Who is using NOT OEM LBJs

Been hashed out a million times but for reference there’s this:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/check-your-ball-joints.374853/page-2#post-10284167

 

They dont have any products that are open design.
I think a solid ball, green boot model would be in order. I'll put in a request for people here.

Wish more folks would reach out and talk to those who can do something about our situation.
Rather than geek on a forum about OEM.


There's this old saying from business course, that if 1 person contacts you, 100 others likely had the issue, but were too lazy to reach out and simply went elsewhere.

 

Posted in the OP that I have went over all of these topics

Thank you!

 

It's a niche of a niche is the issue. Maybe they'll want to serve the weird market segment of "people without enough money for the part they actually want but still want something stronger than the base cheapo part", but if I already had a part on the books and was a massive parts distributor looking at retooling for an old ass platform I'd turn it down.

 

Luckily, "re-tooling" is a phrase the "western" market uses to decline a job.
Not a real reason. Ie, its Bullshit.

Cutting edge mfg is in China, and re-tooling as you say, costs pennies.
The tools are already there, they only need to use a different construction ball joint from the shelf.

TC appears to have a great product!, but is very cost prohibitive.
I feel like $5-600 is Much more appropriate price range.
(remember those bearings can be $50-100 EACH)


I'd like to keep the discussion focused around the everyday Joe and their budget.
ie std Ball joints.

The entire topic is motivated by how blindly passionate Tacoma guys are for OEM,
as if nobody else can make a suitable ballljoint.

I have had zero problems,
and I think a lot of people could save a lot of money and do just fine.

 

I'm just not willing to risk it anymore, the OEM joints are cheap enough and last well and rebuilding my trucks front end, especially if it shatters a fiberglass fender or a modified CV or rips apart my aftermarket upper arms is costly. I ran some china joints in college and they stayed together, checked em for play and warranty replaced em every 3 mos when they inevitably developed that play. You aren't the first person here to make this exact same argument, just the latest.

 

Do you remember what brands were crapping out?
(and if you had a 3" SL at the time? )

$200+ for ball joints is nuts.. its obviously heavy gouging, and eventually, the well will run dry.
Then what.

Why is it when people have a terrible experience IRL, they're always afraid to "name names"
"A shop in my area.." which one.
quit running away with your tail tucked.

Lot of shitty products and services wouldn't be around
if people had the balls to speak up.

 

They're whatever AutoZone Duralast was reboxing at the time (they don't make fuckall, they just sell box space contracts to the lowest bidder to fill out their catalog). Open up 15 boxes of the same part number and you might have a mevotech, or a moog, or a SKP, etc.

I had a lift yes, wasn't quite 3". Not sure why that matters though, if that's what's killing them and they're just as good as OEM as you seem to hope... then why do the OEM ones hold up to the abuse?

 

@Dirty Pool Get in here too, you know you want to!

 

When SL 2+ inches, the LBJ rides on the outside edge, the joint is closer to binding.
(remove Axle and shock and sway bar and your suspension will hang on the binding ball joints.

They are designed to operate perpendicular, when SL, they are riding the ball at an oblique angle.

OEM is a full ball, so its NBD,
Most aftermarkets use a polymer cup on a semi-ball, which when side loaded at an angle, puts all the force on the side of a half ball into a plastic cup.
Many of these are likely undertqed, or need retqed when the plastic seat breaks in.. and the tiny bit or break-in play becomes a back and forth slamming that opens up and wallows out the seat.


These companies have absolutely No idea of the use case on these things. They don't wheel tacomas, or lift them. They dont even get feedback 99.9% of the time.
If the suspension company understood the operating ranges of the components, they would be able to produce a product that works.

SKP is bottom of the barrel, as is most Vatozone/Shucks

Theyre trying confuse you with SKF, an actually good brand..
Misleading company names is China's specialty.

