How much extra work to do LBJ while replacing axles

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Doc3g

New member
I'm having new OEM axles replaced at the stealership and was thinking that I might have them do LBJ's while it's there. I've had the truck for about 5 years and the previous owner was pretty meticulous with maintenance but I don't know how old the LBJ's are. I've done the shovel test and the pry bar test and there is no movement and no visual cause for concern but given the catastrophic failures I've been planning on replacing them for a while out of an abundance of caution.

I can do the job myself but it wouldn't be until at least June due to my schedule and in my mind you have already accomplished a big chunk of the labor for the LBJ's if you are swapping axles, but, since I've never done either, I wanted to hear some opinions on whether that is in fact the case.
 
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If you are uncertain how old they are, I would definitely replace them. It's cheap insurance and worth the piece of mind you'll have not worrying about them. OEM parts only and get new bolts also.

As far as you doing it or having the dealership do it, that's up to you. You may save a little by having them replaced while they are servicing the axles but we are talking about a dealership here. Either way, it will be expensive for them to work on it and you'll probably still pay damn near the "book time" for them to be replaced. Nothing wrong with that if you don't have the time, tools, experience or whatever.

When I got my 4R, the ball joints also had zero play and zero signs of any issues. After spending my first couple weeks on this forum, it was one of the first things I did.
 
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The bolts holding the LBJ are removed to do the CV axles. The only extra step is to remove the castle nut and pop the LBJ stud out of the LCA and pop the tie rod end off the LBJ (I don't think the tie rod needs to be removed for CVs, but I can't 100% remember).

They will probably try to charge you full book time but it should be about half that in my opinion, if you're already paying to have the CV replaced.
 
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Usually for the axles I only remove the 4 bolts, for LBJ replacement you will need the correct size tierod separator, and a pickle fork for the LBJ stud(or a LBJ separator), you will likely need new castle nuts and cotter pins for the tierod, and it wouldn't hurt to replace the 8 bolts mind you I have reused these on many occasions as long as they have never been over torqued. I'm on team Blue Locktite, and just hint of it is required. Inspection requires a dial indicator on base, 1.5mm is the limit.
 
Unner said:
The bolts holding the LBJ are removed to do the CV axles. The only extra step is to remove the castle nut and pop the LBJ stud out of the LCA and pop the tie rod end off the LBJ (I don't think the tie rod needs to be removed for CVs, but I can't 100% remember).

They will probably try to charge you full book time but it should be about half that in my opinion, if you're already paying to have the CV replaced.
Click to expand...

I constantly have to remind dealership service advisors about a little thing call "Labor Overlap".

For example. I looked at a bill last week. 7.5 hours of time to replace a Shock, CV Axle, and Lower control arm. Each item was billed separately with labor on their estimate. Actual book time to overhaul the ENTIRE front suspension, minus the CV axles is 3.5 hours per the manufacturer. The axle only adds .5 during the suspension overhaul. Total labor time should have been 4.0.... Actually was about 3.0 TOTAL because the 3.5 hours covers replacing the knuckle, UCA, and pressing a new bearing....
 
To paraphrase Colin McRae... "When in doubt, swap LBJs out".

You'll need to get an alignment in addition to the LBJ replacement.
 
Doc3g said:
out of an abundance of caution
Click to expand...

I think that phrase has been ruined for me forever.

If you are unsure of how old they are, sure why not. They fail after the grease boot goes dry so one other thing you can do is squeeze the boot. If it's full of grease they are good and fairly new. If it's all air, replace.
 
gamefreakgc said:
I think that phrase has been ruined for me forever.

If you are unsure of how old they are, sure why not. They fail after the grease boot goes dry so one other thing you can do is squeeze the boot. If it's full of grease they are good and fairly new. If it's all air, replace.
Click to expand...

Personally I'd swap them out simply if they aren't Toyota OEMs installed by a Toyota shop or with a parts receipt from a legit Toyota parts store.
 
This might be me but I don't trust the techs at Toyota do the LBJ's on my truck because I feel like they would just hammer in all 8 bolts into the knuckle w/o loctite and then later maybe risk a wheel separation failure due to overtightened bolts although maybe its probably just me. I've seen lots of threads about this exact problem. Tightening the 8 bolts with brand new hardware + small dab of loctite and the use of a torque wrench (properly calibrated) would make me sleep very well at night.

Edit Reason: Grammar
 
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It's not the 4 bolts that fail, it's the ball joint itself for the reasons listed above.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 
octanejunkie said:
It's not the 4 bolts that fail, it's the ball joint itself for the reasons listed above.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

There have been several people that the lower ball joints bolts fail on which is why new bolts are recommended when replacing the lower ball joints.
 
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Definitely replace them if they are old.

I wouldn't pay anyone more than an hour labor if they were already in that area removing related components.

I swapped mine in 45 minutes in my buddies driveway, with the two of us working together on each side. Two sets of hands per side help alot.
 
So I'm letting them do them, I asked about overlap labor and they knocked one hr of labor off, lol. It's sort of ridiculous but I just don't have any time to work on the truck until at least the summer and stuff like the brakes and ball joints were making me nervous. I prefer my own work but if I have to let someone else work on my vehicle I feel better with the Toyota guys than I do with the local people. I do like duggies the best but they are so far away from me that it's a real PITA to get the truck there and they definitely aren't any cheaper than the dealer. So yeah, for reference, the dealership gets $400 a side for labor and parts :mmph:
 
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