LBJ Failure - Questions - please help

1998 4wd 3.4 SR5

Lifted w Bilstein 5100

Mechanic says I need upper and lower Ball Joints and a cv axle.

Since I have 2.5" lift should I get something other than OEM LBJ?

Do I need adjustable upper Upper ball joints since I have the lift?

Do I need an extended axle CV joint?

TIA

 

OE LBJ and SPC UCA IMO. Napa CV are good

 

Fresh OEM LBJ for sure.

You do not strictly need new upper control arms but you might get better alignment numbers with them. Some trucks get by without and some require them

 

You don't need extended CV axles. OEM Toyota ones are the best, but prohibitively expensive. Before this mechanic takes off your existing CV, I'd check if its OEM Toyota. If it is, then all it should need is rebooting. Many mechanics like to just throw in cheapsie, parts store axles, to avoid the messy, semi-tedious process of rebooting torn CV axle boots. That makes perfect sense if the axles are cheap, parts store brand ones, but its very shortsighted if you still have Toyota axles on your rig.

 

Can confirm, the OEM CV axles are the best in terms of durability and longevity

 

How can I tell if they are OEM CV axles? Mechanic says I need a new one.

 

U could get new upper control arms and kill 2 birds with one stone.
The upper ball joint and control arm bushings,
Just installed JBA last week

 

If I upgrade upper control arms, does that come with upper ball joint too or is that additional?

 

the JBA UCA's in that picture come with the ball joint installed already. I cant speak for all aftermarket UCA though.

 

Great! Should I also get lower control arms with the uppers?

 

Those appear aftermarket to me. Usually OEM have a green sticker around the axle shaft. The other distinguishing feature is the shape of the outer housing that goes over the inner joint [which is removed in your picture]. So I can't say for certain. Do you have a picture of your other side's CV?

Also you should not need aftermarket lower arms. The OEM ones are fine.

 

here’s a couple pics from the other side.

 

Most come with UBJ, but OEM have to be pressed into the knuckle. Aftermarket just use an adapter to fit their UBJ into the knuckle without any special tools.

The dead giveaway for OEM CV are the stickers but remnants can sometimes be seen. Your CV looks OEM just based upon no special grooves on the shaft that I have seen before on aftermarket. Rebuilding a CV isn’t worth a mechanics time and would be cost prohibitive to you. This is why it is much more cost effective and efficient just to change the part and say “you need a new _____”. This is the same thing with a strut because clamping and removing the coil to replace the shock is too time consuming than to just rip out of the old strut and slide in a new one. You will end up paying for more labor time thus exceeding the cost of a like kind replacement part. Obviously this logic becomes offensive to some purist who only want OEM or a particular part. They aren’t lazy, they just don’t expect everyone to demand particular parts.

 

Yes that remnants of a blue sticker on your driver side [I think the 2nd set of pics was driver side] does make it look this these could be OEM axles. Even if you end up going with aftermarket axles, don't let your mechanic trash your current set. At the very least keep them on hand as a spare set, and you can easily reboot them yourself [good write ups and youtube videos on how to do so are out there]. As others have stated the Toyota brand ones are superior in durability and longevity than any parts store branded ones.

 

While I agree with everyone in that OEM CV's are better- I'm just gonna pepper in some thoughts. If the truck is a daily driver and never sees CV bustin trail abuse, there is nothing WRONG with after market CVs. If the current ones are OEM either keep 'em. or sell em to someone else on here to reboot them, and see if the busted one is salvageable.

 

Just replace your ball joints with an OEM set and reboot your cv axle.

Or as mentioned, get a parts store axle and use it for the time being while you reboot your cv axle.

Ball joints will take you no time at all to replace, same with a cv axle.

Rebooting your old cv axle though will be super messy. I like using these pliers for the job

 

I just did the LBJ replacement (my first time) on my 2003 and followed the excellent step-by-step guide on AdventreTaco
https://adventuretaco.com/guide/ste...s-lbj-on-a-1st-gen-tacoma-or-3rd-gen-4runner/

 

I might not be the best to answer that question for you. When my LCA ball joints and bushing went out my local Toyota dealership told me to replace the entire LCA. I got an OEM set online for a decent price and installed them myself. From the little research I've done there's not much benefit to after market LCA other that a little more clearance.

 

Im going to go against the grain here and say replace that old nasty looking cv. LCE makes great replacement cv axles to dont bind up under extreme angles like alot of the store bought cv axles do.

 

I had 5100s and toytec coils on my 03 with stock upper control arms and had no issues getting alignment to specs. Those CV axles look OEM just get those rebooted and greased and youre good to go. Like mentioned above NAPA cv axles are decent.