Member Since: 03 Sep 2018
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 596
Rear upper wishbone choice
Hi all,
Whilst trying to sort my parking brake (just waiting for new shoes before refitting it all), I noticed I've got some play in the n/s rear upper wishbone, so I'm going to have to replace both sides.
According to Advanced Factors and a search on here, Lemforder are the original bushes. AF also do a heavy duty upper arm which goes on the Range Rover Sport.
What is everyone's views on which wish bone to fit? Original, which has done fine for 9 years (assuming the previous owner hadn't swapped them) or go for the up rated?
Also, I assume its wise to swap the knuckle bush at the same time?
On a side note, but I doubt i'll be able to get it off without cutting anyway, how hard is it to replace the bushes? Is it a hydraulic press or is it a pull push kit job?
TIA
Jim
On my way to a LR sponsored home learning degree in mechanics
11th Apr 2021 4:54 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4541
I changed all my suspension arms last year, and had the same thoughts as you. I went for standard, in the thought that the originals had done 13 years, and so new ones must be able to do at least 5 more years.
I didn't want to risk having any more harshness due to the RRS joint. It's actually a knuckle joint rather than a rubber bush.
I did change the front lower bushes in the original arms because I had them in stock, but I wouldnt bother with the upper rears, just buy complete arms.
I had to cut the upper arm bolts both sides, I did it with a hacksaw blade in a holder, took about 10 mins each. Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
11th Apr 2021 5:08 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4541
Click image to enlarge
Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
11th Apr 2021 5:14 pm
jamez79
Member Since: 03 Sep 2018
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 596
Liking the hacksaw blade and holder
What brand upper arms did you go for? AF with their 4 year warranty or Lemforder originals?
Choices choices.
11th Apr 2021 5:21 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2908
I did mine on the D3 with originals and replaced the knuckles on both sides
long Bosch blade in the reciprocating saw did the job nicely along with a scaffolders podger to act as a ratchet spanner - you can get an extension bar on to it to get decent leverage
I used one of the Laser tools to swap the knuckles over but as the bolts were rusted solid inside used a blowtorch to burn out the flexible part of the knuckle and then used the tool to remove the outer part and fit the new ones
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4541
jamez79 wrote:
Liking the hacksaw blade and holder
What brand upper arms did you go for? AF with their 4 year warranty or Lemforder originals?
Choices choices.
I got Mayle upper rear arms. All good after 1 year.Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
11th Apr 2021 6:32 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14180
Plus 1 what’s already been mentioned,
Replaced my uppers with genuine , knuckle bushes I fitted Meyle and also bought a bushing kit
Recip saw to cut the bolts
Plus replaced drop links with HD meyle and fitted all new brake hoses, including the small metal interim brake pipe , all new nuts and bolts , used coppaslip for the new bolts
Making sure to pre load wishbones before finally tightening bolts
Then Of course Hunter 4 x wheel alignment
Hope that helps
11th Apr 2021 8:22 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14180
Hope these also help
11th Apr 2021 8:26 pm
jamez79
Member Since: 03 Sep 2018
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 596
Cheers for the replies. I shall get ordering.
May I ask, are the drop links something that need to be replaced at the same time or was it a belts and braces job? May as well do them whilst I'm at it I suppose.
I've been putting penetrating oil on the bolts etc in the vain hope they'll undo. Who am I trying to kid!?
12th Apr 2021 5:09 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1740
I replaced mine with RRS uprated ones from AF, it was Meyle ones that got delivered. For only an extra few quid it was worth it and the ride/handling improvement was huge. (although that could have been because the originals were so bad )2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
12th Apr 2021 6:38 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14180
jamez79 wrote:
Cheers for the replies. I shall get ordering.
May I ask, are the drop links something that need to be replaced at the same time or was it a belts and braces job? May as well do them whilst I'm at it I suppose.
I've been putting penetrating oil on the bolts etc in the vain hope they'll undo. Who am I trying to kid!?
Hi
Always a pleasure to help a little bit along with the other awesome members
For me I thought seeing I needed to remove the brake pipes along the questionable age of the drop links I indeed done all of them so I didn’t have to worry, along with being able to remember that I had done them at the same time as the wishbones
Went with the heavy duty meyle drop links due to being recommended
Oh and got a brake flaring tool which came in very handy
For me when I tried to cut the bolts off they were complete , took me forever so indeed anything u can do before hand is extremely well worth it , have heard ATF oil is also supposed to be good as a penetrating oil
Before I forget , have u got access to an air compressor plse as have seen some cut off tools that might make life easier
Hope that helps a little
12th Apr 2021 6:54 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14180
Also few piccies , along with the removing / installing the top knuckle bush, drop link, Bush kit was invaluable
Bushes were in a terrible condition
Oh and have u got some deep sockets , think it was 17mm I needed to get
12th Apr 2021 7:13 am
jamez79
Member Since: 03 Sep 2018
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 596
Cheers for the photos. No to the air compressor unfortunately. I've got a reasonable tool kit. I'll have to shell out for the bearing puller/pusher though.
