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EVdV



Member Since: 26 Nov 2017
Location: Vosselaar
Posts: 53

Belgium 2006 Defender 90 Td5 ST Java Black
Swivel bearing / wheel wobble
Ever since buying my defender, it has a wheel wobble from about 70km/h onwards. The steering wheel starts to wobble, if you push to +90km/h the whole car incl gearstick etc allso takes on the wobble.

A bit of background info, it is a 2006 90 td5 (with abs), 130.000km. I started with replacing everything with play or slack in it. Replaced the panhard rod bushes, drop arm, steering bar ball joint, brake disks (wobble during braking, which is gone since replacing) and balancing tyres on 2 different machines.

I know the swivel bearings can cause wheel wobble, so today I removed the wheels and steering ball joints. None of the 2 swivels has play
The swivel ball on the right side is lightly pitted and leaks a bit of grease. The left swivel ball is as new, with some dust and sand sticking around it, but no real leak.
When you swivel them forward to the front of the car and let it go, it swings back to the other side under its own weight(+caliper, disc etc). No or very little resistance is present, definitly no resistance as described in the manual when you set the bearing preload. One side has a very light 'notchy' feeling at the straight position.

Is the lack of resistance and little notch in the middle enough to make the steering wheel wobble? Maybe removing a shim can show if the problems lay in the swivel bearings?
And if they need to be replaced, there is a big price difference between the pattern parts and genuine. Is bearmach a safe bet?

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Post #822240 30th Mar 2020 11:19am
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miker



Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1758

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Rioja Red
It should take a 5-6kg pull on the knuckle where the track rod connects to move each swivel housing. If yours are flopping about by themselves they're way too loose!

Definitely look at removing some shims under the swivel pin. I've lightly jacked under the swivel housing in the past when doing it to minimise the oily grease that falls out when the pin is removed!
Post #822258 30th Mar 2020 1:19pm
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EVdV



Member Since: 26 Nov 2017
Location: Vosselaar
Posts: 53

Belgium 2006 Defender 90 Td5 ST Java Black
I removed both top pins and probably need both sides, but with the current pandemic it isn't easy to source parts apparently so I'll have to make-do fix it until I have the time and parts.

The right side (which is a bit pitted) had a shim of 0,8 and 0,1. Bearing seems ok. So removed the 0,1 shim, which is now a bit tighter but still very loose. I dont have any onther shims, and removing 0,8 would be too much so I will have to leave it like that for now.

Is this swivel to be replaced?


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The left side had 1x0,8 and 2x0,1 shims. But the bearing was clearly dry and rusted, no good.

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I lowered the swivel support and some water came out of the swivel seal Confused .


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I know the car has been stood for a while before I bought it, maybe that's an explanation. I packed the top bearing with grease again and left the two 0,1 shims out. The swivel now pulls 4kg incl seal and the notchy feeling is gone, so that might be good until I get parts in 2/3 weeks.
Is it possible to remove the lower bearing to remove exess water and add some grease for now?

Any advice for which supplier or brand to choose?

I didn't have a chance to drive it, but I assume the wobble is found.
Post #822273 30th Mar 2020 2:46pm
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diesel_jim



Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6026

United Kingdom 2006 Defender 110 Td5 SW Epsom Green
Check your tyres as well. I had a goodyear MTR go "oval" shaped a couple of years back when on hols.

If your rover has been stood for a while then you could have flat spots on the tyres
Post #822276 30th Mar 2020 2:54pm
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excossack



Member Since: 22 Feb 2012
Location: North West
Posts: 5725

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 SW Caledonian Blue
I chased wheel wobble. In the end swapped front wheels to the back and back to the front - wheel wobble gone!

Not investigated further yet. 1999 Defender TD5 110

Regards
John M0VAZ
Econet Station 48 no clock
Post #822280 30th Mar 2020 3:22pm
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EVdV



Member Since: 26 Nov 2017
Location: Vosselaar
Posts: 53

Belgium 2006 Defender 90 Td5 ST Java Black
Yes, oval tyres are indeed possible. I have bfg all-terrain ko2's, and reading about it they seem prone to have it. It has been stationary for 1,5 year before I bought it, so its a possibility. I have swiched the wheels round, and they seem ok on the balancing machine (not jumping up and down), but you can't see weak or deformed spots in the carcass.

I will be replacing the bearings and seals either way because of the water ingress and rusted bearing.
Any advice which brand to use?
Post #822356 30th Mar 2020 7:17pm
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EVdV



Member Since: 26 Nov 2017
Location: Vosselaar
Posts: 53

Belgium 2006 Defender 90 Td5 ST Java Black
Took another shim out on the right side today and drove it aferwards, wobble is gone.

Any recommendations to which swivel and pin kit to use? Not really a fan of britpart, but I have just seen they allso have a kit with an oem swivel and timken bearings.
Post #823009 2nd Apr 2020 7:16pm
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srod



Member Since: 20 Mar 2015
Location: Argyll
Posts: 190

That sounds like the kit I used. It's listed as oem, but I think the swivel itself is Britpart. No problems with the kit though and everything went back together with no problems and I was happy with the job. Took about 7 hours spread over three evenings after work, including giving everything a good clean up. Shimming took longer than expected, several attempts to get it right.

Da3179g
https://www.paddockspares.com/swivel-kit-oem-6.html



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Post #823036 2nd Apr 2020 9:55pm
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EVdV



Member Since: 26 Nov 2017
Location: Vosselaar
Posts: 53

Belgium 2006 Defender 90 Td5 ST Java Black
Thanks, seems like I should use that kit then.
Do you have some miles on it now without special wear on the ball?

Only thing that puts me off is reports of them breaking, but then again that might be brutal use offroad.
Post #823209 3rd Apr 2020 7:25pm
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Oldowner



Member Since: 26 Dec 2018
Location: South west
Posts: 598

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Aintree Green
Fit the Britpart stainless steel swivel seal retainers while you are at it - they are excellent quality.
Post #823257 4th Apr 2020 7:02am
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