Lower Ball Joints?

Greetings Folks, Took my 08 Tacoma 4x4 in to get a front end alignment. The shop said it couldn't be aligned B/C the right front lower ball joint has excessive play. Bummer. So, I went home and performed the test myself and couldn't feel any play. So, I kinda think there is play, after all the trunk is 12 years old. It is in great condition and I am only the second owner. The truck has 180,000 miles on it so some front end work is most likely in order. The shop said $900. +/- bucks. Just for one side B/C the whole LCA has to be changed out. I'm sure many of you have run into this, as well. So, after reading many of the posts on this site about replacing the BJ with Moog joints at quite a bit less cost. I started wonder if I should do it myself along with new shocks. I'm an upper mid range skilled mechanic. +/-. Used to do a lot of the work on my old 92 myself, water pump, alternator, idler arm refit with bronze bushings, rear tranny seal, eventually valve adjustments, shifter tower, brake pads, etc. Guess, I'm just wondering how tuff it really is. I've considered letting a shop do it B/C they have all the special tools, etc. The question for that is who? I don't have a great deal of confidence in the shops in my area. If anyone knows of a good front end mechanic on the Western Slope of Colorado that would be awesome.
Cheers JN

 

I just recently, and voluntarily, put myself (and a couple others) through this. I believe that buying a new OEM LCA is worth the cost. From McGeorge Toyota, a new LCA is $256. I would rather spend that than go through the trouble of removing the LCA, pressing out and in a new ball joint. Then the bushings? No sense in a new ball joint if you're putting it back in w/ the old bushings too, right? Anyway....replacing it isnt really the problem. You also have an '08 w/ some higher miles.
To me, it sounds like the cam bolts are seizing if not already frozen in place. My guess is that the alignment shop couldn't align it b/c they're stuck, not b/c of a bad ball joint. Getting those cam bolts out is the tough part. If they don't come out, have new blades and be prepared to take a sawzall to the bolts. Be cautious not to hit the LCA mounting brackets and the steering rack boot. Both are easily avoidable, but keep it in mind as you're cutting away. If you do both sides, and if all 4 are frozen in place, you'll probably be cutting for a while. I only had to cut out one. Another came out w/ a big ass pipe wrench. The remaining two were able to be punched out w/ a hammer and sledge.
$1,000 for them to do the work would be inspiration enough for me to do it on my own, if I was you. For new cam bolts and LCA, you're looking at about 325 per side iirc.
And remember to put a healthy dose of anti-seize on the new hardware when reinstalling.