 

Well aware, I have limit straps to avoid putting that kind of pressure on them even in a full coilover extension scenario

Some of them like the Sankei 555 joints have no polymer, metal on metal... well grease too, and use a large preload spring and still break apart

Well aware, my point is the only brands bringing you an aftermarket BJ for these old ass trucks aren't great brands anyway. Some like mevotech may have good customer service but they aren't in the business of serving you a better part for a lower price. They just want to sell you the part they have to make a profit and hope you don't come back to complain and instead use their warranty to placate you.

We have the same goal, we just don't have the same time to waste. I want the best part for the lowest price too, that's the OEM one.

 

Whats the cause of failure on the 555s?
Metal hardness? Let's address the problems

With all the enthusiasm from this community,
Id like to get us a replacement in the works for the inevitable NLA.

I'm not partial to Mevotech At All.
What other brands are "OK", and responsive to customer input?

Anyone ripped apart one of these Dorman Premium XL?
Dorman CS doesn't ever respond IME. .


Maybe we are in need of a Project Farm - like test, yanking them apart with a press, or something?

 

This seems like an odd hill to die on for something that gets replaced every 100k+ miles.

 

I put in MOOG two years ago. No lift. About twenty thousand miles now, but much of it is on road. They seem happy, I just keep them greased and tight.

*Apparently living dangerously*

 

Moog fifty thousand ago...No zerks what to do??

 

Did you look on the side? That's where mine are.

 

I had thought about the TC conversions when working on my wife’s 4runner but for the price of those I could buy four sets (and still not fix the crappy 4 bolt design that shears when driven hard and fast enough and now is the next point of failure with the design). When considering…

…and that her 97 4runner has 300k miles, so with a dealership in my area that sells parts online with them available for pickup at $300 out the door, that’s roughly $35 a year over time for oem ball joints. It sucks when it happens to be you who’s paying for them at the time when you have to replace them, but for that reason I’d never spring for new uniball conversions considering it would be another 9 years for another 100k on the odometer to roll by. Maybe if gas powered vehicles are still legal then and Toyota stops making oem’s and if my wife is still driving the 4runner I’ll regret not getting the TC’s, but oh well I guess I could pony up for the TC’s if I start investing the $800 or so I’ll save by not buying them now for that time haha.

 

Nobody is dying on any hill

Thanks for the input, guys!

If there is no Zerk, then it came loaded with grease. Bless your assembler.
You can try separating the joint carefully and massaging your balls.

Some folk will use hypodermic needles of various gauges to inject grease, although the needle is so large it can leave a hole in boot.
Which can be wiped clean with iso-alcohol and superglued shut.
I have used this on countless small CV boot ruptures without fail.

You might be able to squeeze the boot in a way that lets you sneak the needle in along the shank.


If you properly cleaned the seat, and applied santa-ease, or grease, to the seat,
you can unscrew the castle nut, reinstall it about 3 full rotations, Upside down!
and gently tap it with a hammer, and it should come apart.

No pickle fork 200 pound gorilla.

I always inspect ball joint seat tapers and gently clean,
sometimes with a tiny piece of sand paper and a finger.
Make sure its bare clean metal.

 

Maybe to see which of the cheap LBJ's are better than the others, but it's pointless since we already know OEM is the least likely to fail

 

For the 3rd time, Yes, I agree,

However, They wont be around forever.
They are cost prohibitive

The scene appears a bit "off-their-rocker" in regards to LBJ.. from an outside POV.

TC Uniball is in a tough location, it is subject to regular road debris and grime,
MUCH more than the FUCA, which is easily to clean, and sees much less grit.
I'd like a sealed option.

If we could funnel 1/10 this energy into a mfgs inbox,
an aftermarket balljoint will be produced that matches sacred OEM performance.


I'd hate to itemize my truck per mile.. I'd imagine gold coins falling out every time I cross a pothole.
Spent 10K on it last year for a damn near stock rebuild.