DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - Replacing all rubber in rear suspension on D3 (LR3)

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

2005 Discovery 3 4.4 V8 HSE Auto Tonga Green

Replacing all rubber in rear suspension on D3 (LR3)

Recent offroad trip to Death Valley and the awful washboard roads gave my rear-end suspension a quick trip from bad to worse. The clunks are much worse and I'm getting occasional hops and such after the trip. The vehicle is 12 yrs old and has 152,000+ miles and all the rear control arms and bushings have never been changed. I'm not sure the exact cause of my rear-end problems, but I'm thinking with the mileage and our continued offroad use, it would be a good idea to just order all the parts, put the vehicle on jackstands for as long as it takes, and replace all the bushings. I want to make sure I get the parts right in one order, and I have a few questions:

Does the parts list look right? I'd rather take care of everything at once, but if some parts could go another 150,000 miles (give or take

), I'm fine with leaving it in place.

A few other questions below next to specific parts.

The Advanced Factors kits for rear upper and lower look nice. I hate it when I try to save money by wrenching on the vehicle and then have to run to the local dealership and pay $40 for a few nuts and bolts that I could have ordered online for half the price. But I was planning get the beefier RRS upper rear control arms.

Here's my parts list:

http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic124835.html)

Thanks. I wouldn't consider this endeavor without the wealth of knowledge on this forum.

Last edited by DVD on 3rd Feb 2017 6:05 pm. Edited 1 time in total

1st Feb 2017 6:33 am

anglefire

Member Since: 09 Mar 2010
Location: In the Club House
Posts: 4180

I've used the ebay one - something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27pcs-bush-and-b...SwB09YIvyH

Works a treat.

Or are you thinking of the Lazer one? My only concern with that is that I can't see any bearings on the "bolts" which might be an issue- but if its cheap enough then if it fails after you've done the job then it would be fine - but if it fails half way through........... Mark.
2006, D3 SE Auto - gone but not forgotten.
2014 BMW 530d M Sport Tourer.
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500

_________________________________________________
Disco Picture Website Here

1st Feb 2017 7:57 am

blue meanie
D3 Decade

Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861

2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Manual Cairns Blue

I used an identical one as in angelfires link to do all of the rear bushes in mine last year and it worked a treat

and theeeeennn......???

1st Feb 2017 10:16 am

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

Thanks for the suggestions for the tool for the hub bushes. I'm sure that will be a big help.

One other question that occurred to me: Any suggestions on what order to tackle the various replacements? I imagine some things would be easier without other things in the way. I'm also changing out the rear EAS valve block and air struts too (used ones, but newer than mine, from a friend who converted to coils).

1st Feb 2017 9:14 pm

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

Scope creep alert.

Was checking out Disco Mikey's site and saw the kit for all 8 suspension arms (KIT620 DISCOVERY 3 ALL 8 SUSPENSION ARMS + EVERY NUT, BOLT & WASHER TO FIT THEM http://www.advancedfactors.co.uk/kit620-di...94-p.asp). I was planning to just do the rears, but my fronts have 50,000+ miles on them, and while not calling for immediate replacement, they are giving a few squeaks and clunks and will likely need replacement soon. I'd hate to have them go from bad to worse and need to replace and get another alignment soon after doing the rears.
As I consider that AF kit, I add a few more items for ARB overhaul and hub bushes, and I'll have a like-new ride! It would also be great to support AF after all the support provided on this site.

Here's my question:
Has anyone got the Advanced Factors kit or familiar with the non-Land Rover parts included therein? I was planning to go original Land Rover parts. I doubt that the AF kit would have inferior parts, but checking to see if anybody has experience - good / bad indifferent - with these kits. I take the vehicle offroad quite a bit, so I want to make sure I get parts that will stand up to some abuse.

2nd Feb 2017 8:30 pm

PeterTh

Member Since: 06 Sep 2013
Location: Alunda
Posts: 330

2011 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 S Auto Orkney Grey

Advancedfactors is ace. I have used them many times and will do so again. If you are going to change upper front arms and lower rear you probably also will need brake hoses and the brake lines that are mounted to the arms. You will probably have a tough time separating them without braking them. At least that is the case here in Sweden with salted winter roads. But mayby you are in a nice, dry part of the world where rust is rarely seen?

Also the old rear knuckle bushes can be beaten out with a large hammer. It is more tricky to get the new bushes in without some appropriate tool. I have successfully used a generic bush tool kit similar to this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27pc-Universal-P...SwD0lUata9.

Good luck,
Peter 2011 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 S Automatic
1999 Discovery 2 V8 ES Automatic

Earlier
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Automatic
1996 Discovery 300 Tdi ES Automatic
1975 Series 3 2.25 diesel

Nanocom Evolution for D2 V8, D3 and D4

Working kelpies for working the sheep

Last edited by PeterTh on 2nd Feb 2017 10:49 pm. Edited 1 time in total

2nd Feb 2017 10:45 pm

PeterTh

Member Since: 06 Sep 2013
Location: Alunda
Posts: 330

Didn´t see angelfires post with the same link to the bush tool until now... Sorry for the double post.

