MONTHLY TECHNICAL

Pull out

10 Once the tie rod end ball joint has been separated from the wheel knuckle, the steering linkage tie rod can be released from the knuckle.

Pry bar help

13 Working under the Discovery and using a pry bar, the end of the halfshaft going into the differential is gently worked out and released from the differential housing.

Same again

16 This shorter left-hand drive halfshaft is removed in the exact same way as for the right hand. This shaft also had excessive play in the CV joints.

Forcing it down

11 Using a pry bar under the anti-roll bar, the lower control arm is pushed down, allowing the wheel knuckle assembly to be released from the upper control arm.

Removed

14 Now that it is released from the differential housing, the complete drive halfshaft assembly can now be pulled out and removed from the vehicle.

Pulling shaft out

12 With the wheel knuckle released from the upper control arm, and the steering linkage tie rod moved clear, the halfshaft is ready to be pulled free.

Checked

15 With the shaft removed, the full extent of the play in the CV joint could be felt, despite there being no signs of damage to the rubber boots.

Feeding in

18 With an assistant working under the vehicle, each of the two drive halfshafts are carefully fed between the steering components towards the differential housing.

Pushing into place

20 In a similar manner, the splines at the inboard ends of the halfshafts are coated with anti-seize grease, aligned, and pushed home into the wheel knuckle hub assembly.

Reconnect and tighten Push together Tighten very tight Alignment

19 After first aligning the splines of the drive halfshafts with those of the diff, the halfshafts are pushed into position (splines were treated with anti-seize grease).

Reassembly

22 The wheel knuckle is refitted to the upper control arm ball joint and the retaining nut tightened, pulling the knuckle fully into position, then torqued to 70 Nm.

Part specific