Lower ball joint failure on uneven ground

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

So yesterday as I was pulling into my driveway my lower ball joint came apart. Luckily I was going extremely slow due to the huge ice bump at the front of my driveway and didn't do any other damage. Unfortunately my front suspension is extremely flexed and I can't move the vehicle. I have the old ball joint pulled off but I can't get the ball joint to drop into the control arm due to the flex of the suspension. In the first and second picture you can see the uneven ground it is sitting on, in the 3rd picture you can see how far off it is from lining up. I have tried jacking it all different ways and have spent all day trying to get the stupid thing to line up to no avail. Does anyone have a good idea to fix this other than calling a mechanic?

 

[GhostRing]

Let air out of tires to level out truck?
unbolt the spring/shock, attach to LCA and drive on bumpstop to level ground?

 

[JayRolla]

Lift the entire vehilce off the ground with jack stands. That will eliminate the flex.

 

[txbonds]

Try getting the jack under the frame or front crossmember so you are not lifting on the control arm so that you can manipulate those parts to put it back together. Also make sure the cv axle is pushed in all the way as it has a tendency to stretch outward, especially if it has lots of miles and wear. Last try putting LBJ into LCA first and then pushing the knuckle onto it if you can't get it in with it attached to the knuckle first. I found that I had to lift the knuckle and UCA upward to get mine to go high enough to pivot back into the LCA.

 

[Doc2012]

Use a ratchet strap.

Go through the UCA, and around the LCA. Then tighten it down. Move the spindle as it lowers to line up the parts.

 

[MCObray]

Just out of curiosity, how many miles on your 4Runner?

 

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

thanks for the quick responses all. I'm an idiot I didn't even think of getting the entire front end jacked up to eliminate the flex.

 

[shootmymime]

Remove the sway bar link on that side.

 

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

Just out of curiosity, how many miles on your 4Runner?

Just hit 200k last week


She's just gettin broken in

Engine wise she runs like a champ, just did new spark plugs wires, injectors, fuel filter, MAF sensor. The suspension is in pretty rough shape due to normal wear and tear and I take it out on the forest service roads camping all summer. I've already snapped a sway bar end link and now the ball joint. Planning a major suspension overhall this summer as soon as the snow melts and it's nice out.

 

[MCObray]

Just hit 200k last week


She's just gettin broken in

Well sounds like you're on your way to getting the LBJ fixed. I'll drink a cold one in your honor this evening...

 

[snivilous]

Out of curiosity would you be interested in new LCAs with a uniball integral to them to eliminate the ball joints? [MENTION=89531]Cartzo[/MENTION] and I have been throwing the idea of fabricating suspension parts because of issues exactly like this. A set of LCAs would run a few hundred bucks though if you we got into it...

 

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

Now I have it jacked up on jackstand on the frame eliminating any suspension flex. Unfortunately, it's still about 2" off. The rotor piece is out too far. CV axle bent? Look at the angle of the rotor compared to the ball joint piece I need to bolt on.

 

[shootmymime]

Now I have it jacked up on jackstand on the frame eliminating any suspension flex. Unfortunately, it's still about 2" off. The rotor piece is out too far. CV axle bent? Look at the angle of the rotor compared to the ball joint piece I need to bolt on.

no no no your doing it wrong.

take the ball joint off the lower a arm.

then attach it to the spindle with the 4 bolts.
then with your jack, place it under the a arm and jack it up then align the ball joint stud into hole and then screw on the castle nut.

real quick if you have any questions feel free to buzz me.

(dont quote this becuase my number is on it.)

 

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

Out of curiosity would you be interested in new LCAs with a uniball integral to them to eliminate the ball joints? [MENTION=89531]Cartzo[/MENTION] and I have been throwing the idea of fabricating suspension parts because of issues exactly like this. A set of LCAs would run a few hundred bucks though if you we got into it...

Yeah I might be interested in something like that

 

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

no no no your doing it wrong.

take the ball joint off the lower a arm.

then attach it to the spindle with the 4 bolts.
then with your jack, place it under the a arm and jack it up then align the ball joint stud into hole and then screw on the castle nut.

real quick if you have any questions feel free to buzz me xxxxxxxxx

(dont quote this becuase my number is on it.)

OK I'm gonna go try that, and you think detaching the end link on the sway bar will help?

 

[shootmymime]

OK I'm gonna go try that, and you think detaching the end link on the sway bar will help?

yeah that might help. i did when i did mine. its helps flex quite a bit more.
but if you run into a hang up call me. ive done them before and know some tricks.

 

[MyHigh]

Man at first I thought lucky you, now after seeing the nice ice patch you have for a work station I decided to change my mind..... THAT SUCKS!!!

Do you have a lift? I only ask because I got into a disagreement yesterday with a local (Beaverton Toyota) mechanic, he told me I was foolish to want to put new lbj on my rig, said nationwide he has never heard of them failing. I was this close to pulling up a thread or two one the site, then thought better of it because I figured it was mainly lifted rigs that had the lbj failure problem, and I sit stock for now. Either way I'm getting them done, I'd rather be foolish then dead.

 

[txbonds]

You're fighting against two issues getting it on there. The cv axle has to be moved and compressed a little to get it into the right angle and the rubber bushings on the upper control arms resist lifting the knuckle/spindle into place. The lower control arm is somewhat limited in movement due to the strut, so you have to focus on lifting and pushing in with the knuckle/spindle.


You can always loosen the bolt on the upper control arm bushings too if you need more movement.

 

[shootmymime]

have you guys seen this?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...r-ball-joint-write-up-thread.html#post1466791

 

[ColoradoMTNlivin]

Man at first I thought lucky you, now after seeing the nice ice patch you have for a work station I decided to change my mind..... THAT SUCKS!!!

Do you have a lift? I only ask because I got into a disagreement yesterday with a local (Beaverton Toyota) mechanic, he told me I was foolish to want to put new lbj on my rig, said nationwide he has never heard of them failing. I was this close to pulling up a thread or two one the site, then thought better of it because I figured it was mainly lifted rigs that had the lbj failure problem, and I sit stock for now. Either way I'm getting them done, I'd rather be foolish then dead.

No lift she's totally stock. That mechanic doesn't know what he's talking about.

To everyone else thanks for your help. I've been at this all day and I'm about 10 beers in so it's time to bag it for the night. I'll post an update tomorrow