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How to overhaul or replace steering steering swivels - pictures

by: Auto Express team

27 Sep 2017

Go to: How to overhaul or replace steering swivels

<span><span>Note excessive wear and damage to the ball of the inner swivel housing, with grease leaking through the oil seal. Both sides were equally worn,</span></span>
<span>Loosen the wheel nuts, jack the vehicle and secure the Defender on suitable axle stands, then remove the road wheel.</span>
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<span>Remove the split pin, then the castellated nut from the track rod end, split the ball joint and disconnect the drag rod link from the swivel housing.</span>
<span>Repeat the process on the track rod link, remove the split pin and nut then split the ball joint and remove the track rod from the swivel housing.</span>
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<span>Undo and remove the two swivel pin securing bolts, and remove the bracket that holds the brake pipe in position, then replace the swivel pin bolts</span>
<span>Remove the two bolts that secure the complete brake caliper assembly to the hub assembly, then lift the caliper off the disc and secure it.</span>
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<span>Remove the plastic dust end cap and, using circlip pliers, remove the circlip and shim from the end of the driveshaft.</span>
<span>Remove the five bolts from the drive member (flange) and remove the drive member from the hub and driveshaft, this may need to be pried off.</span>
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<span>Once the drive member has been taken off, remove all traces of the old gasket from the mating faces, as a new gasket will be fitted later.</span>
<span>Using the correct size hub nut socket, undo and then remove the hub’s locking stake nut from the outer halfshaft.</span>
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<span>Once the nut has been removed, you can now remove the outer bearing and the spacer from the hub assembly.</span>
<span>Once they have been removed you can now pull the hub and brake disc assembly off the end of the stub axle/drive shaft.</span>
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Undo the six bolts that secure the stub axle to the swivel housing as pictured, then remove the bolts and front plate ring.
<span>Next, remove the stub axle by pulling it off the swivel housing. Once removed, check the stub axle shaft for any signs of wear or damage.</span>
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<span>Scrape off and remove all traces of the old sealing gasket from the mating face of the swivel housing; you will need a new gasket later.</span>
Now, the complete constant velocity joint and front half shaft assembly can be withdrawn from the front axle tube through the swivel housing.
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<span>Once the constant velocity (CV) joint and halfshaft has been removed, check the CV joint for any signs of internal wear or damage in the parts.</span>
<span>Undo the seven bolts securing the inner swivel bearing housing (swivel ball) to the end of the front axle tube, and remove it from the vehicle.</span>
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<span>Undo and remove the upper swivel pin, then undo and remove the swivel ball retaining plate which secures it to the swivel pin housing.</span>
<span>Once the retaining plate has been undone and removed, you can remove the inner swivel housing ball from the outer swivel pin housing.</span>
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<span>Remove the worn bearing from the lower swivel pin and check the housing for debris from broken bearings. Clean the housings.</span>
<span>REBUILDING THE ASSEMBLY: The replacement parts include the new inner swivel housing, oil seals, retaining plate, bearings and a new upper swivel pin.</span>
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<span>Carefully press a new oil seal squarely into the inner swivel housing flange until it fits flush. Ensure the seal’s lip faces away from the ball.</span>
<span>Fit the new swivel bearing outer races into the new inner swivel ball, using a suitable drift to carefully tap the races squarely into the recess.</span>
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<span>Lubricate the new upper swivel bearing with suitable grease, then carefully fit it into the new race you fitted in the inner swivel ball housing.</span>
<span>After lubricating the new lower swivel bearing with suitable grease, fit the bearing onto the lower swivel pin not being replaced.</span>
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<span>Carefully position the new inner swivel housing into the outer swivel housing, and check that the lower pin and bearing align with the inner swivel ball.</span>
<span>Fit the new upper swivel pin, shim(s) and gasket into the housing, and replace the two securing bolts. Tighten to 78 Nm.</span>
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<span>Using a spring balance, check the force required to move the swivel is between 1.16 and 1.46 kg. Add/remove shims to achieve correct pre-load.</span>
<span>Apply some grease between the lips of the new swivel housing oil seal then carefully fit the seal squarely into the outer swivel housing.</span>
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<span>Fit the new swivel retaining plate and joint washer over the oil seal and onto the inner swivel housing. Tighten the 7 bolts to 11 Nm.</span>
<span>Fit the rebuilt swivel assembly with a new gasket onto the end of the axle tube. Apply thread lock to the bolts and tighten evenly to 73 Nm.</span>
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<span>Slide the halfshaft and CV joint assembly into the front axle tube. When the splines are engaged, push it fully into the differential.</span>
<span>Fit a new gasket and slide the stub axle into position over the axleshaft. The stub axle should be located with the flat at the top.</span>
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<span>With the stub axle positioned correctly on the swivel housing, apply thread lock to the bolts, then fit the bolts and tighten evenly to 65 Nm.</span>
<span>With the stub axle positioned correctly on the swivel housing, apply thread lock to the bolts, then fit the bolts and tighten evenly to 65 Nm.</span>
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<span>Refit the hub assembly and inner bearing, then the outer bearing and hub nut. Tighten to 210 Nm, check the end float, then stake the hub nut.</span>
<span><span>With the circlip correctly refitted, fit the bolts that secure the drive flange to the hub assembly, and tighten to 82 Nm.</span></span>
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<span>Remove the filler plug from the swivel housing and fill the swivel with grease using a one-shot swivel housing grease. Refit the filler plug.</span>
Refit the brake caliper to the hub assembly, refit the drag rod link and the track rod link, tighten the securing bolts and refit the split pins.
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<span>Once you have replaced one side move onto the other side. Both are identical and both swivel housings are replaced in the same way.</span>
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