ball joint replacement

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fishermunn

New member
i am trying to replace the upper and lower ball joints. toyota parts only sells the complete lower and upper arms with the ball joint installed. i would like to avoid the $800.00 plus cost of purchasing the whole assembly.
i have the press to install the ball joints.
the road block i have encountered concerns the c ring clip around the ball joint. the only way i know how to remove it is cutting it off with a grinder. it does not have the holes in the pin so can expand it and push it off.
i am looking for some help before i take such drastic action. i can't make any head way removing the ring using the tools i have on hand.
anyone removed the ball joints instead of purchasing the whole arm assembly?
if so, please enlighten my frustrated soul. thanks in advance!
 
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You can remove the c-clip with a large flat blade screw driver, or punch, and hammer, just knock it off. I didn't complete the ball joint replacement after I removed mine, the tool from Auotzone didn't seem to work, so I bought a used LCA with ball joint and a new LCA from IAauto also with ball joint. Been two years and no problems.
I'm all on highway though.
 
i am still on the upper ball joint. any force just moves the ring around the groove. i have no progress trying to pry or knock it off.
the lower ball joint has a larger ring and is more accessible from the top. it may be easier to get off.
there has to be a way to remove the upper ring without resorting to the grinder. i just don't know how.
 
fishermunn said:
i am still on the upper ball joint. any force just moves the ring around the groove. i have no progress trying to pry or knock it off.

the lower ball joint has a larger ring and is more accessible from the top. it may be easier to get off.

there has to be a way to remove the upper ring without resorting to the grinder. i just don't know how.
Click to expand...



Maybe obvious answer here but, have you tried the pliers that separate when you squeeze? I have a pair for rebooting CV axles. They are not the little pin ones but just have like flat faces and work really well.

Like these, I bought mine at O Reilly

https://www.kctoolco.com/knipex-45-...ng-ring-pliers-for-retaining-rings-on-shafts/

EDIT: mine were also nowhere near that price, at the most $20 but I’m pretty sure not even that.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
fishermunn said:
i am trying to replace the upper and lower ball joints. toyota parts only sells the complete lower and upper arms with the ball joint installed. i would like to avoid the $800.00 plus cost of purchasing the whole assembly.
i have the press to install the ball joints.
the road block i have encountered concerns the c ring clip around the ball joint. the only way i know how to remove it is cutting it off with a grinder. it does not have the holes in the pin so can expand it and push it off.
i am looking for some help before i take such drastic action. i can't make any head way removing the ring using the tools i have on hand.
anyone removed the ball joints instead of purchasing the whole arm assembly?
if so, please enlighten my frustrated soul. thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

yeah my upper ball joint is leaking too, are you hearing a sound when going over bumps? sort of like two washers hitting against each other
 
fishermunn said:
i am trying to replace the upper and lower ball joints. toyota parts only sells the complete lower and upper arms with the ball joint installed. i would like to avoid the $800.00 plus cost of purchasing the whole assembly.

i have the press to install the ball joints.

the road block i have encountered concerns the c ring clip around the ball joint. the only way i know how to remove it is cutting it off with a grinder. it does not have the holes in the pin so can expand it and push it off.

i am looking for some help before i take such drastic action. i can't make any head way removing the ring using the tools i have on hand.

anyone removed the ball joints instead of purchasing the whole arm assembly?

if so, please enlighten my frustrated soul. thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I can save you a lot of time, frustration and money

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/for-sale-t4r-items/277767-fs-like-new-4th-gen-upper-control-arm-set-$50-shipping-greensboro-nc.html

Sent from my SM-G892U using Tapatalk
 
fishermunn said:
i am still on the upper ball joint. any force just moves the ring around the groove. i have no progress trying to pry or knock it off.
the lower ball joint has a larger ring and is more accessible from the top. it may be easier to get off.
there has to be a way to remove the upper ring without resorting to the grinder. i just don't know how.
Click to expand...

Just need the right kind of tool. Snap ring pliers usually go in both directions and would get it done.

2 screw drivers, go against both open ends at the same time and try to get it out that way. It's super easy to slip and bust a knuckle, but it can be done.



I'd have found someone with a 5th Gen that was replacing their UCA's. Most of them don't end up reselling the stock ones, and they should bolt into a 4th gen no problem.
 
thank you, thank you!
bought the tool and within 5 minutes had the clip removed. i appreciate the effort to post the link so i could see what you meant. i went to the napa and purchased one for around $15.00. i love the forums!
 
no noise i notice, i replaced the cv axle because a torn boot, replaced the wheel bearing and hub assembly because of side ways motion of the wheel when jacked up. after the wheel bearing the sideways motion was gone, but i still had motion when i moved the wheel in the up and down direction. the truck has 166k miles, so i decided to replace the upper and lower ball joints.
i have read that the sway bar is often the culprit when the rubber supports wear out and bar hits the frame. just a guess.
 
fishermunn said:
thank you, thank you!
bought the tool and within 5 minutes had the clip removed. i appreciate the effort to post the link so i could see what you meant. i went to the napa and purchased one for around $15.00. i love the forums!
Click to expand...



