Need Repair Advice

[Brian757]

Okay everyone, so I want to replace my belts and I want to replace my upper and lower ball joints.

I can only do one of them right now because money is tight. Can I get advice on WHICH ONE I should do now? My ball joints are going and pop on turns. They arent thrashed but they are going. Also, my timing belt squeels sometimes when I start 'er up.

If either of these components break while driving, they can be somewhat catastrophic. But my belts aren't as bad as my ball joints. I just need an opinion, what would you guys/gals do?

If anyone has any questions, just throw them at me. Also, when I get home, I will post pics?

 

[downpour11]

Ball joints should be your #1 priority if it's between the two. If your ball joint fails, that will be way more catastrophic than a timing belt snapping, since these are non interference engines. Replace your ball joints asap.

 

[Brian757]

Ball joints should be your #1 priority if it's between the two. If your ball joint fails, that will be way more catastrophic than a timing belt snapping, since these are non interference engines. Replace your ball joints asap.

Very true. That makes sense. Figuring they are Non interference engines, i would just roll to a stop, versus my passat which would go ham on my valves and they would trash my cylinder walls. A timing belt job @ $300 would go to a $3000 engine repair.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Ball joints for sure.

But if I were in your shoes, I'd skip on the uppers and replace the lowers and the drive belts. Cost should be about the same if you were doing both upper and lower BJs. Take some pics of the uppers and post them.

If you are hearing a squeal, my guess is it is a drive belt or an idler that has seen better days.

 

[ICD]

I was on the same boat my friend. I chose to do my LBJ for the reasons posted above.

Ball joints going in this weekend and doing the pump and belt later next month.

Make sure you go OEM the LBJ.

 

[agloukhoff]

Are you sure that it's your timing belt that is sqealing?

It's more likley to be one of your drive belts.

Tighten the PS and alternator belts just a bit. I'm willing to bet that the squeal will go away.

 

[shadow247]

Before you go throwing belts on it, verify that it is in fact your timing belt. The easiest way to do this is just remove each belt one at time until the squeaking stops.

 

[Brian757]

I am most likely doing my ball joints next week.
My shop said they are installing Moog for upper and lower ball joints. I said that I have heard some negative things about Moog from my forum.
He said they will most likely outlive the life of my truck.

With the belts, it could be the belt cranking my alternator. I just figure I am overdue with 118,000 miles on the clock. But when my car is running, it sounds like tinkering due to loose belts. Figure I will just replace them all and save myself the headache further down the road, like when Im on my snowboarding trips :/

Thank you everyone for your info!

 

[theizzardking]

I am most likely doing my ball joints next week.
My shop said they are installing Moog for upper and lower ball joints. I said that I have heard some negative things about Moog from my forum.
He said they will most likely outlive the life of my truck.

With the belts, it could be the belt cranking my alternator. I just figure I am overdue with 118,000 miles on the clock. But when my car is running, it sounds like tinkering due to loose belts. Figure I will just replace them all and save myself the headache further down the road, like when Im on my snowboarding trips :/

Thank you everyone for your info!

LBj's until then just use some belt dressing and try tightening them up a bit, cold weather can cause some squeaks alone , i had 180k on the clock before my old one was ever done....

 

[Brian757]

LBj's until then just use some belt dressing and try tightening them up a bit, cold weather can cause some squeaks alone , i had 180k on the clock before my old one was ever done....

Oh wow! 180K?! Thats awesome. And I assume the cold is causing my squeels. I will probably give tightening a try. You just loosen the bolt on the bottom of your alternator and slide it further away, right?

 

[theizzardking]

Oh wow! 180K?! Thats awesome. And I assume the cold is causing my squeels. I will probably give tightening a try. You just loosen the bolt on the bottom of your alternator and slide it further away, right?

yeah more or less, it's more of a pivot than a slide and kinda annoying but shouldn't take more than 5~10 mins....

yeah didn't swap it out till 180k and it still looked ..just ok... could have gone for a bit more, but why? you know, haha.

 

[ICD]

My LBJ look to be original too, my 4 is at 188k right now. They still look good and are stiff with no play but has a a boot tear in the middle.

If you don't mind my asking how much are they charging you for the whole job?

