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Home > Technical > How to fit new wishbone (lower arm) and track rod end

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kav1187

Member Since: 04 Apr 2012
Location: SX
Posts: 307

2006 Range Rover Sport TDV6 HSE Bonatti Grey

How to fit new wishbone (lower arm) and track rod end

Hi Guys,

Here's how I changed my front wishbones (lower arms) and track rod ends. Pics are also available in my gallery on the RRS site.

Tools:

Jack
Axle Stand
Locking wheel nut key

5mm allen key
10mm long socket or with extender
15mm spanner
18mm socket or spanner
21mm socket
21mm spanner
24mm spanner x2
32mm Socket
hammer
Torque Wrench
Wire Brush
Thin flat bladed screwdriver

Consumables
Copper Grease
WD40

Torque Settings:
Track rod end ball joint nut - 70nm
Track rod end locking nuts - 53nm
Shock absorber and spring assembly to lower arm bolt - 300nm
Lower arm ball joint retaining nut - 115nm
Lower arm bolts - 275nm
Hub Nut - 230nm
Wheel bolts - 140nm

Torque settings taken from this page:
http://www.rrsport.co.uk/gallery/albums/us...ension.jpg

Time: 2 - 3 hours per side

Prep:
Lower vehicle to access height
Lock vehicle in access height
Apply Electronic Park Brake (EPB)

Step 1
Using a thin, flat bladed screwdriver, carefully prise the centre cap out.

Click image to enlarge

Step 2
Using the 32mm socket, loosen the hub nut but do not remove

Click image to enlarge

Step 3
Loosen but do not remove the wheel nuts

Click image to enlarge

Step 4
Lower vehicle to access height and lock. Apply EPB then steer the wheels full lock towards the side you will be working on.

Click image to enlarge

Step 5
jack the vehicle up remembering to use axle stands to support the weight. Remove the wheel nuts and remove the wheel

Step 6
Locate the track rod end and spray the nuts with WD40. Use a wire brush to remove rust, especially on the nut located on the track rod itself.

Click image to enlarge

Step 7
Using two 24mm spanners, undo the nut on the track rod.

Click image to enlarge

Step 8
Using an 18mm spanner, undo and remove the nut on the hub carrier. If the thread spins whilst you are trying to undo the nut, you may need to use a 5mm allen key to counter turn.

Click image to enlarge

Step 9
Undo the nut on the track rod and mark the point on the thread where the track rod end stops. This will ensure you put your replacement track rod end in the same position as the old one, so your tracking should be almost the same as before.

Step 10
Using a 15mm spanner, turn the track rod enough for it to loosen the thread within the track rod end.

Click image to enlarge

Step 11
Use a splitter tool to separate the track rod end from the hub carrier.

Click image to enlarge

do not break the tool

Click image to enlarge

Step 12
My replacement track rod end was slightly different to the one fitted to my RRS. Not sure if it's a discovery one or a newer item. I just have to take this into account when re-fitting onto the track rod.

Click image to enlarge

Screw the new track rod end onto the track rod, upto the point you marked in step 9 (take into account any difference in length between old and new track rod ends)

Tighten the nut on the track rod.

Click image to enlarge

Wishbone time....

Step 13
Leave the track rod separated from the hub carrier for the time being.

Remove the rear-most undertray by undoing the six 10mm bolts.

Click image to enlarge

Step 14
Spray WD40 on all the nuts and bolts connected to the wishbone. There are 3 bolts/nuts connected to the wishbone, as well as a ball joint with a nut on the underside of the hub carrier.

Here's the end result of what you're working with...

Click image to enlarge

Step 15
After the WD40 has had a chance to soak in, mark out the position of the eccentric cams at both the bolt end and the nut end. I did this by spraying primer around it. This will ensure that the tracking will be fairly similar once the new wishbone is in place.

Click image to enlarge

Step 16
Loosen and remove the four 24mm nuts around the wishbone.

Front

Click image to enlarge

Rear

Click image to enlarge

Suspension Strut

Click image to enlarge

Front of suspension strut (21mm)

Click image to enlarge

Lower Ball Joint

Click image to enlarge

Step 17
Remove the nut from the driveshaft (loosened in step 2) and push the driveshaft towards the engine so it pops out of the hub carrier. You may need to give it some gentle persuasion with a hammer and centre punch.

Step 18
Remove the suspension strut bolt.

Click image to enlarge

Step 19
Remove the lower ball joint from the hub carrier. You may need to use the splitter again - mine just hammered out.

Click image to enlarge

Step 20
You should be left with this.

Click image to enlarge

If your bolts are siezed inside the bush like my rear one was then having the wishbone in this position will give you a good angle to work with.

The siezed rear bolt

Click image to enlarge

I kept turning the bolt and fighting against the springiness of the bush, regularly spraying WD40. The bush eventually gave way and I was able to pull the bolt out without having to cut it.

Click image to enlarge

The bolt had rusted and siezed to the sleeve of the bush:

Click image to enlarge

Step 21
Pull all the bolts out and remove the wishbone.

Step 22
Gather new bolt/eccentric cam/washer/nut

Click image to enlarge

Apply anti-sieze copper grease to the bolts to prevent them siezing inside the bushes.

Click image to enlarge

I fitted my new wishbone in this order:

1) Lower ball joint to hub carrier (and line up driveshaft at this point)
2) Suspension strut
3) Rear Bolt
4) Front Bolt

Once the bolts are through, make sure that the eccentric cams fit in exactly the same place as before. This is where the markings made in step 15 are useful.

