Lower Ball Joint Variations

[Vitamin_E]

I've been searching off and on for the past few days and can't seem to find an answer, but I apologize if this has been discussed somewhere already.

Anyways for a little back story, I just picked up my 5th 3rd gen 4Runner, a 2002 Sport edition with 173k miles. I didn't plan on it being a daily, but I was offered a co-op in North Carolina, and I don't think that my lowered Jetta is gonna cut it lol, so I'm trying to get this thing as reliable as possible before I head out in January, as I'm gonna have a 40 mile commute every day.

I know that the lower ball joints are a failure point, so I'm trying to decide if these need to be done or not. I'm sure that it would be best to go ahead and do them anyways, but I'm a little bit confused with what's already on the truck. The picture I attached is from a thread over on ttora, and I believe is of a first gen Tundra, but the balljoint looks exactly like what's on my Runner.

I've never seen a 3rd gen 4Runner with that extra rubber boot underneath, but then again this is the newest 4Runner I've owned, all my other ones were 98's. So is this a newer design, or aftermarket maybe? I can't find any other pictures that show the same ball joint on a 4Runner, and I can't find any OEM replacements that have it either.

If anyone knows that'd be awesome! And again I'm sorry if I've missed anywhere that it's already been posted, but I just can't find any info on it

Edit: Oh and the picture I'm talking about is the lower one of the new looking ball joint.

 

[octanejunkie]

EDIT: bought these for my 99
43330-39585 right
43340-39465 left

My 99 took 8 of the following bolts (90080-10066) your year/part number may vary

 

[Vitamin_E]

Okay thank you, yeah I'm pretty sure that those are the part numbers I've been finding, but I just can't find why my ball joints have the extra rubber boot gaurd. None of the pictures I can find of the ball joints using these part numbers show it.

 

[phattyduck]

The previous owner may have swapped over to Tacoma ball joints and added those covers. (those are shown as applicable for a later first gen Tacoma)

Tacoma ball joints bolt in to the 4Runner, but require matching outer tie rods to work. They also supposedly reduce the turning radius.

-Charlie

 

[Vitamin_E]

Yeah I saw that some people do that swap. Is there a good way to check to be sure? Are there any obvious differences in the tie rods?

 

[CdaleR4000si]

I ordered my LBJs from Camelback last year. I used that boot also after I saw them on a thread here.

 

[Vitamin_E]

Hm well that's interesting then, do you remember what the part number was? I feel like that extra boot is kinda nice so as long as I don't actually have the Tacoma lbj's, I'd like to find what's on there and get the same thing

 

[phattyduck]

Went back and looked at the parts database again... Looks like the late '02's run a different ball joint and use the dust boot thing. And it also looks like the outer tie rod is the same as the earlier 4Runners.

Interesting. Learn something new every day!

-Charlie

 

[octanejunkie]

Went back and looked at the parts database again... Looks like the late '02's run a different ball joint and use the dust boot thing. And it also looks like the outer tie rod is the same as the earlier 4Runners.

Interesting. Learn something new every day!

-Charlie

Interesting indeed! I wonder if the geometry is different and if the PNs I linked will work or if that was irresponsible for me (they were advertised for 96-02)

EDIT: bought these for my 99

43330-39585 right
43340-39465 left

 

[CdaleR4000si]

Hm well that's interesting then, do you remember what the part number was? I feel like that extra boot is kinda nice so as long as I don't actually have the Tacoma lbj's, I'd like to find what's on there and get the same thing

Part number for the boot cover thing is 43346-60011. Looking back at my records, it looks like I did order it separately from the ball joints. I think I first saw them on this thread, starting on post 46...


http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ball-joint-write-up-thread-4.html#post1957080

 

[Vitamin_E]

Awesome! Well thanks everyone, that definitely clears things up. But yeah [MENTION=95183]octanejunkie[/MENTION] that's what had been so confusing to me, it seems like every source I've looked at to buy the ball joints lists them as 96-02. And [MENTION=139000]phattyduck[/MENTION] do you by chance have those part numbers handy? And I appreciate you taking a look at your records [MENTION=83823]CdaleR4000si[/MENTION] and I'll definitely check out the link. I guess I didn't make it that far into the thread when I was looking haha

Edit: Forgot to mention this, but [MENTION=139000]phattyduck[/MENTION] would you happen to know if the dust boot is included with that different part number or would that still need to be ordered separately like CdaleR4000si had to do?