 

[Brian757]

My LBJ look to be original too, my 4 is at 188k right now. They still look good and are stiff with no play but has a a boot tear in the middle.

If you don't mind my asking how much are they charging you for the whole job?

I called my shop and they quoted me $750 by doing upper and lower ball joints to Moog. They said they aren't going to do an alignment but will put it on the alignment machine to see if it needs it.

Others I have called like general mechanics say around $1000 if they use their parts or roughly $515 if I bring my own. Also, all other shops said that their prices include an alignment. My shop said it shouldn't need it. I'm sure you guys know the truth. Also, I feel my shop wouldn't not tell me if I needed an alignment, ya know?

 

[theizzardking]

I called my shop and they quoted me $750 by doing upper and lower ball joints to Moog. They said they aren't going to do an alignment but will put it on the alignment machine to see if it needs it.

Others I have called like general mechanics say around $1000 if they use their parts or roughly $515 if I bring my own. Also, all other shops said that their prices include an alignment. My shop said it shouldn't need it. I'm sure you guys know the truth. Also, I feel my shop wouldn't not tell me if I needed an alignment, ya know?

personally, i'd the do the lbj's myself, it's a very easy job, i haven't done the uppers yet on any of the 4runners i've had but from my understanding you need a press, seriously save the money and do the lbj's yourself and then pay for the t-belt and water pump job and uppers if your worried about it, i would say putting a lift on is much harder than the lbj work..the worst part is rusted or jammed bolts....

 

[LittleCaesar]

Brian,

If you 4runner is 4wd (I am guessing it is) and the LBJs are original, they may be covered by a recall for free replacement. Check out this thread and then your VIN to see if you are a candidate:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/problems-warranty-issues/71656-2001-lower-ball-joint-recall.html

I'd personally get OEM LBJs (I did for mine). I have had good experience with Moog on American auto repairs, and would not think twice on using them for such, but others who have used Moog here on 4runners have had to replace them as soon as under 20,000 miles. YMMV.

 

[Brian757]

I asked a friend if I could do my ball joints myself and he said I needed that press that your talking about Izzard. However, if the LBJ's aren't that hard, then I will take the job upon myself. My UBJ's both have torn boots, but they don't seem to have play.

Also, thank you Little Caesar for the link, I will look into that. I bought my 4runner from a Driver's World which is like a CarMax or something like that. I will see if my local Toyota stealership would honor that recall. I am warrantied bumper-to-bumper.

 

[downpour11]

I asked a friend if I could do my ball joints myself and he said I needed that press that your talking about Izzard. However, if the LBJ's aren't that hard, then I will take the job upon myself. My UBJ's both have torn boots, but they don't seem to have play.

Also, thank you Little Caesar for the link, I will look into that. I bought my 4runner from a Driver's World which is like a CarMax or something like that. I will see if my local Toyota stealership would honor that recall. I am warrantied bumper-to-bumper.

Yeah at least save yourself some money and do the LBJ's yourself if you're not too confident doing the uppers.

Each LBJ takes about 15-20 min per side. It's 4 bolts and some hammering with the fork (you can rent at auto zone for like $15, then you get your money back when you return the fork). I'd never let someone charge me $250 to do that, it's extremely simple.

 

[Brian757]

So I called the Toyota number on the thread about the recall that LittleCaesar gave me.

Called them and talked for awhile and she said, "I am sorry sir but we have no Rav4 on your account."

I said, "Uhm, thats because its a 4runner." She said, "Hold on sir, you said, "an x-runner?" I said politely, but stern, "A 4RUNNER?!"

She said, "Ah, a 4runner." Let me look that up.

Verdict: Still on Phone. Will update once I'm off.

 

[Brian757]

Okay, so here is the final verdict.

She said that my truck was indeed affected by the recall.
However, on my file, it shows that my truck was taken into my Checkered Flag Toyota dealership and my LBJ's were replaced on August of 2006.
So I am assuming I don't need LBJ's now?!

Called my shop.
$502.82 for UBJ replacement to Moog and an alignment. (I guess their going to do an alignment now.)
vs. $750 for UBJ and LBJ replacement.

 

[downpour11]

I'd still replace the lowers, especially if they're 'popping' on turns. Your ball joints went a lot faster after you lifted because they weren't used to the angle they're at now. Once you replace them you should be good.