Thinking of tackling the dreaded ball joint replacement myself (facepalm) after noticing the passenger lower has a small tear in the boot, but I can't seem to find info on the correct size ball joint separator / pickle fork to use? Anyone know if it's an 11/16", 15/16", 21/32" or other sized opening?

 

Don't recall the size off hand. I've done ball joints on Disco's twice. The $150 or so to pay someone else to do it is money well spent to free yourself from that particular job. I effing hate ball joints. I'd rather replace a transmission.

 

to do the Ball joints you need a serious press like this one, and even then you may struggle, so go on line a watch a few you tube videos before you even start the job or buy the kit

 

DiscoID, you may not need to replace the ball joints if all you are seeing is a small tear in the rubber boot.

The owner of a very well respected Rovers-only shop here says he's seen ball joints hold up and not need to be replaced for years after the rubber boots were shot. That's been the case with my truck for many years too, and they're more shredded (not just a small tear).

To test whether or not the ball joints in your truck need to be replaced, jack up one front wheel at a time, just enough to get a crowbar or other pry bar under the tire. Lift up on the tire and see if you can detect any vertical play. If you can't detect any play, the ball joints are still good. Check again every once in a while (maybe at each oil change or every other one).

And BTW, as I've written other times in this forum, this is one job I will likely pay a shop to do, if and when the time comes. I've done everything else on my truck the last 12 years, including headgaskets, but I've read too many horror stories here about ball joints to want to tackle them. Just my 2 cents.

 

who the hell is charging $150 total? It's a 3 hour per side job at my rover specialist mechanic. $600 plus parts. another specialist literally told me no when I asked for a quote.

 

same with me. boots are all kinds of messed up. no issues. it's on my list, but not pertinent at the moment.

 

Regular mechanic. This is not a job that necessitates a Rover specialist, anyone can do ball joints. I just picked mine up from having them done last night.

Also, if a shop is charging you 3 hours per side they're gouging you. I can do them that quick with substandard tools in my gravel driveway, and I'm not doing it day in/day out.

Let it be known that all ball joint presses are not created equally. Check out this video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw_ePOeOXcY

 

then you are impressively fast. you can do all 4 in an hour or two? wild. labor rates in nashville are $100-$130 an hour.

 

No, I said I personally could do all four in six hours. Three hours per side. A shop should be able to do them in half that time.

And if you were willing to drive into the surrounding areas outside Nashville you could probably cut your labor rate roughly in half.

 

that makes a lot more sense. Cut in half though is still $300. more reasonable for sure, but there's no way any shop is charging $150 for all 4, which is what my point was.

cheers