 

[nobb]

The cover is good for preventing punctures to the boot if you offroad alot, BUT it also hinders you from seeing the condition of the boot or if there are leaks.

 

[phattyduck]

Create an account on www.toyodiy.com and go to town. Reverse part number look up included... It looks like just the last 4-5 months of gen3 4Runner production used the different ball joint setup. You'd have to do some cross-referencing to an earlier truck (reverse PN lookup, etc.) to know what crosses and what doesn't.

(teaching a man to fish, and all... :fish

-Charlie

 

[Vitamin_E]

Haha no problem, I'll check it out! Thanks again

 

[Vitamin_E]

Well I might need a hand here [MENTION=139000]phattyduck[/MENTION] So I'm finding two different part numbers, one is the one that octanejunkie posted, and the other is 43330-39415 for the right hand lower ball joint. But when I put this number into a website like toyotapartsdeal, it says that it is not compatible with my 2002 vin number. So do I just need to order the same one that octanejunkie did and order the protector separately? Or is there actually a different part number? I've looked through a few different years and tried to cross reference the numbers but there seems to only be those two.

 

[phattyduck]

The easiest answer here is to use the 'older' or 'normal' ball joint and leave the protector off. In other words, just use the PNs that octanejunkie posted.

Searching those part numbers via a google image search isn't too helpful, so there is no way to know what is actually different about the ball joint that might or might not make it compatible with the protector boot.

-Charlie

 

[Vitamin_E]

Gotcha, that sounds good to me, thanks!

 

[kolelt]

I've been searching off and on for the past few days and can't seem to find an answer, but I apologize if this has been discussed somewhere already.

Anyways for a little back story, I just picked up my 5th 3rd gen 4Runner, a 2002 Sport edition with 173k miles. I didn't plan on it being a daily, but I was offered a co-op in North Carolina, and I don't think that my lowered Jetta is gonna cut it lol, so I'm trying to get this thing as reliable as possible before I head out in January, as I'm gonna have a 40 mile commute every day.

I know that the lower ball joints are a failure point, so I'm trying to decide if these need to be done or not. I'm sure that it would be best to go ahead and do them anyways, but I'm a little bit confused with what's already on the truck. The picture I attached is from a thread over on ttora, and I believe is of a first gen Tundra, but the balljoint looks exactly like what's on my Runner.

I've never seen a 3rd gen 4Runner with that extra rubber boot underneath, but then again this is the newest 4Runner I've owned, all my other ones were 98's. So is this a newer design, or aftermarket maybe? I can't find any other pictures that show the same ball joint on a 4Runner, and I can't find any OEM replacements that have it either.

If anyone knows that'd be awesome! And again I'm sorry if I've missed anywhere that it's already been posted, but I just can't find any info on it

Edit: Oh and the picture I'm talking about is the lower one of the new looking ball joint.

Be bottom photo. They don't make that anymore do they ?

 

[sakoluvr]

Does anyone have any updated information on the LBJ boot covers? Is there a different LBJ part number in order for the boot to fit? I have a 2002 Sport that has boot covers but ordered the LBJ's that fit all the 3rd gens.

Edit: have y'all noticed that the ToyoDIY chart that was posted lists 4333039585 and 4334039465 for 03/2001 - 07/2002 model years? Those are the part numbers that everyone uses to replace their LBJ's. Maybe the dust boot is compatible then?

OP, did you end up reusing the boots?

 

[animator]

Does anyone have any updated information on the LBJ boot covers? Is there a different LBJ part number in order for the boot to fit? I have a 2002 Sport that has boot covers but ordered the LBJ's that fit all the 3rd gens.

Edit: have y'all noticed that the ToyoDIY chart that was posted lists 4333039585 and 4334039465 for 03/2001 - 07/2002 model years? Those are the part numbers that everyone uses to replace their LBJ's. Maybe the dust boot is compatible then?

OP, did you end up reusing the boots?

I'll have to check my parts box at home and see if I still have the packing slip, but I'm fairly confident I am using the same #, and reused the boots. They slip over and are held in place by the same bolts that hold the LBJ on.