Ball Joint Failure - My Turn

[KU_MechE]

I noticed a torn LBJ boot on my '99 w/ 188K and that repair resulted in replacing:

both LBJs
both outer TRE
both UBJ
New inner CV joint boots w/ new grease
new front diff fluid
New brake hoses
new brake pads
new brake rotors
new caliper rebuilds

You'd be amazed how much rusted and worn parts are under your car. Try to not let your repairs get out of control like i did.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

I replaced my LBJ's when I did my Tundra Brake upgrade.

Tell me, are the uppers just as susceptible? I didn't do those.

 

[KU_MechE]

I replaced my LBJ's when I did my Tundra Brake upgrade.

Tell me, are the uppers just as susceptible? I didn't do those.

don't know, but they're 10x harder to replace. the LBJ are super easy, but the uppers have to be pressed out/in. There's a pretty good writeup on pirate4x4 somewhere.

 

[muddertrucker99]

I replaced my LBJ's when I did my Tundra Brake upgrade.

Tell me, are the uppers just as susceptible? I didn't do those.

Cob i havent seen the uppers fail yet! Just keep a good eye on the lowers.

When lowers go out there is all kinds of tell tell signs! funny steering gets real responsive, Cracked or torn boots,and squeking noises. If you thinkyou have a bad one jack the wheel off the ground and see if you have movement in the wheel

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

don't know, but they're 10x harder to replace. the LBJ are super easy, but the uppers have to be pressed out/in. There's a pretty good writeup on pirate4x4 somewhere.

Damn... Maybe I will just get some Camburg upper control arms, if I'm messing with that stuff anyway.

Cob i havent seen the uppers fail yet! Just keep a good eye on the lowers.

When lowers go out there is all kinds of tell tell signs! funny steering gets real responsive, Cracked or torn boots,and squeking noises. If you thinkyou have a bad one jack the wheel off the ground and see if you have movement in the wheel

My lowers probably have 5k miles on them. Haven't experienced any symptoms of ball joint failure. I guess if anything, I'm probably one of the last people who would have an upper ball joint failure.

I do have a slight movement in one wheel, but it's been like that for 3 years. I thought it was nothing.

 

[puppetz007]

hey man that sucks... makes me want to look at mine now since i've gotta look at my brakes anyways. when you get it fixed lets go wheeling again.

 

[cfranck1]

Tell me, are the uppers just as susceptible? I didn't do those.

Well, now I guess I will be swapping mine out, just in case...
But seriously, what or how do you check to see if the ball joints are fine/failing? There has to be a test or some damn thing other than wait til your rig falls apart on the road.

Having all the extra stuff on the front end and wheeling them don't do them justice. The lower ball joint is called a "load-bearing" ball joint and is designed to support the weight of the vehicle while providing a hinge point for the steering system. "Non load bearing" (Upper BJs) are designed to maintain dimensional tolerances in a steering or suspension system. So when you add more weight and start to wheel them it only kills them faster.

To test them out.
Jack up front end up by each lower control arm to take weight off of lower ball joint. Just enough to get the tire off the ground and you can fit a big pipe or pry bar under the tire. When under the tire pull up on the bar and feel for looseness. You might want another person to pull up while you get under and look at the movement of the ball joints. But please use jackstands for safety..

 

[durrell]

I haven't done my uppers yet because they're so difficult.

I replaced mine with Advance Auto cheapo LBJs. I may eventually go OEM, but being that I don't wheel at all, I feel ok about it. Although I did just get an alignment and it still pulls slightly to the left.

 

[smallfry]

Went back though all my auto repair receipts and found one from May 29, 2010 in which the left lower ball joint was replaced - with one from Checkers/O'Reilly auto parts (Moog). So I wonder now if it was a piece of crap ball joint or if it was due to some other act that would've caused it to fail. If it was truely the part that failed.

Are those parts covered under warranty at all?

 

[BrianSD_42]

Re failed part.
in 2006 I replaced my water pump with a non Toyota part. 18 months later it was starting to fail.

The shop I go to now "the truck shop" in san diego told me they only use Toyota parts for this reason, the non Toyota parts are all junk.

If you are going the long haul with your truck THEN ONLY USE TOYOTA PARTS.

