Alignment Question

michael33r

michael33r

New member
I installed energy suspension control arm bushings up front along with billstein 5100s from the Tundra. Now the alignment place keeps realigning it but it just comes right back out of alignment. Does anyone know what's wrong? My tires are going to be ruined soon and I just got them last year. They blamed it on the grease that came with the bushings.
 
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michael33r said:
I installed energy suspension control arm bushings up front along with billstein 5100s from the Tundra. Now the alignment place keeps realigning it but it just comes right back out of alignment. Does anyone know what's wrong? My tires are going to be ruined soon and I just got them last year. They blamed it on the grease that came with the bushings.
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Well for starters, which bushings, lower, upper, or all? And what is it that keeps changing, give me some readings after the alignment, then readings when it goes out. That would help. I doubt greased bushings is the problem.
 
IBallEngineer said:
Well for starters, which bushings, lower, upper, or all? And what is it that keeps changing, give me some readings after the alignment, then readings when it goes out. That would help. I doubt greased bushings is the problem.
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I replaced all of them. I can't get exact dimensions. I do know yesterday morning they came completely loose and my tires were all the way as far off as they could be. You could literally see them sitting like this ---> \ /

I believe it's the lower control arms coming back out of alignment. They told me my tie rods were solid.
 
michael33r said:
I replaced all of them. I can't get exact dimensions. I do know yesterday morning they came completely loose and my tires were all the way as far off as they could be. You could literally see them sitting like this ---> \ /

I believe it's the lower control arms coming back out of alignment. They told me my tie rods were solid.
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OK, well yes if they come lose the suspension action will force them toward each other, giving you Positive Camber. I don't see how the bushings rotating around the bolts would move the camber. It's the bolts that are moving in the slot. If they don't know how to fix it, take it somewhere else!
 
IBallEngineer said:
OK, well yes if they come lose the suspension action will force them toward each other, giving you Positive Camber. I don't see how the bushings rotating around the bolts would move the camber. It's the bolts that are moving in the slot. If they don't know how to fix it, take it somewhere else!
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Yeah I'm going to take it to another shop. I've had a few other people tell me to take it somewhere else too. I just was curious if anyone else has had this problem and found out what it is that's wrong. I think they must not be completely torquing down the control arm bolts.
 
michael33r said:
Yeah I'm going to take it to another shop. I've had a few other people tell me to take it somewhere else too. I just was curious if anyone else has had this problem and found out what it is that's wrong. I think they must not be completely torquing down the control arm bolts.
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Only way is if the cam bolts are moving. Could be stripped out bolts? I would get second opinion. No way the bushings are causing it.
 
JayRolla said:
Only way is if the cam bolts are moving. Could be stripped out bolts? I would get second opinion. No way the bushings are causing it.
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The other shop said the bolts were totally loose. He didn't align it though because he found that my passenger lower ball joint is bad. Should I go with OEM or a different brand? I'm thinking OEM.
 
Replace the LBJs in pairs. Maybe I'm stating the obvious but just want to be sure they just don't do the passenger side. Definitely OEM.
 
michael33r said:
Why do I need to do both sides? The drivers side has absolutely no play at all.
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Because the lower ball joints are a known fail point on these vehicles. I would replace them every 100k miles with OEM parts no madder how they feel. Mine where solid when my tire fell off!!
 
michael33r said:
Why do I need to do both sides? The drivers side has absolutely no play at all.
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Because when they fail your 4Runner can end up on it's roof. They're a known failure point, and not a small failure either... You wouldn't have to worry about the alignment then though.
 
JayRolla said:
Because the lower ball joints are a known fail point on these vehicles. I would replace them every 100k miles with OEM parts no madder how they feel. Mine where solid when my tire fell off!!
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Seriously? I just googled it and only found a couple people who had ball joint failure on their 3rd gens. Mine have 285k miles on them right now. From what I've heard from several people in my town is that nothing ever goes wrong on these. A mechanic literally told me that in his 42 years of experience this is maybe the third one on a Toyota he's seen go bad.
 
Interesting thread......my buddy an ex yota mechanic has not seen this issue often on the T4R and my genuine part contact talked me out of replacing mine. No play at all and they were done at 45000 miles years ago.
 
I think the LBJ thing was blown out of proportion due to the recall there was on them in the past. Id still replace them with OEM and be happy for a long long time.
 
AZBub said:
I think the LBJ thing was blown out of proportion due to the recall there was on them in the past. Id still replace them with OEM and be happy for a long long time.
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It may be slightly over blown because we're all a little more involved in our vehicles than most people, but it is still an issue. I'm not willing to risk my life and other's for two ball joints I can replace in a few hours for under $200.

OP, at nearly 300k miles your LBJs have done their duty and then some. Go ahead and replace both.
 
AZBub said:
I think the LBJ thing was blown out of proportion due to the recall there was on them in the past. Id still replace them with OEM and be happy for a long long time.
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I've seen at least 20 pictures of LBJ failures on 4Runners, I don't think the recall has anything to do with people's concerns.
 
Unner said:
It may be slightly over blown because we're all a little more involved in our vehicles than most people, but it is still an issue. I'm not willing to risk my life and other's for two ball joints I can replace in a few hours for under $200.

OP, at nearly 300k miles your LBJs have done their duty and then some. Go ahead and replace both.
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This really sucks. I've got just as many people telling me to replace them as there are telling me not to replace them. I'm pretty tight on money right now. I just don't see how they could suddenly fail. What about upper ball joints? Are those not as big of a deal?
 
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