2006 Tacoma PreRunner 2nd Gen Lower Ball Joint Replacement

I need a 4 post lift! Preferably an alignment rack with built in lift for raising either end as needed.

 

Hmm I’ll try again today.

It just keeps slipping away

 

I suggest you measure the diameter of your ball joint with calipers, then find some pipe with inside diameter just a tiny bit larger than the ball joint and cut to length to use as the adapter. My ball joint press has a bunch of adapters, and none work to remove a ball joint on my Tacoma. The pipe trick works beautifully.

 

I just bought new MOOG LCA. I needed my truck back running.

When I replaced my OEM LCA joints they were easy but this time around I don’t know why I was having trouble.

Oh well, got them for $99 an arm at Pep Boys, they matched Amazons price

 

@BandanaBerg how can you tell when this ball joint is bad? will it have play up and down? if you go over a bump/hole on the road, will it sound like a wheel is loose? Mine are looking like there is a grease leak all over the rubber seal.

 

Mine were making a metal grinding/squeaking sound.

 

I don’t know about the wheel loose sound... but def if they are loose in their seat with up & down movement. If rubber seal is broken this is also a good indication of time to replace...

 

I'm replacing my wheel bearings, while I've got it apart, I decided to swap out the UBJs since one of them tore a while back. Made the impulse buy for some Rancho upper control arms and struts - at least this will save me the trouble of pressing in the UBJ to the UCAs. I went with the Mevotech LBJs. Does anybody here have experience with these parts? I'll post a recap once I get it all put together.

***UPDATE***

Mevotech LBJ have shit the bed after two years. I don't recommend these ball joints.

 

No experience with those parts you show. I just did mine LBJ like 2-3 weekends ago but used Autozone stock. Never had issues with their stuff.

 

Question for you all. I had to replace my Tie Rod end and Sway bar link due to the boots being cracked and torn. While doing that I thought to inspect the ball joint really good since my truck is at 124K. I took things apart and have it down to what you see below. The boot looks to be intact, no up and down play or grinding of any kind when I move it around by hand and it didn't have the up and down play when the wheel was on either. I am thinking it might still be good but It does however, move around easily with just two fingers. It is not stiff at all. Would this constitute replacement?

 

Id probably replace it sooner than better. Mine were easy to move around and then gave out making a creek noise. It’s easier replacing the entire arm but if you have time to do just the joint then I’d go for it

 

I agree, I really want to change them out but I am literally out of money right now. They are not squeaking, popping or grinding so I am just gonna have to use them till I save up to buy OE Arms and ball joint assemblies.

 

For the price OEM LCA are gonna cost, you’re better off buying TC or DK Midtravel LCA’s. I went with Moog LCA & they have been good so far

 

TC or DK? Are those the actual brands or abbreviated?


EDIT: Never Mind, found what they were. Ya those are more costly than OE equipment! NAPA has them for half the cost of OE and like you said the MOOG's are the most affordable.

 

Bump for help..... I have a set of lower arms I'm rebuilding.. I already pressed in my white line bushings.....

The problem I'm having is the arms currently have moog ballpoint that need to be pressed out and these moog have really big lips on them to where none of the ballpoint kits reciever tunes fit that I have purchased. There is very little room for a cup to rest on the arm but over the ballpoint.

Has anyone here ever replaced moog lower ballpoint on the lower arm?

 

I used calipers to measure the diameter of the Moog BJs. Then called a metal supply shop to order a piece of tube or pipe, whatever they had that was just bigger Inside Diameter. That still ended up being just a little too big, so to prevent it from slipping over the edge of the LCA I used a big hammer to knock the end just slightly out of round. Took me a lot of time, fuss, and many trips to different tool rentals etc. to get to this solution, but it worked great once I got to it.

GL

 

Wow this going to suck lol.... I'm almost tempted to just grind off the lip of the balljoint so that way any of my supplied sleeves should work

 

Take heart. It's pretty much beat once you get an adapter that fits. The bad part for me was the 8 days I spent trying to figure out a solution while my truck was in apart in the driveway. Once I called the metal shop it all came together slick as snot. Now I can almost do the job in my sleep.

 

Want to sell that tube? Lol I've looked everywhere here at work, my buddy's shop, I'm on my 3rd ball joint press kit. It's frustrating

 

Wouldn't it have been easier to just get a new OEM LCA for 250 bux? lol