Ball Joints

[Brian1973]

I used the 4Runner parts... ordered em through Amazon (bought $200 worth of gift card from Kroger at quadruple points)... got ACDelco brand thru Amazon (no sales tax or shipping)... all worked well and replaced LBJ, UBJ and TRE for about $210.... plus got 800 in points from Kroger to save me $0.80/gal which relates to $28 free gas after full 35 gallons! soooo, total cost of project, around $182 (and no issues with turning but I do keep my ride on pavement mostly)

 

[Gerdo]

got ACDelco brand)

Keep an eye (by testing them) often. The only ball joints the seem to last are Toyota OE parts. Others tend to wear out and fail as early as 20,000 miles.

 

[madbomber08]

I hardly doubt that those or even any ball joints would last the lifetime of a vehicle, unless you know she is going to die at 200k.


Make a VDO of the metal to metal clunking sound. I have a taco and it never clunks. you might have other issues.

If you think about it. Having less steering radius might help with preventing binding of the cv at for droop during hard turns...

Is it at near full lock that it clunks?

If so the sound you are hearing is the tie rod hitting the sway bar bracket. When you do this swap the sway bar bracket becomes your turn stop.

So you need to grind down the bracket, you don't want to apply that type of lateral force to the tie rod.

I know when I have to change the LBJ's I am going back to 4runner spec, too many problems, and I still dont have my full turn radius

No, the tie rod does not hit the sway bar bracket on mine. The stops on the Taco LBJ actually have some deformation and paint rubbed off where they hit at full lock. It also doesn't "clunk" when the vehicle is stationary either. I recently updated the steering rack guide also. And it only makes noise when the vehicle is rolling, so I suppose it could be my CV joint, even though I'm not lifted, and the boot is fine and dry. I would like to rule out the Taco components but I never noticed the clunk before the new parts were installed.

 

[Singtoe]

No, the tie rod does not hit the sway bar bracket on mine. The stops on the Taco LBJ actually have some deformation and paint rubbed off where they hit at full lock. It also doesn't "clunk" when the vehicle is stationary either. I recently updated the steering rack guide also. And it only makes noise when the vehicle is rolling, so I suppose it could be my CV joint, even though I'm not lifted, and the boot is fine and dry. I would like to rule out the Taco components but I never noticed the clunk before the new parts were installed.

Sounds like your sway bar links. You need disconnect them and see if the noise goes away.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

Hi,
May I know the size of these 2 pullers?

Thanks!

Two pullers, along with 14mm, 19mm, and _________mm sockets.

Don't forget new bolts that connect the LBJ to the knuckle and the blue loctite:
90080-10066 - at least that is the # for the bolts for 4wd models.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I don't know the size of these pullers, but they are made by OEM, which is now owned by Great Neck I believe.

#27022 for the smaller one and #27016 for the larger one. For the combo they should be less than $40 out the door.

Be careful with the boot around the outer tie rod, it is a tight fit with the small puller but doable.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

Thanks a lot!

 

[cj80cruiser]

I don't know the size of these pullers, but they are made by OEM, which is now owned by Great Neck I believe.

#27022 for the smaller one and #27016 for the larger one. For the combo they should be less than $40 out the door.

Be careful with the boot around the outer tie rod, it is a tight fit with the small puller but doable.

Autozone had the larger puller for $15. Cant remember the price for the smaller one but it was less than $15..... I think it may have been about $11.

 

[mforce]

How are MOOG parts? I need the lower ball joints and outer tie rod ends now as well. I am going with Tacoma parts for mine since I need all of them. I am getting the ball joints and OTRE's for $220 with tax and they are MOOG. Are they a long lasting part? I also have to replace the cv boots while I am in there which has started all of this process. I guess I can get the boots from Toyota if need be but they are $100 for the boots. Would you use the Toyota boots or aftermarket cv boots?

 

[downpour11]

Toyota boots IMO are stronger... but I just replace with a new CV every time because its only $60 bucks at auto zone, lasts me at least 6 months or longer.

