I need a Full fat for when the feckin thing is being awkward!!!!

It needed a new drop arm ball joint, I happened to mention to a colleague I was going to drop it at my local Land Rover Indy for them to sort. He says 'oh thats a simple job, dead easy. Get the part and we'll do it'. Ok I thought I'll save on labour and learn how to fix it ( wanted to learn basic maintenance and a Defender is good for this!.

So 5 days later the thing is still at work in bits and undriveable ( granted 2 days were the weekend and I was away), and only doing a bit here and there at lunch breaks. Should be a simple ish job but by god its bloody awkward and not co operating! Colleague says I've never had this trouble and bet you wish you left it to the indy to do.

Search for a FF begins for when 'Dave' is being less than co operative and so that I can keep mobile!

 All my spelling errorz are belong to me!

2024 RR Velar
2021 AM new Vantage

I learned that for defenders , it was easier to just replace the whole bar including both ball joints, rather than fighting trying to undo a single ball joint. V8 or else ...

Finally sorted and back together. Drive home was quite boring really ......it goes where I want it to go now instead of randomly drifting towards the nearest tree or hgv. Apparently you can do a modification using a discovery drop arm which is ten times easier to work on. That or just buying a new drop arm and joint complete as you say. Lesson learnt!

When I had my Defenders I found that even one simple job seemed to create 5 more.

I don't miss it one bit! Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

fisha wrote:

I learned that for defenders , it was easier to just replace the whole car with something decent.

There, I fixed that for you

Very good Sir

Early ones had a drop arm with the ball joint in the arm (can be a pain to do). Later ones had a conventional tie rod end, dead easy to replace.

Removing the drop arm needs a serious hydraulic puller. Been there, done that. I had to hire the puller, none of mine would do the job. Ron B. VK2OTC
2003 L322 V8 Auto
2007 Yamaha XJR1300
Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA

1. What do you mean I'm shouting? (damn thing made me deaf)

2. No, I can't do that with my right arm and shoulder anymore. (no room for right shoulder and elbow inside which meant both lived outside the car all year round)

3. The stain on the right knee of these jeans? (leaking door seals that could never be quite fixed for any period of time)

4. My, don't you have a lot of tools? (needed for constant fettling to keep the thing roadworthy)

5. Why does every pair of trousers you own have rip near the right pocket? (B-pillar door receiver was always catching something)

6. Why have you got a dent in your left knee? (handbrake placement)

7. Have I got a spare.......before you finish that question, yes I have (the necessity to carry the equivalent in spare parts to build another vehicle when venturing anywhere)

et al



I did enjoy it for nine years and a couple of weeks but then I decided enough was enough. Modernity never felt so good, I can tell you, when I got the next vehicle.

Aha the ripped pocket.....yep done that. Well it felt like I'd tore myself a new ar@@hole one time.

In fact I think I've ticked all on that list....still love it though. It'll be a keeper even if it does become a second/third car, has been very handy for getting hay for the horses, harrowing the fields and chucking the dogs in. After all they are meant to be mud splettered and dirty