Looking for some technical advice on replacing the front bottom ball joints. Busy doing the front springs and the the bottom ball joints on the wish bone as I couldn't find a suitable tool to split the tapper. Anyway thought I'd have to replace the full wish bone assembly as the ball joints are riveted on. Checked with a few places and found you can get the ball joints on their own with three nuts& bolts to go in place of the rivits, so got them.
Plan was to carefully grind off the tops of the rivets, support the wish bone and knock them through.
Just finished grinding off one side but can't see the rivets. It appears to be all the same metal. Don't want to go any further into the wish bone.
Anyone already done this and can give some advice or have I just been sold the wrong parts and need to replace the lot.
Thanks. Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Not done this myself but, after separating the lower control arm from the wheel knuckle, could you not drill off the rivet heads from above and knock them through along with the ball joint and thus not risk grinding the lower arm. Jules

From manual

The control arm is a pressed steel fabrication. The outer end is fitted with a non-serviceable taper ball joint which mates with the wheel knuckle. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

I have always changed the full arm you get to do the 2 bushes as well. It,s a fun job get a friend to help, a good strong one

Thanks for the replies.
Already used a grinder to remove the tops of the rivets but can't get the rest out.

Local parts supplies looked up the car and showed separate ball joint assembly.

Also looked up replacement wishbones and these had bolt on ball joints.

Checked an online LR supplier and they showed wishbones with riveted ball joint assembly. As they are the same as what's on now have ordered a pair of them.

Don't know what's going on. Maybe the ones with bolt on ball joints are for a later model or could just be a different after market type. Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

ianbevan wrote:

I have always changed the full arm you get to do the 2 bushes as well. It,s a fun job get a friend to help, a good strong one

Its definitely not a fun job ian.
Started off with one broken spring, starting to spiral now.
Needed a meter long breaker bar on some of the nuts and bolts.

But the car is almost 9 years old and they are the original parts.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Had the same fun with a previous car (FL1?) the original was a riveted assembly, but aftermarket ball joints were available that required the rivets to be drilled out, old ball joint drifted out, and new one fitted using bolts.

Worked fine, next MOT the wishbone bushes needed replacing - so I bought a complete assembly. Quicker to fit than messing about with bushes, and it's fit and forget.
To me time is more important than money, in more than one way, if the car is off the road, I don't earn, If I don't turn up at work it's a good chance I will be replaced by another contractor pretty quick. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner