Front End "Refresh"

TowMeOut

TowMeOut

New member
I've been digging through various threads trying to piece this together without much luck. If there's already a better discussion please point me in the right direction.

I was out wheeling with some friends a few weeks ago and got a chance to turn my truck into a boat. So out came the carpet and seats. Then another "fun" symptom of my water play was a starter that just made a loud "click". While I was under the truck wrenching (and swearing) I did a lot of looking around. It seems my inner CV boots are yet again starting to puke some grease so that's not good. The lower balljoints are also showing some signs of boot failure. To top it off, looks like I have a bad diff seal at one of the CVs. My truck is about to bounce over 150K so I figure it's a good time to give the front end some love.

Has anyone else just done a front end "refresh" rather than a piecemeal replacement of worn parts? It would seem to me that while I might end up replacing a few parts prematurely, it's going to be less hassle and possibly less money in the long run from extra labor and alignments.

Anyone have a laundry list of parts to check/replace and some nuggets of wisdom on the process? Here's what I'm thinking to do all at once but I haven't really torn into it yet:

Definitely gonna replace...

Lower balljoints (they're likely shot and the grease is leaking)
CV reboot or more likely shaft replacement
Diff axle seals (mandatory)

Need to check but will probably replace...

UCAs.....I found some from a 5th gen with low mileage for free. It looks to me like swapping the arm with a new balljoint is much easier/simpler than trying to press out/in a new one.
Inner/outer tie rod ends (need to check for slop in rack first)
Swaybar bushings (can be done anytime but this seems like a good opportunity)
LCA bushings (I've heard these can be a bear to remove the old ones)

What else am I missing that would be a "good idea" while everything is torn apart? I haven't tried to break the alignment bolts loose yet but my truck isn't terribly rusty. I don't expect these to be a problem. Since it's not absolutely necessary to tear that apart and I don't have any strange "clunks" in the front the LCAs may just stay put for now. I'm not sure what kind of improvement in ride or handling I'd get from doing those bushings.

Again, feel free to flame or point me toward some other comprehensive threads.
 
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I'm actually getting ready to do this exact thing. Except I'm doing the rear as well. I am doing ball joints, uca/lca bushings, sway bar bushing with new end links (front and rear), track bar bushings, as well as shocks and springs. This time around I am hoping that having an electric impact will make things easier. Rockauto.com has everything you need. I am looking at about $350-$400 in parts minus the shocks and springs. All in I'm looking at $1500.
 
OP, it depends on a few things, really : finances of course, what you can afford to do. Skill set, are you comfortable doing some of the work yourself, which saves big money in labor. Time, what do you have to invest, if any. I elected to do all my own stuff. Though I did it on a priority basis over a 6 month period. All is well and I couldn't be happier with my rebooted front end. This forum is full of useful information on how to do most things you are interested in. Try using search for some of the things you are looking at doing.
 
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Money is always a consideration but mostly I'm looking to do this project once and not have to monkey around with it again for a while.

I did the "no spring compressor" method for removing my XREAS and installing some new to me Taco suspension pieces. I'm planning to do all the work myself. I'm hoping to knock all the swap out in a weekend since this is my daily driver. I believe I can do the UCAs, CVs, and seals in one go and that will minimally effect my alignment. Then depending on time the LBJs, tierods, and maybe LCAs will get done the following weekend. Then off to the alignment shop. Swaybar pieces can be somewhat done at leisure as they're pretty easy to access and don't require removing much else. I've got my fingers crossed that the wheel bearings are all good or at least not too worn. Those might need a swap too while things are apart.
 
I would do it all at once. Start on Friday night. See if you can get it all disassembled on Friday. Press the bushing and balljoints, that's the hardest part. Then the CVs then put it all together of it looks like you are running out of time. You can do the UCAs, sway bar, and tie rods with the tires on and the vehicle off the jacks.
 
My advice on lcas is just change them, don't mess with them. Same theory applies to ucas and CVS, why mess around rebuilding something that takes twice as long as to just r/r with new?
 
Typically NC the OEM stuff is better quality and is worth rebuilding. This is particularly true with CV axles. The new ones don't have the lips on the metal to beat them back out so once they're in they stuck to pull. But I here you. Replacement LCAs can be had petty inexpensively and are a dream to drop in vs rebuilding.
 
While wrenching on the truck somethings to do, thats more of maintenance than repairing/replacing, that will "refresh" the ride would be:

greasing the u-joint on the steering rack
Power steering flush
Grease the zerks on the driveline - helps prevent the dreaded "clunk"

I've noticed the biggest difference from those actions, without having to replace anything. Seems like everything else (besides all the fluid flushes) you have covered, or has already been mentioned
 
TowMeOut said:
I've been digging through various threads trying to piece this together without much luck. If there's already a better discussion please point me in the right direction.

I was out wheeling with some friends a few weeks ago and got a chance to turn my truck into a boat. So out came the carpet and seats. Then another "fun" symptom of my water play was a starter that just made a loud "click". While I was under the truck wrenching (and swearing) I did a lot of looking around. It seems my inner CV boots are yet again starting to puke some grease so that's not good. The lower balljoints are also showing some signs of boot failure. To top it off, looks like I have a bad diff seal at one of the CVs. My truck is about to bounce over 150K so I figure it's a good time to give the front end some love.

