Discovery 200 Tdi

[Front Shock Absorbers (replacement)]
[Front Radius Arm Bushes]

Front Radius Arm Bushes

Tools required

15/16 " socket
3/4 " spanner
flat screw driver
Hammer
Small pliers
Ball joint splitter
Hydraulic press (optional)
Jack (hydraulic)

Place new front (steel rubber) bushes in your freezer compartment of your fridge. They will need to be in the freezer for a few hours.

Undo the large lock nut on rear of the radius arm.

Remove the spilt pin and nut securing the steering arm to the rear of the front wheel hub.

Use a ball joint splitter to separate the ball joint from the hub arm. Lower the steering arm an joint.

Undo the two nuts securing the radius arm to the axle.

Remove the two bolts, be careful as the radius arm may drop down. (It might need some help with a hammer)

Slide the arm forwards to release the rear of the radius arm from the chassis mount. Remove the arm from the Landrover.

Using a suitable tube (or socket) as a drift, hammer out the old bushes. Make sure the tube is a good fit onto the outside edge of the bush. The bushes will be tight so a big hammer will be required.

With the bushes removed clean up the bush hole surface. Using a half round file slightly taper the leading edge of the hole.

If you have a hydraulic press then use this to press the new bushes into the radius arm. If (like most of us) you have-not, then a hammer with have to do. Remove your bushes from the freezer, the minimum time for freezing is a couple of hours but the longer the better.

Place the arm on the ground with the tapered edge of the bush hole upward. Place the new bush in position and gently tap the outside edge, move around the bush gently tapping making sure the bush remains upright. This will require some patience, go slowly is the best way. Once it has started use your tube or socket to drift the new bush in.

The bush outside edge may become flattened during this procedure, this doesn't matter as its the inner steel bush and rubber that are important. Hammer the bush in until there is an equal amount of bush proud of each side of the arm.

Repeat the above procedure for the other bush.

Fit new rubber radius arm to chassis bush. Refit the arm by sliding it under the axle, over the disconnected steering arm. Don't fit the nut rear of the arm at this stage.

Use a jack position under the front of the arm gently raise the arm back into position. Watch the new bushes as these will catch as the arm is raised. A stout screwdriver can be used to help ease arm / bushes into place.

Fit the two bolt use new locking nuts.

Fit the outer rubber bush and washer at the rear of the arm, tighten the lock nut. If there aren't enough threads through the engage the nut then the front axle can put pushed back using a jack angled at 45 degree (backward) under the front radius arm.

Refit the steering arm balljoint to the front hub.

Check all nuts are tight and go for a test drive.