Lower ball joint boot damage?

Hey guys so I’ve been hitting the trails in Cleghorn and so cal around 1-2 times a month this year and I decided to inspect the underside of the truck when I noticed my drivers side lower ball joint boot was seeping grease.


Is this any cause for great concern? Expected? Any one deal with this before? Solution?

thanks in advance.

 

Ran across this ..... Just FYI ... https://www.suspension.com/blog/how-to-grease-ball-joints/#sealedballjointinstructions

 

Ya that happens. As long as there is grease it’s good. You can add more with a grease needle.

Otherwise when it dies, have it replaced

 

So you guys are saying I don’t need to replace anything?

 

As long as it’s not loose or degraded. a broken seal isn’t a big deal.

 

I would replace it. Probably be fine for a while, but it'll eventually develop play and start chewing up your tires. Dealt with this on my 99 4Runner and our 2010 f-150. Use OEM parts.

 

Mine have looked the same for almost a year, everything will weep tie rods, ball joints ect, like another said if the boot is not tore and is allowing contaminates to get inside like water and dirt it will be fine, wipe it down and look at it every once in a while and you’re good.

 

based on my experience with my 3rd gen runner, the Toyota joints don’t leak grease unless the boot is damaged. They’re not greasable, so you can’t add more. On the older trucks an LBJ failure was catastrophic, the new design is better.

 

You can they make grease needles for this. All joints with a boot are greasable.

 

One of mine started doing the same a year or so ago. Dealer even noticed @ a free oil change and didn’t offer to fix. There’s still plenty of grease in there and I expect it to last many years to come

 

I have an appointment at the dealer tomorrow. Will my warranty cover it? Drivetrain?

 

Doubtful because of our lift kits, but please let us know if your dealer does. Keep the paperwork for the details!

 

Ok will do.

 

The problem is, once the boot is torn, even if you can put new grease in it...dirt and debris can work it's way into the joint. Once that happens your ball joint is compromised.

On 1st gens this is a big deal because a ball joint failure means your wheel is coming off, I'm not sure how likely that is on the newer design but still.

I'm surprised they don't put dust boot covers over the grease boots on them like they do on the newer 1st gens

 

Said if I was under 36k miles they would cover it... I’m at 39k welp!

 

Apparently I have to purchase entire lower control arm!!!

$850 for the job...so I guess I’ll look elsewhere for a replacement or might as well upgrade lower control arms

 

I don't think you "have" to replace the entire arm, but it's much easier to apparently do it that way on 2nd/3rd gens from what I've heard. Part of the new/better design over how it was with 1st gens, though with 1st gens they are super easy to replace just the ball joint.

Guess you get to either have an easy to replace lower ball joint that might fail on you and cause a fatal accident, or a hard to replace one that will be much safer but cost more in parts/labor when you do have to replace it lol.

 

The third gen lower control arm has a nonservicable ball joint. I have not found a replacement joint for them in my searches.

 

Do they normally not come with some kind of rubber dust shield around the boot to protect it from debris (like the later 1st gens have)? Seems odd to me that they wouldn't especially if they aren't serviceable and require the whole arm to be replaced when they get compromised

 

My mechanic friend said it’s not that bad either...I l have been hearing a squeaking noise for some time now. I for sure think the l squeaking noise coming from they joint.
I hear it when breaking or accelerating/turning. Like sudden movements.