Has anyone else just done a front end "refresh" rather than a piecemeal replacement of worn parts? It would seem to me that while I might end up replacing a few parts prematurely, it's going to be less hassle and possibly less money in the long run from extra labor and alignments.

Anyone have a laundry list of parts to check/replace and some nuggets of wisdom on the process? Here's what I'm thinking to do all at once but I haven't really torn into it yet:

Definitely gonna replace...

Lower balljoints (they're likely shot and the grease is leaking)
CV reboot or more likely shaft replacement
Diff axle seals (mandatory)

Need to check but will probably replace...

UCAs.....I found some from a 5th gen with low mileage for free. It looks to me like swapping the arm with a new balljoint is much easier/simpler than trying to press out/in a new one.
Inner/outer tie rod ends (need to check for slop in rack first)
Swaybar bushings (can be done anytime but this seems like a good opportunity)
LCA bushings (I've heard these can be a bear to remove the old ones)

What else am I missing that would be a "good idea" while everything is torn apart? I haven't tried to break the alignment bolts loose yet but my truck isn't terribly rusty. I don't expect these to be a problem. Since it's not absolutely necessary to tear that apart and I don't have any strange "clunks" in the front the LCAs may just stay put for now. I'm not sure what kind of improvement in ride or handling I'd get from doing those bushings.

Again, feel free to flame or point me toward some other comprehensive threads.
Click to expand...

See my build thread for what i recommend for parts list, there is a few things I would do different from what your planning.

JBA for UCA's
NJN636 for wheel bearings
CVJ or OEM only for CV axles .. OEM seals

Replace entire LCA with OEM LCA only.. imo from experience its not worth trying to rebuild the LCA thats there.

OEM or XRF for tie rods

coilovers = your choice and budget

sway bar links = your choice/ energy poly bushings

im probably forgetting things. but you see where im going with this
 
I recently replaced all the arms in the front of my 03 4runner with over 250k. There are some good deals on Rockauto if you want some ready to run replacement UCA and LCA with new ball joints and bushings.

I don't do any off-roading in this rig yet so OEM replacements were all I looked at.

My suggestion is set aside a weekend and do all of it at once.

I did each pair of arms one pair a weekend over a 3 week period and recently realigned it. Like you I still need to replace my axles and haven't even thought about that yet.

If you're going to replace the LCA, I will recommend buying new cam bolts for the LCAS as one or two of them will be seized in the bushing sleeve. (I had to cut one of my bolts to get the arm off the subframe.
 
My suggestion would be to buy aftermarket UCAs, LCAs and replace the ball joint with Moog or another brand. I purchased some from 1A Auto and they seem pretty solid, but to be on the safer side, I'll be replacing their ball joints with Moog greasable ones soon.
 
Just an FYI I was browsing Rockauto and they sell a complete Moog front end kit with pretty much everything. Not sure how this compares to OEM but it looks about half the price
 
where to get OEM Ball Joints

I'm going to replace my ball joints in my 2005 and at least want to compare cost of OEM. Problem is I can't actually find ball joints on any of the OEM parts websites.

Anyone have part numbers for uppers and lowers?
 
I've replaced some of the items here you describe, I would personally stay away from RockAuto, some of the Moog stuff I got there was junk. YMMV
 
I replaced my inner tie rods with MOOG and they are nice quality. I would not use the MOOG outer tie rod ends though. Although they are greasable, they're rusting already.

I agree with others that you should get complete LCAs rather than pressing out the old bushings and ball joints. You're nearly at the price of a complete LCA with the bushing and ball joints anyway (unless you are going with OEM). And probably good to have a set of cam bolts on hand in case one is ceased.

Seems like the UCAs last longer and probably don't need to replace them, unless you're going to do a lift, in which case, just get a quality adjustable one (SPC, Total Chaos, ICON, etc).

Agree on the CV's only use OEM or CVJ (Colorado) IMO. I had a cheap aftermarket one and it couldn't handle my lift, it would bind at full drop, so lesson learned there.

Definitely replace the sway bar bushings and end links. I used the blue MOOG set and they are great. Cleared up a front end clunk I had going on.

It's a big job to do all at once, but if you can do it over a weekend and take it for alignment on Monday, you only have to get it aligned once.
 
woodman60 said:
I'm going to replace my ball joints in my 2005 and at least want to compare cost of OEM. Problem is I can't actually find ball joints on any of the OEM parts websites.

Anyone have part numbers for uppers and lowers?
Click to expand...

They don't sell OEM LCA ball joints separately, you have to buy the entire LCA which is $$$. You can buy a greaseable MOOG one, however and press out the old and press in the new (after taking off the retaining clip of course).

My thought was, if I'm going to take out the LCAs, I'm replacing the bushings as well, so it's worth looking at a complete LCA aftermarket option. OEM ones are $300 a piece at Conicelli.
 
Well. I think I am going to try and do the LCA bushings when I do my complete bushing replacement this fall. I've already done the ball joints and that wasn't bad.
 
I've seen the Moog complete LCAs for about $350 for the pair. That sounds pretty reasonable compared to the price of bushings and ball joint plus the blood, sweat and possibly tears of trying to swap the parts into my old arms.

There are much, much cheaper ones and of course he OEM are a lot more. I'm assuming the ball joint is the make or break part? Do "cheap" LCAs have bushings that break down quickly? The rest is just stamped/welded sheet metal so I don't see how there can be a huge difference in OEM vs aftermarket there.
 
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