danthemanx07
New member
I post this as a cautionary tale. There are plenty of great write ups on ball joint replacement and some good control arm replacement write ups as well where everything goes smoothly. This is not one of those posts. This is a story of Murphy's law at its best... I changed out my passenger side lower ball joint, upper ball joint, lower control arm, and cv axle. I was supposed to get both sides done, but I ran out of time. Starting vacation tomorrow. My 4runner was a 1 owner Boston 4runner since new. I smuggled her south in 2008. Not sure when the last time any of this work was done. But, I am up there in miles and just lifted, so I figured it would be prudent to go ahead do some precautionary maintenance. The 4runner has also developed a strange suspension knocking noise, so I thought some of the work may cure that problem as well, for another thread though. Anyway, anyone who is planning on doing this work on a northern 4runner, here is what to expect...
I really hate cell phone pictures, but it is what I had handy.
As you can see, the tie rod end would not separate from the LBJ willingly. The castle nut had rusted into an unrecognizable shape.
Those other bits of the two lower control arm ends. Here is what the rest of the LCA looked like when it came out.
The cam bolts had seized to such an extent that they were immovable. I had cut off the LCA to get enough room without tearing other stuff up to get a 7" cutting wheel in there to cut the cam bolt and its sleeve out before the LCA bushing would come out. Luckily I picked up some cam bolts at the junk yard thinking that things may come to this. Unfortunately, I could only get three. I will need to get another before starting the other side.
Finally got it all out.
Nasty CV axle that I suspected as the source of my funny sounds.
All pretty again (except for that tie rod end, got it in shortly after).
A fairly miserable couple of days wrenching, but I am glad I did it. I now can't believe that the local alignment shop never said anything about the cam bolts to me. All better now though.
I really hate cell phone pictures, but it is what I had handy.
As you can see, the tie rod end would not separate from the LBJ willingly. The castle nut had rusted into an unrecognizable shape.
Those other bits of the two lower control arm ends. Here is what the rest of the LCA looked like when it came out.
The cam bolts had seized to such an extent that they were immovable. I had cut off the LCA to get enough room without tearing other stuff up to get a 7" cutting wheel in there to cut the cam bolt and its sleeve out before the LCA bushing would come out. Luckily I picked up some cam bolts at the junk yard thinking that things may come to this. Unfortunately, I could only get three. I will need to get another before starting the other side.
Finally got it all out.
Nasty CV axle that I suspected as the source of my funny sounds.
All pretty again (except for that tie rod end, got it in shortly after).
A fairly miserable couple of days wrenching, but I am glad I did it. I now can't believe that the local alignment shop never said anything about the cam bolts to me. All better now though.