Click image to enlarge

Step 23
Hand tighten the four 24mm nuts. I am told that they should be torque tightened once the car is sitting on the ground at normal ride height.

Step 24
Connect the track rod end to the hub carrier. Torque tighten the 18mm nut.

Click image to enlarge

step 25
Fit driveshaft nut but do not torque tighten just yet.

Step 26
Fit wheel and hand tighten the wheel nuts. Remove the axle stands and lower the car.

Step 27
Tighten hub nut to 230nm (used to be 275 but LR reduced it to 230 to put less stress on the bearings).

Click image to enlarge

Step 28
Jack up the car. Remove the wheel and make a notch in the hub nut using a flat chisel.

Step 29
Fit wheel and nuts, lower the car and torque tighten wheel nuts to 140nm

Step 30
Fit centre cap

Click image to enlarge

Step 31
Take the locking wheel nut out of the wheel

Step 32
Raise the suspension to normal ride height and torque tighten the four 24mm nuts.

Step 33
Attach the rear undertray (six 10mm bolts)

Step 34
Get the tracking done.

Give yourself a pat on the back - you've just saved yourself approx Â£400

Sat Nov 17 2012 1:43am

aljo

Member Since: 13 Jun 2006
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 3243

2011 Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 HSE Santorini Black

Excellent "how to" post

stick it in the "wiki" awwww we dont have one on here ?

Sat Nov 17 2012 9:41am

kav1187

Member Since: 04 Apr 2012
Location: SX
Posts: 307

Thanks Aljo

We don't have a wiki on here, however I have put together a definitive list of 'how to' guides at the top of the technical section:

http://rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic28424.html

If you know of any more let me know and I'll add them in

Sat Nov 17 2012 11:01am

Paddi

Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 1563

2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Java Black

Thanks Kav that's a great contribution. So much more useful than a manual Interesting to see you managed it with just the 'customer' jack and no phaffing about with removing fuses, turning on the hazards, opening a door etc etc (let's not start that debate again for God's sake). 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

Sat Nov 17 2012 4:18pm

kav1187

Member Since: 04 Apr 2012
Location: SX
Posts: 307

Thanks for the kind words Paddi

I initially used the LR jack to lift it enough to get my 3 ton Halfords jack under the chasis as the side steps make it too low to get the big jack under the car

I've found that if you lock it in access mode then it doesn't try to auto level. Either that or my sensors are ed

Sun Nov 18 2012 12:11am

mse

Member Since: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 2916

Access mode locked will stop it auto levelling use that on the ferry Mike

2014 Facelift Discovery

Sun Nov 18 2012 11:02am

Tiny Timmy

Member Since: 20 May 2011
Location: Bucks
Posts: 233

2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 Autobiography Orkney Grey

Excellent pics and description Thanks , just what this Forum is about, well done

Sun Nov 18 2012 9:56pm

kluklut

Member Since: 23 Mar 2010
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 45

2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6 HSE Adriatic Blue

Wow! thanks for this. Really astonishing what such you can accomplish with so few tools!

Wed Feb 06 2013 2:12pm

RRSTDV8

Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 8971

2012 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Orkney Grey

I don't fancy doing this on the road side (no driveway) so I'm sadly paying someone else to do mine next week. They're charging for 2 hours work to do it (total of £540 +VAT!!)

I might ask them to do the track rod ends at the same time just for the hell of it. Not sure. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Wed Feb 06 2013 4:44pm

Bodsy
Site Sponsor

Member Since: 03 Feb 2007
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 2162

If youre having the track rod ends changed, it's definately worth changing the inner track rods as well. Inners seem to wear twice as much as the ends.

About £100 for both sides (plus fitting of course)

Nice right up Kav. Bodsys Brake Bible
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Wed Feb 06 2013 11:19pm

kav1187

Member Since: 04 Apr 2012
Location: SX
Posts: 307

Thanks Chaps - I've got the inner track rods too so when I do my driver's side I'll take some pics and add to the guide Want to do a DIY job on your car? Check out the definitive 'how to' thread in the technical section

http://rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic28424.html

Fri Feb 08 2013 2:38pm

Disco_Mikey

Member Since: 08 Apr 2012
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 4393

2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged HSE Santorini Black

The inner track rods are around £15 each, and T.R.E's another £15 each or so. If you are interested in buying the kit, it is actually cheaper to buy all the parts individually

That said, I have never had to replace the inner track rods on an RRS. Done hundreds on D3's, but never an RRS...

Sun Feb 10 2013 5:06pm

RRSTDV8

Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 8971

Just got mine back from the dealer. Took 2 days to replace the front lower arms. Apparently much "swearing and throwing of hammers" was involved. They had to cut them off in the end. Glad I didn't try it myself and also glad it was done on a price so the extra hours involved didn't cost me.

I asked them to look at the track rod ends. They inform me that they're ok and don't need replacing but I wonder if that's just because they've seen enough of my vehicle for now... 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Thu Feb 14 2013 6:39pm

Disco_Mikey

Member Since: 08 Apr 2012
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 4393

2 days?

It takes 2 hours to replace them... whether they need cutting off or not

Fri Feb 15 2013 6:58am

RRSTDV8

Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 8971

Fair enough. Judging by some of their work previously I could see them spending a day trying to undo one bolt... 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Fri Feb 15 2013 10:05am

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