First Post -- Upper/Lower Ball Joint Questions

[niko303]

First post I have had to make as just about everything on these trucks has already been asked (this forum is awesome). Just picked up a '06 SR5, 116k Miles for $12.1k. AZ car so no rust!!

Truck is great, but front suspension needs a little work. Both inner cv boots were torn, I opted to clean 'em out, repack grease, and rescue tape the hell out of them. I know it's a band-aid fix but 1k miles so far and looking good.

OEM shocks are caked in grease so 5100's will be put in shortly, thinking .85 front or debating 1.75 + spacer in rear (no spring compressor method).

All this is beside by real question. Both the upper/lower ball joints are caked in grease. I have done a bunch of reading on people's various approaches vs. replacing them, doing the whole control arm, or riding it out (probably my preference).

I bought moog LBG's as I thought my boots were torn but further inspection showed that the grease/gunk just made it appear that way. I am leaning towards no replacement (seems like these aren't a wear heavy part from my reading) and just cleaning. Thoughts on this based on the pics? Is there a way to regrease stock BJ's?

Also -- while I'm down there working on the shocks, anything else noteworthy I should be expecting/replacing?

Thanks in advance, stoked on the new truck and these forums!!

 

[niko303]

:car:

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Do the ball joints have any play in them? If so, its time to replace them. Ideally you'd replace the suspension, put new boots on the CVs, and replace the BJs since these repairs are linked- ie you have to take most of the same stuff apart to change the CV joints as you do the suspension...

I was in a similar situation with my "new" 4Runner. The CV boots were leaking and my suspension needed to be replaced, so I did it all at the same time.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

...also check the brakes. Easy to replace the pads and/or rotor since everything will be exposed and the rig is up on jack stands.