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Front wheel wobble

J

John_R

In Fourth Gear
I have been feeling a wobble through the steering, which I thought at first may be a worn wheel bearing. I removed the offside front wheel and I can rock the hub a little, however the movement can be seen at the swivel. If I look at the back of the sphere it is clear that that is where the movment is happening, and I am getting a little loss of swivel grease.

Any ideas of what this is likely to be, or how best to investigate further?
 
Probably swivel pins or king pins, depending on what you want to call them. They basically hold the wheel assembly vertical and pivot round them when you steer. The top one is the one that will be really knackered as it doesn't get lubed.

Good info & pics here http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=7451

The leaking swivels will be the seal gone and its only a couple of quid. If you're in there you might as well replace chrome ball, inner seals, top and bottom pins, wheel bearings.
 
That could well be it, as for even longer I have had a bit of shaking when going over bumps, so maybe that swivel pin has finally worn enough to really show all the time.

Looks like a fair bit of work really, shame it did not show up A) in the summer when it is nicer to work and B) more than a week away from the MOT!
 
Always happens that way. I'm doing mine at the moment. I've not done it before and it took less than a day to do one side. Just take your time and familiarise yourself with the photos in the link.
 
In between heavy rain I just took another quick look at it. I reckon the wear is in the bottom on this one, as if I wedge my foot against the bottom of the wheel and try to rock the top I cannot move it, but if I simply hold the bottom of the wheel I can easily move it about 5mm or so.
 
Strange the play is seen at the bottom, maybe the bottom pin sheared or bearing disintegrated? It shouldn't do as the bottom is well lubed by grease or EP90, but maybe its been dry for a long time.

The top bush on my 110 is steel with about 1mm of friction material which has worn to nothing.
 
I made a start today, mostly intended to just clean up the area and get some Plus Gas on the bolts etc. before having a concerted effort this weekend.

One thing looks a nuisance, and that is the way the metal brake pipes go over the head of one of the top swivel pin bolts. I decided to have a go with a 17mm spanner, and I got the pair of them out, leaving the bracket loose but they are meant to be torqued back down.

Did you decide to disconnect them, or work around them?

I also need to buy a new T40 Torx for the two bolts for the lower pin.
 
The job is going pretty well, so thanks for the pointers so far.

I am at the stage where the whole lot is off the car, ready to clean up the swivel housing and fit new bearings into the new ball.

The lower bearing is really badly worn, but so is the top, in fact the cage and rollers all fell apart. The pins themselves are fine, and looking at the wheel bearings those too are in really good nick so I'll repack them and leave in situ.
 
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