $70 a pair from the UK. So if the swivel balls leak a little it is captured and would stop any coatings on the balls getting damaged by rocks, mud, dirt etc.

As for your bearing races I'm sure you get new races with the bearings if you buy a swivel rebuild kit.

Originally Posted by chazza

Banjo,
I was going to use reconditioned swivel-balls on my S1 but was put off the idea by someone who had bought some and found that they had been ground under-size; were not round; and leaked oil everywhere.

I bought cheap new ones, which promptly started to rust in a dry shed, until I smothered them with grease The expensive new ones were beyond my reach.

On my S3 I followed someone else's idea and de-rusted the old balls on a hefty wire brush; cleaned them and filled the pits with epoxy filler and sanded them back to an acceptable curve. Total cost $15

The most I have lost by doing it the el-cheapo way is a bit of time.

Inspect your swivel pins and bushes for wear marks and replace if the wear seems excessive i.e. movement when assembled. Paddock in the UK have cheap parts. I agree about the bearing race being worn - replace bearing and race,

Cheers Charlie

Charlie what sort of epoxy filler did you use I will get some & get into them over the weekend .. Never even thought of that sound good so will do that...

Originally Posted by jakeslouw

Silly ideas maybe, but what about baked-on ceramic coatings? Surely if you roughen the swivel ball, then use a ceramic layer, it should last almost for ever?

Teflon? PTFE? Other synthetics?

I reckon the only reason LR didn't do this originally was that the technology wasn't available?

Problem with ceramics is that they are more easily damaged by stone impacts than chrome or teflon.

Teflon=PTFE - Teflon is the Dupont trade mark for PTFE, and while it existed when the Series Landrover was designed, it did not come onto the market until the mid sixties. It is used on later Defenders, but I don't know how its durability compares to chrome.

Leather gaiters to cover the balls have been round since the early Series 1, and while I have never used them, my reading suggests that they are better at keeping dirt and water in than out, in other words, worse than useless. I think the problem is that it is very easy for them to get a minor cut or pinhole from stones or sticks because of the large area exposed and facing forward, letting in water and dirt (and the water does not evaporate), but because it does not show you don't know there is a problem until you take it off and find the ball is badly rusted.

John

I use Quick Steel quicksteel
Follow the directions faithfully and it works extremely well. Coventry Motors sell it. The chap who gave me the idea said he had used Araldite and it had not leaked for three years, but I suspect that it would be difficult to make it stay in place whilst it set.

If the rust pits are very deep it would be best to eliminate them with the molasses treatment.

On the un-wiped area of the ball I think it would be a good idea to keep them coated in very sticky grease to stop rust starting and spreading; or maybe a permanent coating such as paint and Penetrol would work well.

Cheers Charlie

Ok been & did a little more to harry yesterday & a bit this morning..
Yesterday i put the front diff center back in AFTER i counted the teefs..The pinion gear has 10 teeth the ring gear has 47 teeth..So im guessing its a 4.7 to 1 gear ratio..
Also found some reco swivel - balls for $140 each..so may use them..
Heres some pics..









Also made meself a parts washer tub that i can fit the bell housing in..





Painted these today ready to go back on...