1999 Toyota 4Runner Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

Has anyone tried Beck Arnley lower ball joints?

I'm sure some have used them, but let me make an observation...
Of all of the hundreds or thousands of parts in the whole wide world you can get for your 3rd gen 4Runner, the ONE that EVERYBODY AGREES shouldn't be aftermarket is the lower ball joints. Spend the $110 each.

Yes they have. They lasted to the end of the driveway and then they got the I TOLD YOU SO from anyone who has done even the tiniest amount of research on the subject.


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OEM balljoints or nothing is what I got out of all this. Got it. Thank you all. Newby here and do not want to die driving my new to me 4runner.

I’m having zero problems with greaseable CarQuest Lower Ball Joints.


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I'm an engineer and failure analyst for a heavy equipment manufacturer and this whole lower ball joint issue really interests me. I have no doubts that there are poorly made products on the market that will fail after a very short period in service, but I also believe there are many other factors at play that end up obscuring the true root cause:

1. Lifted vehicles. Strong possibility that the ball joints with stock geometry were never designed for the stress'/angles that people are placing on them by adding lifts. This is already commonly discussed. I know very little of ball joint design other than their basic assembly and operation, so I won't comment any further to avoid speculating.

2. Installer error. After searching multiple threads, I rarely see any comments about this possibility. Even with qualified technicians, workmanship issues are an everyday concern. Now replace that qualified technician with a DIYer like most of us on here, and that risk explodes. Dont get me wrong, I am in no way criticising the good people on these forums. Whether it is a hobby or a necessitiy, working on your 4Runner is a great thing to learn how to do. (I also do not by any means consider myself to be a qualified technician.) Incorrect installation such as misalignment of guide dowels, improper bolt torque, improper lubricant type or quantity, contamination, and many other factors are real world concerns that will cut a ball joint's life in half or less.

I won't offer any advice or try and steer users any one way or another. When in doubt, OEM is the best option when possible. However, the "ONLY OEM HERE IS A LINK" claims seem quite anecdotal. Yes, if you buy a shady LBJ for $15 from amazon/ebay, may God have mercy on you; however, there are other reputable brands. No mainstream automotive parts company wants to design and manufacture a product that will kill its consumers. That is bad buisness.

My biggest reason for this rant is availability. Where I live, OEM LBJs cost in the neighborhood of $400 CAD for one. I cannot justify putting that in my ~$2500 CAD 4Runner and have opted for other brands (namely ACDelco Professional line). If you opt for a reputable brand and are still concerned, check for end play as per the service manual every oil change as susggested by other members.

So when this topic is innevitably brought up again for the 356th time, commenting "ONLY OEM" may be logical for my friends south of the border, but consider adding other constructive thoughts/facts lest there be a lowly Canadian listening in and buying OEM means remortgaging the house.

As an aside, if you are unfortunate enough to have one of yours fail, feel free to message me pics. I don't know what I will be able to determine just from looking at it, but maybe I could see something of value for the community's sake.

I'm running 555 purchased from Lowrange about 6 months ago. However my truck isn't a DD. These LBJs only have 1200 miles on them in that time frame but have been fine so far and still smooth movement.

Hey fellow Canadian,

Check out these guys, I order all my major purchases from them. Shipping takes a week or two so plan accordingly. How long have you been here and why didn't you just ask?? We could have saved you some hard feelings and a lot of typing.

1999 Toyota 4Runner LUXURY(-0008),LIMITED(0008-) 3400CC EFI, AUTOMATIC 4-SPEED Joint assembly, lower ball, front left. Joint, ball. Joint, ball - 4334039465 | Toyota Parts Direct, London ON

$172.68 per side in Canada in Canadian dollars. I have just saved you $454.64 and now the AC delcos don't look like such a bargain.

Or pick up your major purchases in the US next time you are down, about $110 US per side. I have a new spare set in my parts bin for future use.

I feel OEM is worth the premium but that is my experience and my opinion only. I look forward to your future input, maybe they are as good as OEM but I'm not going to try myself.

No hard feelings at all! You made some great observations in your first post (edit: mistook another comment as yours). My comment was just to highlight some other possible reasons for the low-hour ball joint failures people have experienced with after-market parts.

Thanks for the link, though. I have come across that website before and nearly ordered the ball joints from them. The premium line options from Rockauto with a known reputation are just too hard to ignore for half the price. If I notice issues with my ACDelco LBJs, I will be sure to say so.

Well if install error can be a reason for failure. Looks to be a simple bolt on process. What exactly is the proper way to install these?

Not my intent to discourage people from repairing their own vehicle. Workmanship issues are a fact of life. Triple check your fasteners, use torque specs, clean mating surfaces/fasteners, etc. Follow walkthroughs on this site while supplementing with the factory service manual to minimize that risk.

the install error likely comes from over torquing the bolts, I remember seeing at least one post about bolt failure on the lower ball joints. another good reason not to take it to some random shop that will tighten them to the point of breaking with an impact

The only think I got to say here is if you are using 555 or any aftermarket LBJ's, replace it before you hit 20K miles. IT WILL FAIL.

Good luck EVER getting that universally accepted as a cause on this forum.