- Joined
- Feb 17, 2006
- Messages
- 18,162
- Car(s)
- '12 MX-5 PRHT, '02 Freelander, '90 Disco 1 Bobtail
The US experience is that most of the time when a Disco starts having death wobble and it isn't alignment or wheel/tire balance/belt shift related, it's the swivel pins. The swivel pins don't 'seem' to be bad and pass a shake or pry test. However, that turns out to be a false sense of security. Usually the swivel pins are indeed worn out; this only comes to light when you take the suspension down to the point where you can check the swivel pin preload.
That's certainly possible, there are varying opinions on the UK forums about whether or not you should be able to detect wear without taking the whole thing apart. I'm familiar with the spring balance technique and would use that for mine, it isn't a massive undertaking to strip it to that point. With the offside swivel at least I'd be tempted to unbolt the whole thing from the axle tube and again swap it for the known good part on Keely, the axle oil needs replacing anyway. Saves messing with setting wheel bearings.
I'd have to set the bearing on the other side as I already swapped the good hub from Keely but that's one less job to do and I can be picky over stub axle quality.
Maybe I can just try the pins first, although I won't know if the taper roller bearings inside are worn without swapping the housings.