Swivel balls (not a personal problem)

[jac04]

Scotty said this repair worked because only the area of thinnest cut you can make in the seal is compromised and the cut area is placed at the top. The rest of the seal remains as stock.

The strength of the seal comes from the outer metal case. As soon as you split it, it compromises the entire seal. As you install the seal and it pushes the rubber lip against the swivel ball, the split steel case will flex and you will not get the seal contact pressure you want.

[TeriAnn]

The strength of the seal comes from the outer metal case. As soon as you split it, it compromises the entire seal. As you install the seal and it pushes the rubber lip against the swivel ball, the split steel case will flex and you will not get the seal contact pressure you want.

If you say so, but the method has worked for me for over 35 years now. There is no sign that the metal case wants to move as you turn the wheel. maybe it is the steel ring that holds everything in place.

This is just a solution I pass along that works fine long term if done correctly. Everyone is free to choose their own method of replacing the seal and I do not advocate one way over the other.

[slowmo]

Thanks for the easier fix, TeriAnn! For my first go through on the swivel balls I'll do the complete tear down because I want to know how it all works, but when I need to do it again why not the easy way!

Now that I've actually been driving the Rover I have a couple of observations. Number 1: I'm 6'3" tall and if I sit up straight I am looking at the headliner, so I have to kind of slouch to see out the windshield. I can live with that because no way I am going on a long drive in the Rover because of Number 2: Going uphill it is so slow (I don't know how slow because of the InOp slowdometer) that I am in third gear at max RPM and the line of cars behind me is honking like mad. I mean I am going cement truck slow up the hill. I would install a Roverdrive, but I have a Koenig winch already using the PTO. I guess I have a choice to make there. Number 3: Everytime I drive the damn thing I am smiling.

My 59 TR3 is completely reliable. Of course that is after a lot of bloody knuckles. I no delusions of reliability with the Rover yet, for it seems that everytime I drive it something else makes itself important. The swivel balls leaking is a reliability issue to me because a leak will be a problem, but in the case of a Series Rover I realize some leaks are designed into the truck (like the shims on the speedo housing - no way that won't leak). I like to tackle issues before something is broken.

On the swivel ball issue...the steering and suspension seems very solid. No rattling, it drives straight down the road. This makes me think that the bearings, etc in the swivel ball assembly are good to go and that I am just in it for seals. Sound about right?

Thanks.

[jac04]

If you say so ...

I'm just letting people know the way things really work, but I hate to ruin the discussion with facts.

[TeriAnn]

Now that I've actually been driving the Rover I have a couple of observations. Number 1: I'm 6'3" tall and if I sit up straight I am looking at the headliner, so I have to kind of slouch to see out the windshield.

There is not a whole lot you can do with an 88 unless you can figure out fitting a Defender windscreen and roof to your 88. The Defender windscreen is taller. With the 109 two door the behind the seat bulkhead is farther back so you can remove the back seat brackets and get the seat to recline more. makes a big difference.

that I am in third gear at max RPM and the line of cars behind me is honking like mad.

That's where an overdrive comes in. Third over is your friend. It is a gear about midway between third and fourth and is really handy when the engine cannot push fourth but has plenty of power for third. You can always sell the Koenig and buy an electric winch. By the way have you done a compression test and verified that both the vacuum and mechanical advances work? Another thing to do is have someone push the accelerator pedal to the floor and look to see if the linkage opens the carb all the way. Also, you are at altitude. Have a shop put a CO2 sniffer into your tail pipe to verify your air fuel mixture.

Could be your engine is not putting out the power it should. Or it could just be altitude.

Number 3: Everytime I drive the damn thing I am smiling.

Me too and I have been driving the silly thing for 38 years now.

My 59 TR3 is completely reliable.

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Mine too

[lumpydog]

That's where an overdrive comes in. Third over is your friend. It is a gear about midway between third and fourth and is really handy when the engine cannot push fourth but has plenty of power for third.

Hadn't thought about using OD this way… Will try it out. I mainly use OD as a 5th gear so was shifting out of it as I approached the hill, and went down to fourth. Then downshifted again, to third if I ran out of steam. I'll try OD 3rd next time I'm climbing and 3rd is too low. Thanks for the tip.

[o2batsea]

An OD does not make your Series go faster.

[TeriAnn]

An OD does not make your Series go faster.

Well it does if and only if your engine has the power to push 4 over. Back in the days of yore when I had a 2.25L four and an overdrive my engine could push it OK down hill and with a tail wind but otherwise I had to drive with the throttle all the way open to do 65 in 4 over. Hard on fuel economy. And of course the slightest uphill grade and it was 4 under. But I learned to really love 3 over in the hills and into strong headwinds.

If I'd had a healthy 2.5L for over would have been more useful.

On the other hand 4 over in the TR3 really gives the roadster long highway wings. The TR3 has the power to weight ratio to take advantage of its overdrive top gear.

[o2batsea]

TAW, you should upgrade to this engine in the 109.

[slowmo]

Good news for me. The swivel balls are quite smooth with no pitting. Since everything seems tight and it tracks straight I think I am in for just the seals. Of course the Forrest Gump in me will clean everything up so it looks like new. This little preventative maintenance project will happen sometime this summer.

Next up right now, is rechecking the fuel and ignition system. I checked the plugs (they were installed in December) and they tell me we are running rich. Cleaned them up and checked the gaps. Cleaned the points, reset and checked dwell angle. Good to go. Timing was a few degrees off. Now it's not. Vac advance checks OK. Adjusted the single barrel Weber carb (the carb and the intake manifold design is an area of weakness for these trucks-very poor fuel/air distribution). Set idle and mixture. Results: better acceleration but no better in hill climbing. If my tach is accurate I am pulling 3800-4000 RPM in third gear going 35 mph uphill (climbs 1500' in six miles to elevation of 6200'). Does this performance match others experience or should I keep looking for more power?

Also I will begin chasing electrons. None of the gauges or indicators are accurate.

[slowmo]

Old post resurrection. Did the first swivel ball (seals only) and I can certainly see TeriAnn's simplified fix will work perfectly. That's not what I did because I needed to see how the swivel is put together, but in the future I will use the simple method. Thanks.

[jcoleman]

Old post resurrection. Did the first swivel ball (seals only) and I can certainly see TeriAnn's simplified fix will work perfectly. That's not what I did because I needed to see how the swivel is put together, but in the future I will use the simple method. Thanks.

I'm getting ready to do mine--how much time should I budget for the full job?

[slowmo]

The first one took me about three hours. I work slowly and clean each part to look like new. The second one took a little less.

That said I had already removed (and cleaned) the brake backing plates, replaced the bearings, brakes etc. last December. If you haven't done any of that you'll be in for a bit more time. I would then budget one day to do the first one if you haven't been in there at all yet. Note how the top brake springs are connected (even take a pic). Everyone puts them on the wrong way the first time.

Usually the biggest delays are caused by forgetting to get one or more of the parts. Good luck!

[jcoleman]

The first one took me about three hours. I work slowly and clean each part to look like new. The second one took a little less.

That said I had already removed (and cleaned) the brake backing plates, replaced the bearings, brakes etc. last December. If you haven't done any of that you'll be in for a bit more time. I would then budget one day to do the first one if you haven't been in there at all yet. Note how the top brake springs are connected (even take a pic). Everyone puts them on the wrong way the first time.

Usually the biggest delays are caused by forgetting to get one or more of the parts. Good luck!

Great--Thanks for the feedback! Looking forward to one less puddle on the garage floor.