Front end wear and tear

[Kwigzy]

Hi all, im only new to rovers and to this forum so here goes... I purchased a 97 300tdi for STUFF ALL in pretty good nick. Took it for a drive and found front end wobble at speed. No dramas. Im the sort of person who likes to replace wheel bearings, hoses, fluids, etc etc when I first buy a car cause thats how I roll. I keep my gear running perfect. So I pulled the front end apart this week and was truly amazed at the amount of damage to all the components. What has me more concerned is that I didnt feel any of it while driving except for the speed wobble. My question is (being my first 4x4) are there any tell tale signs of wear or impending doom that can prevent this sort of damage? Im rebuilding the whole front axle this weekend so im not expecting any problems for a few years but still, I was shocked. I really would prefer not to be doing 120k/h down the highway when one of my front wheels decides to take a vacation....

[Spike555]

Without knowing how many miles are on your truck I cant say if the damage you saw was fronm abuse, neglect or just plain old wear and tear.
The "death wobble" if left untreated will speed up the wear and tear process.
That is caused by worn out or loose swivel pins, there are 2 on each side, one on top of and one on the bottom of each swivel ball.
The odds of one of your front wheels going rouge is very slim, both wheels are connected to one another twice, once in the front of the axle and once behind the axle.
You have the steering rod in the front and the track rod in the back, odds of both of them breaking at once is very slim.
Remember these are built to take tons of abuse so they are very sturdy.

[Kwigzy]

Thanks mate, disco has 290 000k's on it. From the look of the car its been looked after so I think its just plain wear. Definitely hasn't been abused. Very clean and tidy.

I know the wheels wont fall off what I meant was "failure while im camping for having fun" I like to keep all my stuff in top condition.

I purchased new everything for the front end including the upper swivel bushes and bearings, feels silky smooth now, just finished putting it back together. I guess maybe annual inspection???

[Spike555]

Yes a annual inspection would not be a bad idea, but you should feel anything out of the ordinary if you drive it most of the time and not your wife for example.
My wife is pretty good at telling me when something is not quite right with her car but I can usually spot problems before they become actual problems.

[Kwigzy]

Sweet, annual inspection it is. I wish my wife could tell if somethings wrong... she would probably drive on flat tires without noticing

[Spike555]

Lol!!!

[Disco Mike]

Saw you post and after reading it, sounds like you are doing all the is needed, make sure to check the rear diff also and if you can find it, consider using an 85W/140 gear oil for better wear protection, including the t/case.