02-12-2015, 12:33 AM
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#1
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Posts: 71
Real Name: Nick
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Posts: 71
Real Name: Nick
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LR UCA ball joint life
I am heading out to Colorado tomorrow so I took my truck in to have the oil changed and tires rotated this morning. After a while the mechanic came out to tell me that the upper ball joints are toast, and the lowers are on the way out. I went back to check it out and sure enough there was play in them both. The UCA's have only been on for 20-25k so it seems awfully early for these things to be failing. Is SPC likely to help me out or should I just pick up new ball joints from toytec when i'm out that way?
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02-12-2015, 12:57 AM
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#2
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: So Cal
Posts: 837
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
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I just checked mine and I have 27,000 on it and both my uppers are dead I was very surprised . I'm not counting on SPC helping me . best price I found was at Wheelers off-road
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02-12-2015, 01:01 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2012
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Senior Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iRide4Runner
I am heading out to Colorado tomorrow so I took my truck in to have the oil changed and tires rotated this morning. After a while the mechanic came out to tell me that the upper ball joints are toast, and the lowers are on the way out. I went back to check it out and sure enough there was play in them both. The UCA's have only been on for 20-25k so it seems awfully early for these things to be failing. Is SPC likely to help me out or should I just pick up new ball joints from toytec when i'm out that way?
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The LR upper ball joints are not Toyota quality ball joints, by a long shot. 20k miles before being worn out would not be surprising to me; mine were worn out in about the same time, with one having a hole in the boot. Others on this forum have had the ball joints fail completely and cause major damage to other suspension and drive line components.
The lower ball joints should last 200K+ miles as long as the boot and spring seal are not compromised. I replaced one LCA because the boot was torn for about a year before I did anything about it, and I replaced the boot on the other side soon after I noticed a tear.
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02-12-2015, 01:59 AM
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#4
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Sub-Aquatic Cave under Black Lake (aka Gregg's Place) Arizona, Oregon... or somewhere else
Posts: 79
Real Name: Ol' Greg
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Sub-Aquatic Cave under Black Lake (aka Gregg's Place) Arizona, Oregon... or somewhere else
Posts: 79
Real Name: Ol' Greg
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If it's common that these wear out that fast it would be good to find or make an alternative. Wondering if it would have been better to go with Total Chaos or Icon?
Last edited by Curly Jefferson; 02-13-2015 at 12:00 AM.
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02-12-2015, 10:24 AM
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#6
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Join Date: May 2013
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Real Name: Nick
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
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If I were to do it over again I would probably go with the Camburg arms that utilize the oem ball joints. I still might ultimately go that route if the LR arms keep giving me trouble. I am going to stop by toytec on Monday and pick up new ball joints and hope they last a little longer.
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02-12-2015, 10:58 AM
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#7
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Calgary, AB
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeremy556
Others on this forum have had the ball joints fail completely and cause major damage to other suspension and drive line components.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iRide4Runner
If I were to do it over again I would probably go with the Camburg arms that utilize the oem ball joints. I still might ultimately go that route if the LR arms keep giving me trouble. I am going to stop by toytec on Monday and pick up new ball joints and hope they last a little longer.
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I like the idea of the Camburg arms but keep in mind that if/when the OEM ball joints fail you can't order them as a separate part from Toyota. You'd need to order the whole UCA assembly.
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02-12-2015, 11:13 AM
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#8
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Join Date: Sep 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iRide4Runner
If I were to do it over again I would probably go with the Camburg arms that utilize the oem ball joints. I still might ultimately go that route if the LR arms keep giving me trouble. I am going to stop by toytec on Monday and pick up new ball joints and hope they last a little longer.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Intruder
I like the idea of the Camburg arms but keep in mind that if/when the OEM ball joints fail you can't order them as a separate part from Toyota. You'd need to order the whole UCA assembly.
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also keep in mind that the Camburgs only use the OEM ball joints if you press your originals in, otherwise they ship with Moog BJs, which aren't built to Toyota's exacting speciifcations, either.
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ICON XT COs (+IVD) & tubular UCAs • ICON rear coils & 2.5 remote reservoirs + shin guards • Shrockworks • FN Five Star + 285/70 Mickey Thompson MTZ • TRD CAI + aFe Pro Dry S • Magnaflow • ARB diff breather • rack delete + Thule • H9 lo, 9011 hi, selective Y fog • FJ shifter • ScanGauge
06 SE, galactic gray V8: sold // 93 SR5, lots of rust, salt, & mods: R.I.P. // 71 FJ40, never should've let it go
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02-12-2015, 11:18 AM
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#9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sandcrawler
also keep in mind that the Camburgs only use the OEM ball joints if you press your originals in, otherwise they ship with Moog BJs, which aren't built to Toyota's exacting speciifcations, either.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 05Rrunner
Camburg uses a moog ball joint , that's oem style not a oem toyota ball joint. But you are correct toyota only sells the complete upper arm with ball joint installed.