12th Apr 2021 9:32 am
jamez79
Member Since: 03 Sep 2018
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 596
Thanks to the help from this forum I sorted my rear upper wishbones the other day.
I took a few pics for a bit of a write up in case it helps anyone else. I'm no mechanic and I don't take any responsibility for any misinformation, but hopefully it'll guide people contemplating doing the work themselves.
Days before starting, I sprayed the bolts, captive nuts and bearings (in any gaps I could spray) with penetrating oil to try and free the bolts up. Whether it worked or not, I'm not sure, but I only struggled with one knuckle bearing. Everything else undid, with a bit of effort and persuasion.
After jacking up the vehicle and putting it on axle stands, I started with the drivers side... 21mm for the upper rear bolt and 18mm for the upper front bolt. Ring spanners were needed to undo the bolts as I couldn't get a socket/breaker bar in. I ended up using a 4 ft scaffolding bar over the spanner to get enough leverage to break the tension. It was tight! I didn't have to worry about the captive nut as it's held in place with a flange to stop it spinning whilst you undo the bolt.
I clamped the brake pipe and removed with an 11mm spanner (gently so you don't twist the pipe), use plenty of penetrating lube and a wire brush to clean around the pipe before undoing so you don't get crud in the brake lines. The clips slide off to release the rubber hose. Just use a flat head screwdriver and tap with a mallet to knock it out.
Remove the abs sensor and brake pad wear sensor (depending what side you're doing) and pop the height sensor off at the top too. That can just be tucked carefully out of the way.
Undo the knuckle joint, I'm not sure if that's the right name for it, but the bolt at the front of the wishbone nearest the wheel. That was a 19mm and 21mm spanner to undo. It may need a bit of encouragement to get the bolt out, but mine came out ok on the one side.
It was an absolute pig on the other and I ended up cutting the wishbone and the bolt and then chiselled at the bearing until it gave up and I could knock the centre of it out so I could use the bearing puller/pusher which is worth it's weight in gold! (Thanks GSTUART for the advice of buying one of them! )
Once out, remove the wishbone and replace with the new one. I had to put the rear upper bolt in place and slot it into place as it fouled on the body mount so wouldn't go in afterwards. Just so you know and don't do the other bolts up first before finding this out! On the passenger side with the air suspension compressor housing, it's a bit of a fiddle but you can squeeze the bolt out and in without having to remove the air compressor. I popped the lid off and moved it slightly to make it a bit easier.
I used the bearing puller/pusher kit to wind the new knuckle bearing into place. The new wishbone has the rear upper bearings already pressed in.
I jacked the hub up so that the centre of the hub nut was 485mm from the highest part of the wheel arch lip and then tried to tighten the bolts up to the required torque settings. It was a struggle getting at the bolts with hub jacked up, maybe easier if on a ramp? I think the idea is so that the new bushes are then set at the correct angle and don't wear prematurely. I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong.
Then it's just a case of reattaching any bits removed and bleeding the brake to remove any air you have let in when removing the brake lines.
You can mark the bolt for the knuckle joint, which is used to set camber, and then try to align the new one to the same approximate position, but I just got it in and aligned by eye as best as possible and then just took it for alignment at a garage. I'll do a Hunter 4 wheel alignment soon anyway so I didn't see much point it trying to get it nigh on perfect.
Repeat for the other side and job is a good'un.
As I say and you can clearly tell, I'm no expert. Just a bloke willing to have a go at looking after his beloved Disco. I hope this helps someone.
24th Apr 2021 2:24 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14180
Hats off to u mate and indeed understand what they can be to replace , mine fought me all the way for hours , all because they didn’t put coppaslip on the bolts
Ur very welcome and glad the puller set help, almost makes it enjoyable with how easy it makes it, lol
Was also really surprised how well it drove after the alignment was done , Awesome write up and once again great job mate and bet ur pleased that job is out the way
Last edited by gstuart on 26th Apr 2021 11:02 am. Edited 1 time in total
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