The boots on the upper front wishbone ball joints are torn. Are the ball joints replaceable or do you have to buy the whole a frame?

The ball joint is still tight but with no zerk it will wear faster.

I ordered tie rod ends as those are torn also.

04 XJ8 VDP.

 

AFAIK you cannot buy the boots separately, but you could see if you can find a scrap one at a shop and ask if you could have the old boots, as they may be OK to reuse. SOmetimes these things fail due to the inner joints failing, not the ball joint.

 

Is the ball joint replaceable?

 

anyone?

 

The ball joints are not available from Jaguar, but might be around on the 'net. If you can find them, you need an accurate mandrel to press out/press in the old and new balljoint. Boiling water poured over the wishbone near the ball joint will be beneficial in allowing an easy press out/in, due to the large coefficient of expansion of aluminium.

 

I have not been able to find any.. I assume they are pressed in and out? I don't know what kind of crappy Jaguar uses but I noticed that the rear tie rods have no boots at all.

 

On my car there are two transparent boots top and bottom of the rod fixing at the outer end by the brake disc, but what there is at the other end, I don't know, but here's a pic of the assembly. Looks like boots both ends to me.



However, this doesn't solve your front upper wishbone problem ! I would repeat my advice - look for a used one to see if you can reuse the boot. The wishbones here in the UK from one internet supplier cost about £165 before tax/postage. For that money you get 1 x balljoint, 2 x inner bushes, and the wishbone itself, an aluminium forging. Its not a bad price frankly. Another UK supplier wants £272 and another £279 !! I am not sure where the difference comes from. Of course if you need both it gets expensive. DO be aware that this kind of thing, (non-repairable assemblies) are in widespread use in the auto industry, its not just Jaguar.

 

The ball joints are not replaceable-if the joint is worn you need a new wishbone.

 

Thanks. The ball joints are still tight as I said but the failure of the POS boots will hasten their demise. Guess I could put a zerk in them.

Same goes for rear tie rods. Planned obsolescence!

Still love the car though.