3rd Gen Lower Ball Joint Replacement

New member, first post so bear with me.

So after 71XXX fairly easy miles, the stealership has informed me that my passenger side lower ball joint has play and needs replacement. I haven't noticed any noise or play in the front end while driving, so I assume it's just beginning to go bad. Unfortunately my state has an inspection law and this has given me a fat rejection sticker until it's fixed. Regardless, I was quoted at just under a grand for the job because for some unknown reason the Toyota mothership only replaces the entire LCA as a unit. Said to hell with that and decided to try to do the replacement myself with the stock LCA's and new ball joints.

Now my question, after searching far and wide I can't seem to find a guide or video on the replacement. Does anyone here have one, or can give me some guidance before I embark on this process.

Thanks

 

I would say buy a Moog lower control arm or replace both and call it a day. They are all put together and ready to go. Not worth the effort to get everything pressed out. But it can be done , it’s just a pain in the neck . I think the whole arm is about 120 bucks

 

High probability the alignment bolts are frozen. Get a carbide reciprocating saw blade. Cut them out.

 

That’s the other thing . You see if the ball joint Is really bad, yourself or have someone at a front end shop that you know check it . That does seem to be a fairly low mileage to be bad . Unless your boot got torn .

 

That's exactly my thought. Seems awfully premature. The boot appears to be intact fully, and still has grease in it.

 

I've changed them leaked out and small play at around 80,000km (similar) on a SR 4 banger.

It happens, not very often.

I personally am not a huge fan of press in aftermarket ball joints. This leaves OEM arms or aftermarket arms.

The Mevotech arms don't have a great reputation anymore. So I'd good Moog (sealed no grease fittings) or OEM.

 

I was called a month or so ago by a coworker. A buddy of his took his 2016 Tacoma with 124,000kms to the dealer to get serviced before a trip. When he was picking it up, the Service adviser asks him, "Do you want do the repairs now or schedule them in?"

He is confused and inquires about what repairs she is referring to. She tells him there is a major leak at the head gasket and at the rack and pinion with a price tag of $10,000 to repair. Oh and they are urgent!

He talks to my coworker who talks to me being I own a Tacoma. Just to get an idea of how common these type of issues are. He even throws a piece of cardboard under the truck over night without a drop of fluid left. Based on mine and my coworkers recommendation (both Commercial Transport Technicians) he take it to another shop. Nothing is found... no issues as described by the Service Technician.

It would seem that this dealership likes to throw shit into the fan and see where it sticks... 1 big job is great for the bottom line... not so much for the customer though.

With that said... a ball joint is a safety item. I have seen brand new joints fail with in weeks and others last the life of the vehicle. I would recommend a second opinion before having the repair done. A quality frame and alignment shop would be a good place to consider.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT1wL3i1dNY

 

Pretty sure that’s the 1st gen style where the lower joint was a bracket and not the press in style like the 3rd gen.

 

That’s good advise. It’s definitely going to get a second opinion before I start.

 

I've done 3rd gen lower ball joints several times. I'd definitely recommend replacing the entire arm if doing this in your driveway.

I already had a good ball joint press kit. But It didn't have the correct cup/adapter to work with pressing out the 3rd gen tacoma ball joint. So I had to buy a master cup/adapter set, just to be able to complete this job on 3rd gen tacomas.

You would spend more on tools to replace just the ball joint. Get a complete arm and make life easier.

 

For anyone reading this think it’s worth it to save and just buy and press in the lower ball joints…. It’s not. By the time I got the drivers side out and the replacement halfway pressed in I would have been done… and they stuck at halfway pressed in- won’t budge from there…. To add insult to injury you can’t press these new ones back out because they’re slightly thicker than factory and you can’t get the ball joint remover on it.