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Yup, but if you read the post I was replying to...
Quote:
Originally Posted by iRide4Runner
If I were to do it over again I would probably go with the Camburg arms that utilize the oem ball joints.
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02-12-2015, 11:20 AM
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#10
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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Real Name: Austin
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Senior Member
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FWIW, SPC has replaced my balljoints free of charge 3 times since I originally purchased. I usually have to pay a core charge which is then refunded once I send the old ball joints back. Also the most recent time I inquired a warranty exchange I had to produce an invoice of original purchase.
I originally purchased them in 2011.
I'll be purchasing uniball style UCA's the next time these BJ's give out
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02-12-2015, 11:25 AM
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#11
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: So Cal
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I'm considering switching to camburg also but the one big advantage that the light racing has is all that caster. I don't believe the Camburgwill give you the same amount of caster . it would be nice to be able to compare the two side-by-side . maybe I'll take A drive down to Camburg and compare them.
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02-12-2015, 11:31 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Intruder
Yup, but if you read the post I was replying to...
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i wasn't correcting you,
@ Intruder
; was just expanding upon your point to further clarify for
@ iRide4Runner
.
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10 TE - salsa, KDSS+JBL+Nav
ICON XT COs (+IVD) & tubular UCAs • ICON rear coils & 2.5 remote reservoirs + shin guards • Shrockworks • FN Five Star + 285/70 Mickey Thompson MTZ • TRD CAI + aFe Pro Dry S • Magnaflow • ARB diff breather • rack delete + Thule • H9 lo, 9011 hi, selective Y fog • FJ shifter • ScanGauge
06 SE, galactic gray V8: sold // 93 SR5, lots of rust, salt, & mods: R.I.P. // 71 FJ40, never should've let it go
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02-12-2015, 12:13 PM
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#13
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aha2988
FWIW, SPC has replaced my balljoints free of charge 3 times since I originally purchased. I usually have to pay a core charge which is then refunded once I send the old ball joints back. Also the most recent time I inquired a warranty exchange I had to produce an invoice of original purchase.
I originally purchased them in 2011.
I'll be purchasing uniball style UCA's the next time these BJ's give out
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Yeah, three times in four years is a lot to be replacing them. I'm on my second winter with the TCs and the uniballs (or Lance Armstrongs as I like to call them) are still fine without any squeaks. When you consider all the crap they put on the roads around here in winter I'd say that's pretty good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandcrawler
i wasn't correcting you,
@ Intruder
; was just expanding upon your point to further clarify for
@ iRide4Runner
.
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Yeah, was just pointing out that the OP was talking about reusing the OEM BJs. I wonder if anyone with the Camburgs has used the Moogs instead of reusing the OEMs.
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02-12-2015, 09:01 PM
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#14
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Join Date: Nov 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iRide4Runner
If I were to do it over again I would probably go with the Camburg arms that utilize the oem ball joints. I still might ultimately go that route if the LR arms keep giving me trouble. I am going to stop by toytec on Monday and pick up new ball joints and hope they last a little longer.
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If your lifted much, I wouldn't recommend the Camburgs. No additional caster built in like they advertise. I would go with a uni-ball style next time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 05Rrunner
I'm considering switching to camburg also but the one big advantage that the light racing has is all that caster. I don't believe the Camburgwill give you the same amount of caster . it would be nice to be able to compare the two side-by-side . maybe I'll take A drive down to Camburg and compare them.
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I agree. Much more caster can be achieved with the SPCs. Also, you can dial in camber on the SPCs as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Intruder
Yeah, three times in four years is a lot to be replacing them. I'm on my second winter with the TCs and the uniballs (or Lance Armstrongs as I like to call them) are still fine without any squeaks. When you consider all the crap they put on the roads around here in winter I'd say that's pretty good.
Yeah, was just pointing out that the OP was talking about reusing the OEM BJs. I wonder if anyone with the Camburgs has used the Moogs instead of reusing the OEMs.
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There are Moog BJs in the Camburg UCAs on my 5th gen. I'm hoping they will last a while but honestly, I'm not expecting much.
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02-12-2015, 09:25 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gm350reratliff
There are Moog BJs in the Camburg UCAs on my 5th gen. I'm hoping they will last a while but honestly, I'm not expecting much.
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Moog seems to have gone to hell in the last 5-10 years
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