/Peter 2011 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 S Automatic
1999 Discovery 2 V8 ES Automatic

Earlier
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Automatic
1996 Discovery 300 Tdi ES Automatic
1975 Series 3 2.25 diesel

Nanocom Evolution for D2 V8, D3 and D4

Working kelpies for working the sheep

2nd Feb 2017 10:47 pm

blue meanie
D3 Decade

Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861

Did everything on mine last Sept, all 8 arms, front and rear ARB bushes and links, inner & outer steering track rods, all four rear bushes, rear tie rods, front and rear brake flexies and as mentioned by Peter the metal brake pipes that get fixed to the rear arms as well as there was no chance of them separating : http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic149944.html ended up by replacing the airshock assemblies as mine were too corroded to refurb

All from AF, as it's only been a few months so I cannot comment on longevity but some items are actually LR ones and all of the rest appeared to be of good quality

Doing it on my drive it took about five days all in and essential tools needed were a big hammer, 9" angle cutter, a big hammer, recipe saw with quality metal blades, a big hammer etc

and theeeeennn......???

3rd Feb 2017 12:40 am

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

Order placed with AF. Thanks for the confirmation and tips.
Blue Meanie, I should soon have a pallet full of suspension bits as in your thread.

3rd Feb 2017 6:42 am

PeterTh

Member Since: 06 Sep 2013
Location: Alunda
Posts: 330

Arizona climate sounds like you might not struggle with rusted and seized bolts and brake lines so you might find the repair rather comfortable. I did all arms, struts, toe-links and knuckle bushes at one go and most of the work is actually sawing, cutting and violently forcing unwilling old parts apart...

Good luck!

Peter 2011 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 S Automatic
1999 Discovery 2 V8 ES Automatic

Earlier
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Automatic
1996 Discovery 300 Tdi ES Automatic
1975 Series 3 2.25 diesel

Nanocom Evolution for D2 V8, D3 and D4

Working kelpies for working the sheep

3rd Feb 2017 6:58 am

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

Thanks again for the replies, and I really appreciated your thread about "battle of epic proportions," Blue.
Wow! Quick shipping from AF. Order placed last night (local time - probably very early a.m. in UK) and this morning I received notification that the order has already shipped.
Amazing that goods can move around the world so quickly, and even with shipping, it's still fairly significant savings from buying in the USA.
I checked my brake attachments, and the clips and brake metal all look separate, so I may have benefit of dry climate.

3rd Feb 2017 5:01 pm

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

This is still a work in progress. I take heart from Blue Meanie's title for his thread about similar project: "A battle of epic proportions..."
I'm on the last quadrant now, so it's slow but steady progress - just like the vehicle

.
Seriously, it was a decision whether to let things get worse until getting rid of the vehicle or really refreshing it, so it's good for another 100k. Here's a picture of the patient, on the operating table:

I've run into a lot of stubborn pieces (hub nut that broke my 1/2 breaker- bar-plus-5-ft-lever, reciprocating saw to remove control arm bolts, removing diff bolts and frame piece just to access 1 stupid nut for the front arb collar, etc.), but haven't really broken anything on the vehicle - until now, I'm afraid.

I tried to keep the driveshaft supported, but while hefting pieces around while trying to fit the LHS front hub knuckle, I'm afraid I disconnected the driveshaft end that goes into the CVJ. Here's a picture of the droopy drive shaft:

I haven't taken off the boot to inspect.
This is the first time I've seen something like this. Can anybody diagnose based on the image? I assume it's a circlip that came off and needs to be replaced. If so, is it just a matter of taking off the boot and putting the old one back in place? That's my 2nd best-case scenario. Best case would be if this is fixed by lining it up horizontally and giving it a good shove.

Any advice/suggestions appreciated.

14th Mar 2017 5:55 pm

blue meanie
D3 Decade

Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861

you'll need to check the boot to make sure there are no rips or nicks in it first?
If intact it should probably go back in I would imagine as long as the splines are lined up, CV joint description here

and theeeeennn......???

14th Mar 2017 6:25 pm

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

Thanks for the reply and link to the PDF diagram. It helps to know what's underneath those boots.
Speaking of boots, they are fine (no rips or nicks).
My concern is about the circlip or snap ring. If that came entirely loose, I wouldn't want it just wandering around inside the boot and eventually getting into the inner CVJ feet or podes and turning into metal shavings.

The shaft still engages. If I turn the shaft on the other side, the shaft on the offending side also turns. Can anybody tell by the the angle the shaft whether I'd need to open it up and re-install the circlip?

