Lower ball joint failure???
- Thread starter RogueOne
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SilverRidgeRunner1
Member
I wouldn't just replace them just to do it, I would inspect them first for signs of wear and damage u can also check for play and if u find these things then replace them check out the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqw85L_sMgE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqw85L_sMgE
JayRolla
New member
They can fail without wear. It's not like most where the rubber gets bad dry up and they get play. Mine had zero play and failed. Without lift you should be fine but the lift puts more stress on them. My opinion they should be done every 100k miles. That's just me. Mine failed at 200k and my buddy at 160k. Right after lift installs.
JohnJMonroe
New member
Isn't there a recall on the 2001 lower ball joints? You might want to call your local dealer and see if they will do the recall still.
HammerHead
New member
I think you can just google Toyota recall and enter your vin and it will tell you if there is a recall or not.
I saw the thread that talked about the recall but when I put in my vin nothing came up.
Drcoffee
Senior Member
Its virtually impossible to inspect them for wear. The spring is pushing the stud down and the knuckle is pushing up for intents and purposes. The LBJ is always experiencing tension and give the impression the joint is tight. That is until the stud pops out, then its not tight anymore. Its best to replace them at 100,000 miles. Its a wearing part, treat it as such. They dont fail safe.
Newer designed vehicles have reversed the stud so it points up, not down.
Oh hell, roll the dice. Whats the worst that could happen?
:rip:
Newer designed vehicles have reversed the stud so it points up, not down.
Oh hell, roll the dice. Whats the worst that could happen?
:rip:
JEL
New member
I did all 4 of mine with new OEM about a year ago (upper and lower, uppers mostly for good measure but they were a little tired looking) and was amazed how much better the thing drove. Still, I know this is a bit OT but has any third party made a beefier ball joint that is superior to OEM? Sort of like the "Bilstein of ball joints" or something?
BTW OP, if I had a lift and over 100k miles, you can bet I'd change them. Even on my rig which had about 160k on the originals at the time, a stock rig with essentially 100% highway miles mind you, they lowers hadn't "failed" yet, but once I got them off I certainly was happy they were no longer in there. It's a poor design from the factory unfortunately.
BTW OP, if I had a lift and over 100k miles, you can bet I'd change them. Even on my rig which had about 160k on the originals at the time, a stock rig with essentially 100% highway miles mind you, they lowers hadn't "failed" yet, but once I got them off I certainly was happy they were no longer in there. It's a poor design from the factory unfortunately.
When I replaced mine on my '97 they had 175k miles on them. They were the original balljoints. They didn't have any play in them either. The boots cracked and started leaking grease so that was my queue. I replaced them with OEM and would suggest anything else. I had a '99 tacoma (same front suspension at 3rd gens) and got moogs and one failed on me after about 8k miles. Was not a fun experience and was not cheap either.
weekendclimber
New member
I have almost 200k on the 4runner I roll in with no sign they have ever been replaced. Didn't check if they needed it or not, but ordered new ones last week because why risk it?
weekendclimber
New member
I did a lot of research for the last month on where to buy and the cheapest was camelbacktoyota.com
They had comparable prices, but the thing that put them over the top was the free shipping over $150. Haven't read anything about better than OEM other than using Tundra (or maybe it was Tacoma?) LBJ's.
thebrandon
New member
You can use Tacoma ones but you also have to swap out your tie rod ends. The Tacoma ones are the exact same design just a bigger ball, which in my opinion doesn't do much because they are just as prone to failing in the exact same way as ours. You lose a bit from your turning radius when you put Taco LBJs and TREs as well.
can you order online from toyota dallas?
Nelsonmd
New member
Oh man... Go to their website and see for yourself. You gotta put at least a tiny bit of effort into it.
Do as 7echo did and buy all new bolts too. Shops over-torque chassis bolts, so the ones that are on their are probably stretched out more than they should be. Even at $2 each, there's only 8 and it's well worth the money to get new ones when you're spending well over $100 for the components
shootmymime
New member
have you seen my ball joint write up and explanation about this?
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/149467-official-lower-ball-joint-write-up-thread.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/149467-official-lower-ball-joint-write-up-thread.html
Thanks for the write up. I think I will be replacing mine soon.
Blitzkrieg
New member
Think of a ball joint in the simplest sense. It's a ball sitting in a joint. Like your hip socket.
Two major factors can make a ball joint fail:
1) The ball starts to disintegrate because dirt and water got into it and the socket OR
2) The external assembly has been stressed due to time, abuse, a curb or whatever.
#1 is probably the cause in 90% or more of the failures.
Ball joints are really easy to check if you have one that is failing, and the procedure has remained pretty much the same for a long, long time regardless of the vehicle. A ball joint is a ball joint.
1) Lift the vehicle up on the A arm as close as you can get to the ball joint with about 2" of daylight under the tire.
2) Take a tire iron or breaker bar and put it under the tire and lift up and down.
If the joint is heading south you will most definitely hear it. This procedure is also in the 4Runner service manual. It's pretty simple.
I have read about and heard of ball joints that people pushed way too long and if you are wondering what happens (and it has happened to some guys on this site too) basically your front wheel assembly falls out from under the truck.
Not something you want to happen at 5 mph much less 65 mph.
Edit: I should add I posted this before I read the link posted prior (and it appears to be a good one).
Two major factors can make a ball joint fail:
1) The ball starts to disintegrate because dirt and water got into it and the socket OR
2) The external assembly has been stressed due to time, abuse, a curb or whatever.
#1 is probably the cause in 90% or more of the failures.
Ball joints are really easy to check if you have one that is failing, and the procedure has remained pretty much the same for a long, long time regardless of the vehicle. A ball joint is a ball joint.
1) Lift the vehicle up on the A arm as close as you can get to the ball joint with about 2" of daylight under the tire.
2) Take a tire iron or breaker bar and put it under the tire and lift up and down.
If the joint is heading south you will most definitely hear it. This procedure is also in the 4Runner service manual. It's pretty simple.
I have read about and heard of ball joints that people pushed way too long and if you are wondering what happens (and it has happened to some guys on this site too) basically your front wheel assembly falls out from under the truck.
Not something you want to happen at 5 mph much less 65 mph.
Edit: I should add I posted this before I read the link posted prior (and it appears to be a good one).
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