I don't have any experience with MOOG parts but I've replaced my upper and lower ball joints, all bought through toyota and they last a lot longer than others. For instance, when I bought all the ball joints from toyota, they accidentally gave me (2) right side LBJs, instead of a left and right. So I had the truck apart, had my friend run me to NAPA and bought a new LBJ and installed it. That thing ripped apart the first two weeks of driving with it. The ball joints I got from toyota are still perfectly fine and intact and it's been almost a year now and I don't expect them to fail anytime soon. I think all four were about $300.

 

[cj80cruiser]

How are MOOG parts? I need the lower ball joints and outer tie rod ends now as well. I am going with Tacoma parts for mine since I need all of them. I am getting the ball joints and OTRE's for $220 with tax and they are MOOG. Are they a long lasting part? I also have to replace the cv boots while I am in there which has started all of this process. I guess I can get the boots from Toyota if need be but they are $100 for the boots. Would you use the Toyota boots or aftermarket cv boots?

Most will advise against Moog. The ones to get are OEM and the only ones I'd consider other than that would be the 555 stamped parts at NAPA.

 

[downpour11]

yeah I'm not sure if the LBJ from napa was "555" stamped but that thing tore apart

 

[Gerdo]

yeah I'm not sure if the LBJ from napa was "555" stamped but that thing tore apart

Another non-OEM!

 

[downpour11]

Another non-OEM!

lol yup. well i had to do something, it was sunday and I had the truck torn apart! I've since fixed it hahaha

 

[mforce]

Ok, I ordered the Toyota boots for the inner/outer cv's since the boots are torn. I hope I ordered the right parts for the Napa items. I ordered the NCP ball joints and outter tie rods from Napa as well. I was able to get the Napa items for $232 with tax and the Toyota boots for $80. Where as if I had went all Toyota items it would have cost me $352 plus the $80 for the boots. So since the NCP from Napa have grease zerks on them I went that route. I was able to save about $130 going with the NAPA items. I hope that they are good quality as the guy at Napa said that the NCP items are very good. I also went with the Taco items since I am running OME 883's up fronts and going with 33" as well soon.

 

[downpour11]

hmmmm good luck with those ball joints. Like I said, the one from napa I put on failed. Maybe you'll have better luck than me lol

 

[Gerdo]

I did the Taco LBJ's and OTRE's and I'm experiencing all the good drivability except my turning radius is much larger than before. When I turn now, I only get 1.5 turns of the wheel from center before I hit the steering stops where I should get 2.5 turns and a much tighter circle. No big deal on the road, but it could be a heckuva big deal on a tight trail somewhere.

In the picture, the yellow circle hits the red circle at full lock. It almost hits the sway bar link, but hits the steering stop just in time. I don't think its possible that I put anything on backwards...but if you've got an idea then please share!

You are not the only one that has this issue. I personally know of 3 rigs with the Taco parts that act this way. It has to be the different shape of the Taco parts.

Personally I don't feel that the possible longer life and strength, do to them being bigger, is worth the larger turning radius.

 

[mforce]

hmmmm good luck with those ball joints. Like I said, the one from napa I put on failed. Maybe you'll have better luck than me lol

Yes, but which Napa ball joint did you use. Also I am using NCP ball joints from Napa if that matters?! I hear that they have 2 different types of ball joints with the NCP being the best or premium one that they sell.

 

[downpour11]

Yes, but which Napa ball joint did you use. Also I am using NCP ball joints from Napa if that matters?! I hear that they have 2 different types of ball joints with the NCP being the best or premium one that they sell.

ahh i gotcha, yeah I prob bought the crappy one lol

 

[Kung]

i've had this done for months. yeah you lose a degree and a half but i like having the beef there. its almost more a peace of mind thing for me. they work. they work well. i'm happy.

That's kinda where I'm at. There's an obviously 'beefier' feel to it; and while yes, it does clunk when I turn at full stop, that happens MAYBE once every few weeks.