What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Argument has already been made. A guy here on forum dissected both OEM and aftermarket LBJs and posted the pics and it is very easy to see the difference in quality and build. If I remember correctly, it was Dirty Pool.

 

I use blue locktite on mine and have had them off a few times (changing CV axles) and still use the same OEM LBJ bolts. I wonder if most of these issues with bolts shearing off or breaking come from people not using the right grade/quality bolt?

 

I think mine were oem, and someone didn’t use loctite or something.

Checking every once in awhile would for sure help.

 

yeah I check mine with a torque wrench every oil change or so...60ft lbs and done. Although if one of the bolts is starting to break inside you wouldn't really know about it unless you took it off completely and inspected it closely.

 

I wouldn't use red locktite on the LBJ bolts though...if you're ever on a trail and need to change out a broken CV axle you're going to have a hell of a time getting the bolts out if you put red on them. I use blue (med. strength) and it works fine.

 

I agree with @eon_blue, I wouldn't use red loctite on the LBJ bolts, it's not needed. Blue loctite is perfectly fine, I've yet to have a LBJ bolt come loose.

Never sheared one either. Speaking of which, the photo posted above, that's not a LBJ failure in my book. Looks like the bolts came loose or sheared. I chose to use the OEM bolts rather than what comes with aftermarket LBJs & I'll replace them with new ones anytime I replace the LBJs.

 

Red Loctite is formulated to require 300 degrees of heat to break it loose. Otherwise you’d likely break a bolt. You should only use if if you never plan on having to break it loose.

 

I prefer my trucks to be durable.

Weak ball joints is just not acceptable. I realize there are probably aftermarket its that solve the problem with new parts designed for the abuse. However, I'm not putting thousands of dollars into an IFS fix when I can fix the problem, permanently, for much less money- not to mention get a lot of the interference in access to components (oil pan, etc) out of the way.

 

Red would come out fine- if you have a torch.

Personally I only use red loctite on assemblies which won't need to come apart for the service life of the assembly- think head studs and the like.

 

Try 500 degrees.

 

They may be the weak link but if you keep an eye on them usually they'll be fine.

Unfortuantely there are no aftermarket replacements that are designed better for strength & abuse, not for stock replacement anyway.

 

Durable?

People have hundreds of thousands of miles on these things and don’t have a problem, the odds of you driving down the road and a ball joint failing is low, even more so when you keep an eye on them.

 

I'd just never buy a fun vehicle thats an auto. Doesn't matter for comfortable dailys tho.

 

Thanks for the info. That makes the decision a bit easier.

I agree, for most folks a SAS is extreme. I am not a rockcrawler, this truck won't be competing in TTC. I've done SAS before, I like the way they drive (let's not go there again- you like yours, I like mine- I don't need my truck to drive like a Cadillac), and I like the fact I can quite literally rebuild the engine in place (so long as it doesn't require machine work- and let's face it, not like I'm going to NOT have machine work done if I need a rebuild). I had an issue with the old motor in the Chevy, where an oil pump went out. Had the stock IFS and front drive unit been there, I'd have HAD to have removed the entire engine to get at it. As it was, I took out a couple dozen machine screws, dropped the pan, and replaced the oil pump in situ. Saved me days of work. Starter replacements were much easier, on and on.

(if we're really being honest, I love to tinker, and can never leave a vehicle stock- this is quite likely to be the biggest reason for my going SAS. Additionally, the money I'd spend installing a good IFS lift, I'd be time and money ahead to just build it SAS. Among other things, I don't have balljoint problems with Dana 44 axles )

 

Yup red breaks loose with heat fine but I can't think of anything on a vehicle that's not for race that would require red loctite. But for headstuds? Not something I would even think of. I've built engines using ARP studs to replace conventional head bolts & still never used any threadlocker on them. Just oil or ARP grease.

 

And yet, that very thing happened to the PO of my vehicle, and he's VERY good about maintenance- former USAF Jet Engine mechanic and knows the importance of maintenance... to say nothing of the aforementioned google search.

 

I think you’re in the wrong thread



Newb

 

It depends on the engine. It's been a while since I built a 350, but I recall headstuds (not bolts, studs) requiring red loctite.

Off the top of my head, a few things that require them- main journals, Redisleeve repair kits for such things as cranks (when they have a bit of scoring but doesn't rate a full R&R), threadserts, etc.

Concur, ARP is great stuff. You can't go wrong with them.

 

I think you meant to post in the other thread.

 

He’s a fckn newb