Idaho BS thread in the PNW

I'm less concerned with the db lift and more concerned with that body lift... body lifts don't do much of anything. I run a 1" to help clear tires better but 3" is overkill... especially with a db lift you don't need that extra clearance because the db lift provides it.

Konsta is running a 4" db lift and used spacers to push it to a 6" lift so clearance loss is minimal and like I said before he wheels great with it.

 

Haha. I'm always thinking about legs and pussy. I'm gonna be ready to hit the twin sister trails again soon. I may make a camping trip out of it this time.

I'm definitely nixing the 3" body lift. That shits for grocery getting and hanging out in high school parking lots.

 

Kontsa. What are you running in your rear setup? Yours says custom. With this new taco I'm new to db lifts and most guys here have them for mall crawling. I'd rather not be set up that way.

 

He was running Expos with 4" blocks.

 

IMO, OEM LBJs is a smart investment. It is doing it right the first time. It is learning from the misfortune of others. Yes, definitely more money up front. But in the long run it may be the less expensive choice.

There is documentation that the moogs and 555 brand are not a durable as OEM. With the LBJ being the main point of catastrophic failures in our trucks, smart money is on OEM.

Here is one perspective that makes a lot of sense to me:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/266989-ball-joints-3.html#post6650774

 

I feel like i should start thinking about replacing my original LBJs on my 4Runner at nearly 119k miles... Is it realistic to think about replacing the LBJs myself or with someone's help, or should I have a shop do it? Should I be looking to replace anything else while I'm in there, like tie rods or front shocks/suspension?

 

Doing it yourself is definitely doable. A couple of things make it a challenge though. One is it can be very difficult working on the ground so access to a shop lift make this job much easier. Another thing to consider is the tools required. IIRC, a 27 and a 28 mm box end wrench and a narrow large adjustable crescent are necessary. These are not wrenches found in most toolboxes.

Ian (maplemoose) has done this job recently and might be able to identify the required tools better.

 

He makes that look so easy doesn't he... It's not

 

The key difference from that vid compared to what most will experience will be getting enough leverage on it to remove the inner that has been on the truck 13 years without damaging the steering rack plunger.

 

Do you have a quote yet for the install portion?

 

Sounds like I'll have to get a shop to do it... I don't really have access to a shop lift, I know an acquaintance who might help me, but am not sure...

 

She lives again!

 

Outer Tierods are a piece of cake. Only thing that gave me grief was knocking the ball joint end out. Just takes some good hits with a hammer to the spindle arm while you move the tierod back and forth.

Inner Tierods are trickier because it requires a large narrow open wrench. Ive done my tierods so many times now its like second nature. I was even able to align the toe within few degrees of spec by mounting bare wheels and measuring with a tape.

But, if you have the option of getting it done at a shop, do it. You can mess up your steering rack if you dont do it properly. It shouldnt be more than 2 hours labour.



Oh and for mark

 

Bingo

 

Breaking the nuts loose can't be that hard, especially with some sort of grease help. Mix equal parts ATF and either acetone or mineral spirits, put it in a spray bottle and squirt it on the nuts to break loose. Also, you can tap the bottom of the wrench with a hammer to help break it loose.

 

Dang, I was going to be replacing the tie rods myself Tuesday and now y'all have me worried... Haha

 

Instead of 2 hours expect 4-6 (to include beer drinking while working) if you are doing this on the ground instead of up on a lift. In watching the video on it, this doesn't look like it is a challenging thing to do, just that it takes some larger wrenches and arm strength to spin them.

Assuming there is already locktite on the tie rods, it will help to loosen it if you have either an electric heat gun or propane torch. Just take your time heating it up if using the propane because you don't want to overcook things.

 

No alcohol as I'm under 21 and will be doing it at a shop haha

Will have a lift and plenty of tools. But strength is my problem because I never seem to have enough weight on me to do some things without help in the past haha

I'll probably just take it there and ask them how much it would cost to have them do it instead of me first.

 

If you don't have to pay for shop time, try to do it yourself. Use a hammer to tap the wrenches, and a breaker bar to do the sockets. You should get an alignment once done with the swap. Save money for that.

 

Have to pay $3 an hour to use the shop versus $45 an hour for labor.

I figure if I can get at least one side done within the 8 hours they're open, then I'll be happy haha

As for alignment I'll probably wait until Thursday to get that done by the shop that's replacing the wheel bearings and lower ball joints. I don't drive more then 5 miles or so a day, so as long as I get everything aligned close I should be fine until then.