Glad it worked out for you, those things are lifesavers. Sure it can be done other ways but those pliers make it a breeze.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
fishermunn said:
no noise i notice, i replaced the cv axle because a torn boot, replaced the wheel bearing and hub assembly because of side ways motion of the wheel when jacked up. after the wheel bearing the sideways motion was gone, but i still had motion when i moved the wheel in the up and down direction. the truck has 166k miles, so i decided to replace the upper and lower ball joints. /QUOTE]

I just went through this myself. One week before he was to leave for college, my son tells me his steering is whacked. I take it for a test drive, and sure enough, it's whacked. I jacked up the front wheels, and the ball joints tested OK, but I noticed a torn CV boot. Run to Napa for a new CV axle. Get home, drop the lower CA to install it and notice the lower BJ is far too loose. As the truck has 150K miles, order a set of upper and lower CA's, while waiting for delivery, run to NAPA for the CV axle on the other side. By week's end everything has arrived and has been installed. Take it for an alignment and, "you're inner and outer tie rods are siezed, it'll cost $700 and the parts won't be here until Monday." The tie rods were fine, but the locking nut was rusted to the outer tie rod end. It took a minute with a torch to loosen. Spent the rest of the day trying to align it myself, using string, measuring tape, and a carpenter's angle finder. Couldn't get rid of the tire rub on tight turns with his 285 tires though. Son drives 300 miles to school the next day. I order JCA UCA's, and since we're replacing everything anyhow, order a set of inner/outer tie rods. Son returns from school 2 weeks later, we replace the UCAs and tie rods, take it back to the same alignment shop (mistake), asked for 4 degrees caster, and got 2.8. The tires rubbed worse than before, so I got to spend another afternoon correcting the alignment.
Click to expand...
 
[MENTION=148378]Crikeymike[/MENTION]: As far as the 5th gen UCA bolting right up to the 4th gen, are you sure about that? I’ve been curious about swapping the UCA and LCA from a 5th gen over to my 4th gen because it would seem like if it’s the same frame and OTHER suspension components can be made to fit with only slight tweaking (ie I put struts/coils from a 2017 on my 2004)—it makes sense that the rest might also bolt right up?
Do you have any firsthand experience or knowledge of that being the case or NOT being the case?

Crikeymike said:
Just need the right kind of tool. Snap ring pliers usually go in both directions and would get it done.

2 screw drivers, go against both open ends at the same time and try to get it out that way. It's super easy to slip and bust a knuckle, but it can be done.



I'd have found someone with a 5th Gen that was replacing their UCA's. Most of them don't end up reselling the stock ones, and they should bolt into a 4th gen no problem.
Click to expand...
 
KaseyMcc said:
[MENTION=148378]Crikeymike[/MENTION]: As far as the 5th gen UCA bolting right up to the 4th gen, are you sure about that? I’ve been curious about swapping the UCA and LCA from a 5th gen over to my 4th gen because it would seem like if it’s the same frame and OTHER suspension components can be made to fit with only slight tweaking (ie I put struts/coils from a 2017 on my 2004)—it makes sense that the rest might also bolt right up?
Do you have any firsthand experience or knowledge of that being the case or NOT being the case?
Click to expand...

Yes, the UCA's are most definitely interchangeable.

Struts can be put in too from a 5th to a 4th but the lower bushing is wider and spring rates may be different depending on engine, and changes they made over the years.

I do not know about LCAs though. You would have to check Toyota part numbers to verify that.
 
Crikeymike said:
Just need the right kind of tool. Snap ring pliers usually go in both directions and would get it done.

2 screw drivers, go against both open ends at the same time and try to get it out that way. It's super easy to slip and bust a knuckle, but it can be done.



I'd have found someone with a 5th Gen that was replacing their UCA's. Most of them don't end up reselling the stock ones, and they should bolt into a 4th gen no problem.
Click to expand...

I'm 99% positive that the 5th gen UCA will not work on a 4th gen. I found out the hard way when I picked up some 2nd gen Tacoma spindles (gussted) that the ball joint hole at the top of the spindle is different between Tacomas and 4th gens. The 5th gen also has a different part number from the Tacoma or 4th gen 4runner. I ended up buying a set of TC UCAs from a Tacoma buddy because he was changing out to DK.
 
Drunner97 said:
I'm 99% positive that the 5th gen UCA will not work on a 4th gen. I found out the hard way when I picked up some 2nd gen Tacoma spindles (gussted) that the ball joint hole at the top of the spindle is different between Tacomas and 4th gens. The 5th gen also has a different part number from the Tacoma or 4th gen 4runner. I ended up buying a set of TC UCAs from a Tacoma buddy because he was changing out to DK.
Click to expand...

Now you're really mixing things up. Tacoma and 4runner UCA's are NOT interchangeable.

One uses a tapered ball joint end and the other does not

Everyone running Dobinsons UCA's on 4th and 5th gen 4RUNNERS are using the same arms and ball joints
 
Crikeymike said:
Now you're really mixing things up. Tacoma and 4runner UCA's are NOT interchangeable.

One uses a tapered ball joint end and the other does not

Everyone running Dobinsons UCA's on 4th and 5th gen 4RUNNERS are using the same arms and ball joints
Click to expand...

Which I'm aware of, since I'm now running Tacoma spindles AND UCAs ;)
 
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