I'm thinking there might be a chance that it would work to just shove it on, but what's an extra hour or 2 to remove the boot, check the position and status of the circlip, and be sure it's all OK.
If I go this route, I hope the circlip is re-usable.

Here's a link to a really good how-to by Disco_Steve that details his efforts to re-do his CVJ boots, which includes the steps I'd need to follow: http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic54694.h...738b4b834a

14th Mar 2017 8:40 pm

DVD

Member Since: 06 May 2012
Location: Arizona
Posts: 48

For future reference, it’s good to give this thread a proper closing. It is possible for a relative novice to pull off a job like this. Funny how an epic battle ends with a whimper. During the initial stages, I was using a huge breaker bar, reciprocating saw, and impact tools to take parts off the vehicle. During installation, it was nice to use a more civilized torque wrench as the primary tool. And at the very end, it’s a tiny 8 mm wrench for bleeding brakes and fingers to re-attach wheel arch clips.

Got the vehicle back from alignment a couple days ago, and it feels great. Every single control arm, all rear hub bushes, all arb bushes, all drop links, all steering/panhard rods, all replaced. Throw in new brake lines and fluid, diff fluids, xfer fluid, some EAS rear valve and rear air-strut swap-outs (from a friend who recently converted to coils), and it’s a lot of r&r.

Thanks to forum members for all the help along the way - both for responses to my questions and for previous posts. I wouldn’t have considered this without the many how-to’s already posted. Before this, the biggest mechanical work I had done on the vehicle was front bearings, front struts, and brakes. This was a much, much bigger job.

I wasn’t prepared just how big a job this would be. For any who follow, I won’t duplicate the how-to’s already published. But the one piece of advice I’d give is to be prepared for the things that go wrong. Everybody warns about the seized control arm bolts, so it’s not discouraging to find those and have to saw them off. Here are some unexpected things that set me back.

Hub nut that wouldn’t come loose. Wouldn’t you know it, the 4th nut wouldn’t budge. After soaking with PB Blaster for multiple days and laying off the pressure just short of what felt like the breaking point, I finally determined that I’d either break a tool or break the nut free. The ½-in breaker was the weakest.

I have friends with air impact guns, but the tools are not portable. My battery-powered impact gun didn’t have the necessary torque. I ended up buying a ¾-in breaker, and that did the job (in combination with a 5-ft cheater extension).

Brake line flare that wouldn’t loosen/tighten. One of the flares on the metal line must have been tightened too much such that the flare wouldn’t release from the female-end flexi line. I finally muscled it out, but then when re-assembling, the mishapen flare wouldn’t insert to allow me to screw the lines together. I ended up filing the flare to fit, but the whole thing added time while I was considering whether to get a new metal line or if I could revive the existing. (No leaks from my re-formed line.)

Missing bump stops on one of the control arms. One of my brand new rear control bushings was missing the little white rubber bump stops. There is conflicting info about whether these are necessary or being phased out, but the supplier was good to send me the missing pieces. The incident did set me back in terms of schedule.

Front upper control arm. I couldn’t find much in terms of a how-to for the front UCA’s. These are a challenge due to the forward bolts, which are hidden and hard to get at. But after doing all the other control arms, there wasn’t much different.

Front arb bushings. The left-side upper bolt for the arb bush collar is inaccessible. Well, I saw a forum post from one lucky person who had a ⅜ drive socket that fit next to the front diff arm. I tried 5 different ⅜-drive sockets. None fit. I read somebody who used a grinder to shave off the driver end of his socket to make it fit. Instead of this, I ended up following the other, surefire solution of removing a frame piece, removing the bolts that attach the front diff to the support arm (support the diff), and then wedging the arm aside by a few mm in order to get a socket on a single nut for the arb bush. A lot of work to remove one single stupid nut.

Drive shaft hyperextended and came loose at front inner CVJ housing. I read warnings about being careful with the drive shaft to avoid pulling it out, so tried to keep them supported. I got the first 3 re-inserted into the hubs with no problems. I don’t know if I was overconfident that this was an overblown concern or just lucky on the first 3, but on the last one, as I was muscling the drive shaft in, I pulled it out too far:

That’s not right. (Oh, Robbie, regarding my separate post on this issue, the wood block is only supporting a steering rod or hub knuckle or something-not vehicle weight

)
So I had to research front CVJ / driveshaft installation. Nothing was broken - bearings and boot were fine. But I did have to remove the boot and re-align the bearings to re-insert them into the housing. Some grease is lost, so I needed to clean the bearings and housing and inner boot, repack with grease, and re-install. Similar to the other “gotcha’s,” the time to actually do the work wasn’t that much, but it did take some time to figure out exactly what was wrong and how to address the challenge. But it was interesting to see how that CVJ is put together.

That’s about it. Big job, but it feels and sounds much better - no more squeaks and groans going over speed bumps. I’m in it for the long haul with this vehicle!

25th Mar 2017 6:09 pm