Which lower ball joints to get??

duffbeer911

duffbeer911

New member
Hi there -
I'm looking at replacing the lower ball joints on my T4R because I have no idea when they were last changed. I'm living abroad in Africa and it is difficult to source parts... this is what I have been offered, and prices converted to US$

Original new Toyota - $441 / pair
Used Toyota - $209 / pair
New non-Toyota brand - $209 / pair

A guy here suggests that Used Toyota is better than cheaper non-toyota from China ... but is it even worth the risk? Maybe I should just get the new originals?

OR wait until I go back to the UK at Christmas and get a pair there?

Thanks as always for the helpful advice!
 
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No doubt about it, OEM all the way... and replace the bolts with new OEM (and use blue Loctite) as well for safety! Do NOT use Moog!
 
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I suggest going Toyota brand all the way but jesus, $441 for the pair is insane! Especially when I can get them for $110 a piece.





Duff, pm en route..
 
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The last thing I would want to do with my 4R is 3 wheeling in Africa.

Id say pay the higher price for the sure thing, even though its pretty high. What about having someone buy them back home and mail them out?
 
do you guys know what the equivalent I should be looking for in the UK is? as the 4runner 3rd gen doesn't seem to exist in the UK... is it the Hilux Surf?

thanks!
 
duffbeer911 said:
do you guys know what the equivalent I should be looking for in the UK is? as the 4runner 3rd gen doesn't seem to exist in the UK... is it the Hilux Surf?

thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes every where else in the world they are called Hilux Surfs. North America is the only one to call them 4runners
 
I bought MOOGs for mine before I read about them on this board. The ones in the MOOG boxes turned out to be OEM Sankei 555s - the definitely said 555 on them, just like the originals. Is it possible that the MOOG ones are now just re-boxed OEM ones? I was very confused by this??????????

Here is what the looked like:
lbj.jpg~original

hopefully i will be ok, i would have never bought MOOG if i knew about their reputation, but apparently the ones i got weren't really MOOGs!!
 
audiness said:
I bought MOOGs for mine before I read about them on this board. The ones in the MOOG boxes turned out to be OEM Sankei 555s - the definitely said 555 on them, just like the originals. Is it possible that the MOOG ones are now just re-boxed OEM ones? I was very confused by this??????????

Here is what the looked like:
lbj.jpg~original

hopefully i will be ok, i would have never bought MOOG if i knew about their reputation, but apparently the ones i got weren't really MOOGs!!
Click to expand...

Raybestos Professional Grade from Rock Auto are the same thing. Reboxed 555. IIRC I paid something like $65 each.
 
yep, thats where i got mine -rockauto. Maybe those companies gave up on remaking their own ****ty ones, and just decided to use the real thing.
 
I bought MOOGs from advanced. They say 555 on them as well. I've always liked MOOG parts and I'm not worried about them at all. I've had them on there for two plus months and wheeled it a few times. Rocks, hills, washouts, blasting down forest roads. I haven't noticed anything other then the fact that the truck feels awesome compared to before I changed them.

Any proof out there the 555s are known to fail before or more often then the OEM parts? All of the threads I've seen about failed LBJs was cause they were pushing 200k or past it.
 
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WastedAccount said:
I bought MOOGs from advanced. They say 555 on them as well. I've always liked MOOG parts and I'm not worried about them at all. Any proof out there the 555s are known to fail before or more often then the OEM parts? All of the threads I've seen about failed LBJs was cause they were pushing 200k or past it.
Click to expand...

Anything other than Toyota OE will wear out a lot sooner. I had top line aftermarket units that wore out in ~20-30,000 miles.

Not all 555s are made the same.

Think about this. Stock BJs last ~150,000 miles plus.
 
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I have not read this whole thread, I admit, but FWIT my "555" LBJ's started spewing grease after less than 3k miles around the boot seal. I then had them warrantied and the joints were nearly seizing after the next 5k miles. Removed them and installed OEM units and havent had any issues since. Lesson learned.
 
Gerdo said:
Anything other than Toyota OE will wear out a lot sooner. I had top line aftermarket units that wore out in ~20-30,000 miles.

Not all 555s are made the same.

Think about this. Stock BJs last ~150,000 miles plus.
Click to expand...

I really thought "555 made in Japan " was good enough? I doubt ones stamped with 555 are different from one another - they are all made by the same manufacturer and just thrown in different boxes.
 
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