I want my truck to last 300k so from now on no non Toyota parts. This is actually more complex because koyo for instance makes Toyota parts.

The point is don't go cheap.

Sorry to hear about your truck though!

 

[Nelsonmd]

Went back though all my auto repair receipts and found one from May 29, 2010 in which the left lower ball joint was replaced - with one from Checkers/O'Reilly auto parts (Moog). So I wonder now if it was a piece of crap ball joint or if it was due to some other act that would've caused it to fail. If it was truely the part that failed.

Are those parts covered under warranty at all?

At least around here moog has a reputation or being total crap. It sounds to me like Moog should be paying for you repairs here.

EDIT: So after looking around for a few minutes, Summit racing states that Moog components come with a lifetime warranty, but I can't find any mention of a warranty on the Moog site. I guess never buy from a company that doesn't advertise their warranty.

 

[LINY4Runner]

I do have a slight movement in one wheel, but it's been like that for 3 years. I thought it was nothing.

Side to side movement? Inner tie rod!

Went back though all my auto repair receipts and found one from May 29, 2010 in which the left lower ball joint was replaced - with one from Checkers/O'Reilly auto parts (Moog). So I wonder now if it was a piece of crap ball joint or if it was due to some other act that would've caused it to fail. If it was truely the part that failed.

Are those parts covered under warranty at all?

Moog stuff generally has at least a 1 year warranty, depending on the distributor. So you're covered there...but I wouldn't put another pair of Moog parts on there...get them from Toyota, I think mine were like $125 for the pair.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Moog stuff generally has at least a 1 year warranty, depending on the distributor. So you're covered there...but I wouldn't put another pair of Moog parts on there...get them from Toyota, I think mine were like $125 for the pair.

Any distributor warranty will only be for replacement of the failed part, not coverage of damages due to part failure. I would be looking to get full repair bill from Moog because of a defective part. The part cost is small potatoes.

 

[LINY4Runner]

Any distributor warranty will only be for replacement of the failed part, not coverage of damages due to part failure. I would be looking to get full repair bill from Moog because of a defective part. The part cost is small potatoes.

Unlikely. Their warranty clearly states in it that they will cover only the defective part, and not collateral damages caused by the failure of said part.

 

[Elton H]

hmm was looking through some of the pics of ones that broke and noticed its the drivers side that breaks

 

[smallfry]

Someone else just mentioned that the bump stops on the lca are missing and from the picture it looks like they were never reinstalled with the new lca (don't see any wear marks).

 

[smallfry]

Some good news came yesterday in that my insurance is going to recover 3/4 of the cost of the repairs, the rental car and the tow bill.

Still haven't heard anything back from the shop yet.

 

[Volley]

hmm was looking through some of the pics of ones that broke and noticed its the drivers side that breaks

I've noticed this too...maybe the additional driver's side weight comes into play???? :shrug:

 

[Nelsonmd]

Unlikely. Their warranty clearly states in it that they will cover only the defective part, and not collateral damages caused by the failure of said part.

What warranty? Where did you find a Moog warranty statement? Whatever the warranty says, if he were to get a lawyer and pursue it in court (probably not worth it in this case), the company would still end up being liable for defects or poor workmanship for consumer goods, and when it is a safety issue like this, they could still be liable for damages. It may take a good lawyer to win the case, but they can't contract away all their liability to safety issues when they are the manufacturer. If they were a used parts seller, then ok, that is different, but they are the original manufacturer, there's higher standards for them.

 

[LINY4Runner]

What warranty? Where did you find a Moog warranty statement? Whatever the warranty says, if he were to get a lawyer and pursue it in court (probably not worth it in this case), the company would still end up being liable for defects or poor workmanship for consumer goods, and when it is a safety issue like this, they could still be liable for damages. It may take a good lawyer to win the case, but they can't contract away all their liability to safety issues when they are the manufacturer. If they were a used parts seller, then ok, that is different, but they are the original manufacturer, there's higher standards for them.

I'm a Moog distributor, I have the warranty papers in my hand, wish I had a scanner.
Anyways it's good that insurance is covering most of it- you should see if you can get the shop to cover the other 25% so you don't have to come out of pocket.