andy85

Active Member
Noticed on my td5 these are going to need attention for the mot.No knocking but the dust boots have split on one and slightly perished on another.
Can you get just the boots? Can they be changed without removing the ball joints,which I understand are pressed in??
 
You can get cheap ones off ebay, just need to get under there and measure up your sizes. Getting the retaining rings on can be tricky. I would consider changing the balljoint that has a split boot cos it likely wont be far behind if its lost its grease

Yes they can be fitted after seperating them, no need to remove completely
 
You can buy just the boots but in my experience the ball joints will not be far behind so worth considering just changing the complete ball joint for what they cost.
 
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Yeah that’s probably most sensible.
Is there a specific tool that makes it easier?
Also what make balljoints are to go for and which to avoid?
Thanks for taking the time to reply
 
lemforder ftc3570 and ftc3571, you need a hydraulic jack/ puller to push them out and in ,similar to this
 
As @jamesmartin has said, you'll need some serious pressing power to get the old ball joints out and press the new ones into place.
Frankly, it the kind of job which I would gladly hand over to the garage.
On one more point, I had a failing dust boot and I did speak the garage about it. I was informed that the MoT will allow certain kinds of repairs to the boot instead of pulling it all to bit to replace them. Talk to your garage.
 
Excellent thanks for the replies.Thought they would be in tight I have nowt like that to push them in or out lol
 
Excellent thanks for the replies.Thought they would be in tight I have nowt like that to push them in or out lol

If you do a search then you will see a large g clamp kit with fittings is available and is used.

Youtube used to have a vid of some ozzies doing the change using this kit.

Cheers
 
Excellent thanks for the replies.Thought they would be in tight I have nowt like that to push them in or out lol
Make sure that wherever you decide to take the Disco to replace the ball joints that they do the job cold. I have heard of some who might be tempted to "just use a bit of heat".
If a garage suggests that would be the way that they would do the job, walk away.
 
Make sure that wherever you decide to take the Disco to replace the ball joints that they do the job cold. I have heard of some who might be tempted to "just use a bit of heat".
If a garage suggests that would be the way that they would do the job, walk away.
Brian, why don't you like heat being used? Seen a lot of video where they do. Got mine to do.
Griff
 
Brian, why don't you like heat being used? Seen a lot of video where they do. Got mine to do.
Griff

I’m no metallurgist, but as far as I’m aware heating can cause fundamental changes to the molecular structure of the steel thereby weakening it.

RAVE shows the ball joints being pressed out and in again cold, so if it’s good enough for LR, it’s good enough for me.

Apart from which, LR recommend replacing the ball joints no more than three times, due to the possible stretching of the holes in the suspension arms, and that each time a replacement is made a yellow paint mark is applied close to the ball joint to indicate how many times they have been replaced.

Application of heat from a flame will erase those marks making it impossible to ascertain how many times the joints have been replaced.
 
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As James has said, heat is not good for the strength of the knuckle & isn't necessary. I and many other D2 owners have changed all the ball joints on the drive using the "big G clamp tool" that various sellers have on ebay etc. The tools cost typically around £45 ~ 50, so factor the cost in with good ball joints (eg Lemforder) when comparing the cost with a garage quote.
 
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