Ok so recently when I am driving my disco and hit a bump or uneven surface the rover feels like its moving or sliding right to left. It feels the body is shifting ever so slightly. Has anybody else experience this issue and if yes, whats the fix? New springs, shocks?

 

Check your Watts linkage bushing at the rear axle. Just replaced the ones in our 03, literally ten minutes ago, test drive and it feels totally different/better. They would actually make a knocking noise as you drove slow over rough terrain...and it felt like the backend was constantly going from side to side when at highway speeds or on a rough section of road.

Brian.

 

Hi Brian

I am about to replace my Watts and Panhard linkage bushes, I've had them all for months so another job to be done asap. It's great to hear from someone who's done theirs as mine suffers from the occasional knocking noises on rough roads and I'm sure it'll make a hell of a difference to the ride quality.

CJ

 

Watts linkage bushings are on my short list of things to tackle.
What tonnage press do you figure is needed to take care of removing the old and installing the new?

 

From what I have read a 10 ton press should cope adequately provided any of the bushes is not too stubborn. Anything larger than 10 tons will be a bonus.

 

Hello CJ,

Yes, the new bushings at the upper and lower position of the center control link were the worse. I'd bought all five bushings, upper/lower, center and both outers from Atlantic British.

All three of the center control link pressed in and out as expected.

The outer bushing on the control arm pressed out fine...but I could not get the new one in, no way, no how. It looked to big to fit from the beginning, but tried to get it in anyway. Actually ended up cracking the plastic housing of the bushing (and who in their right mind...makes a bushing with a plastic outer housing), so I pressed the old bushing back in (there wasn't anything wrong with them anyway, just wanted to do all of them since it was a part). Old bushing has a plastic outer housing, too, but slipped right in.

They actually sell two different outer bushings, original and a cheaper aftermarket...I'm not sure which outer bushings I bought...though, "I thought" I got all original. I'll check in a bit...parts are in the garage.

Side note, upon installation of the linkage...if the body is on jack stands while making this repair...do not completely tighten any of the bolts on the upper and lower bushings or the outer bushings until you jack the axle up into its natural position. If you tighten all of the bolts to torque spec before lowering the vehicle or with the axle hanging...when vehicle is lowered...it will twist the rubber portion of the bushing constantly...causing premature failure. You want the bushings to be in a relaxed position when tightened. The bushing is intended to twist when you drive over rough terrain and the axle articulates, whereas, the twisting motion will be momentarily.

For the most part, the job wasn't that bad. Kind of wish I'd have done it on a hoist/lift...but the hoist already had another vehicle on it.

Anyhow, good luck.

Brian.

 

Many thanks Brian. I'll bear in mind the bolt tightening when the truck is back on it's wheels which makes a lot of sense. I suppose it would be OK to remove the stands from under the frame/chassis and put them under the rear axle thereby transferring the load in theory onto the anxle/wheels before finally tightening the Watts linkage bolts. Again this routine would also apply to some extent to the Panhard rod bushes at the front albeit these seem in far better condition than the Watts linkage bushes. I believe my bushes for both the Watts and Panhard are aftermarket, Allmakes I recall, hope they stand the test of time as the LR ones did.