Official Lower Ball Joint Write Up Thread

[shootmymime]

Definitely post torque specs, extremely important when doing this job. otherwise great write up!

Do you not see them? They are in bold on each step that you take a nut or bolt off.

 

[Jedrattle]

I want to add one thing.....

I have read its a good idea to replace the bolts for the lower ball joint. I just bought them this week...$11 for all 8 (from Toyota). Cheap insurance to me. Of course,I beat on mine and try to think of this type of little stuff.

 

[smithTR4]

And remember to shop around for the best prices! My local toyota stealership wanted 150 per ball joint and 20 bucks for the bolts.. Toyotapartszone was way cheaper but a little slow on the shipping..

 

[shootmymime]

I want to add one thing.....

I have read its a good idea to replace the bolts for the lower ball joint. I just bought them this week...$11 for all 8 (from Toyota). Cheap insurance to me. Of course,I beat on mine and try to think of this type of little stuff.

My new ball joints came with 1cotter pin for the ballpoint castle nut and 4 new bolts like you are saying. So I did use the new ones.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

much appreciated shootmm

Thanks for getting this online.

My ride is only at 130K miles but there's no sense in just hoping it will not happen.

Getting this done soon.

 

[Asaspades93]

I would recommend if you replace the 4 lower bolts go with oe. 2 of the new ones fell out and the other 2 were bent and they had all been loc tighted and torqued to spec, I just put the old bolts back in and haven't run into any issues so far

 

[Oeconomia]

This is a very informative thread. I will defiantly use this. I vote sticky!!!

I second this!

 

[Nelsonmd]

And don't use a castle nut backwards and beat off the tierod or ball joint. It will damage the threads and the nut. Just hit the side of the joint with a hammer to shock it loose. No damage to anything.

Agreed, hitting threaded parts or nuts always seems to result in damage. Just a slip of the wrist can mangle the threads easily.

I am surprised that no one has brought this up, but I have had very good results from using pitman pullers on the tie rods and I'd expect the same with the LBJ stud (If you can get it on the LCA). Similarly, you could use a 3-arm puller that I'm sure would work. I found I didn't even have to hit anything with a hammer to pop them out.

Pitman pullers are typically free to rent from auto parts stores, autozone and Advance should all rent them for free (basically you buy the tool, then they refund you the total cost when you return it)

Just another option!

 

[KidVermicious]

The pitman puller that Autozone loans is too big. OEM makes a tie rod puller with much narrower jaws that worked perfect.

 

[Nelsonmd]

The pitman puller that Autozone loans is too big. OEM makes a tie rod puller with much narrower jaws that worked perfect.

Good to know. I think I rented mine from O'Reilly's actually. IIRC they rent out OEM, so maybe that's why it worked for me.

 

[slomatt]

In the past I've put the castle nut on and hit the sides of the tapered joint with two sledge hammers, this knocks it loose and puts no stress on the bolt. This time I used two tools from the OTC front end service set (http://www.amazon.com/OTC-6295-Front-End-Service/dp/B0002SRH7O).

- Matt

 

[Asaspades93]

Napa pullers work also. wish I had known that before buying an advance one

 

[scottm]

My 4th-gen writeup, could be helpful here
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...nt-install-brake-calipers-lossa-pictures.html

 

[amalik]

Napa pullers work also. wish I had known that before buying an advance one

Do they let you rent them like Autozone does?

 

[heyoceanfloor]

Awesome write-up, great for someone like me who wouldn't even have the slightest idea where to start (or even that failure was that common). I'll put it on the to-do list before any bigger trips this summer.

A newbie question - is there any other maintenance/recommended checks that can be done while replacing the LBJs?

 

[95yotarunner619]

Just wanna add some of my own pics, this thread is great since a lot of people seem to be having ball joint failures lately.

I was also doing 55 when this happened ( bottom Control arm grinded away)

 

[gearnuts]

PSA time, life's too short to have this happen. Keep your ballz fresh!

Saw this on the news tonight. Five car pile up on Interstate 85 due to tacoma LBJ failure and he was stuck in the middle of the highway.

Pardon the awful pic of my tv screen...

 

[D Farms]

both my tie rod end and ball joint are stuck and i cant free them. i have a pitman puller but its a bit small to get over for either and pull them. and i already tried bfh. and kroil.

 

[Koko4]

both my tie rod end and ball joint are stuck and i cant free them. i have a pitman puller but its a bit small to get over for either and pull them. and i already tried bfh. and kroil.

I went to AutoZone and rented all three - a Pitman Puller, Tie Rod End Puller, and. ... I think the other was just called a standard Pickle Fork. One of them was the right size - the other two were a bit too small, like you said. I'd go to AutoZone and try all three - one will work.

I mushroomed the old lower ball joint area where the tie rod end mounts, because I hit it with the BFH THAT many times. I feel your pain.

 

[D Farms]

well i got the tie rod end off by forcing the pitman puller over. still working on the lbj.