Ball joint boot query

[KarlG]

Hi guys. I drive a Prado120 series with around 230000km on the clock and have just replaced all the steering and suspension bushes as well as the front wheel bearings and the upper and lower ball joints. The left front lower ball joint boot is higher up than the right hand side one (see pictures attached) but I have been assured this is ok and the seal is tight even though I can see a bit of the bolt on the left and not the right. I'd appreciate some advice whether this is something I should worry about or not. Trying to avoid getting stuck in the bush with a damaged ball joint due to mud, water or sand getting in. Thanks Karl

[Stringb3an]

I would not accept that, not in a long shot. Who did the work?

The boot is not a cosmetic thing, it has a function.

I wont believe that it is going to be 100% if you were to do a muddy river crossing or something like that.

Some boots have 2x clips one on the top and one on bottom. Some just sit snug on the bottom, in which case you may need to release the suction a bit and work the boot down to the control arm.

[bfreesani]

That boot just gets tighter, and with a better seal, as it moves up the shaft taper which is wider closer to the ball joint end anyway. Besides the possibility of rust on that exposed section, I doubt the seal is compromised, or this would cause problems with the ball joint.

When I moved to the Teknorot product, the shaft size was so much more "beefy", that the boot would sit like that one in the pic. The shaft just had more exposed as it did not go in as deep in the pitman. The 15mm lift you score, was left as a gap on the shaft where the boot could not reach.

IFS ball joints and tie rods are service items anyhow, and cheap and easy to replace. Give them a bit of red rubber grease or similar to allow easy removal.

[KarlG]

Thanks guys