lower ball joints/control arms

So more updates- some of this might be helpful for someone else in the future! I got a call back from one of the Toyota dealers, who has a decent reputation in Salt Lake. They used to work on my 1998 Lexus/Land Cruiser. They charge $138/hr labor. (wow, that's a lot). He did say the drive belt tensioner must be really hard to get to, because his manual was quoting $493 just for labor.

As far as the lower control arms/ball joints, their cost out the door is $1284. So they are actually a little less than my local shop (the local shop's $1190 estimate was using Napa parts).

The Toyota service manager recommended I bring the truck down to them so they could look at it and see what exactly is going on with the tensioner, and give me a price on that. There is a recall on the air injection pumps and air switching valves, so he is going to have those parts waiting and install those. They are also going to double check the frame even though he can see where it already passed as safe by a New Hampshire dealer the day before it was traded in on a new Subaru. I'm wondering if they also told the previous owner that it needed new control arms and a tensioner!

I'm considering having the dealer go ahead and do the control arm replacement while it is there and up on the lift since that is the most important repair, and have the Salt Lake reputable local shop do the tensioner since it is a more labor intensive thing and they charge $100/hr. instead of $138. It's a PITA to take the truck up and down the canyon, and find a ride or Lyft back and forth, but probably worth it. I was told the tensioner condition was at about a 6 or 7, with 10 being the worst.

Thank you for all your input!

 

I recently pressed out my stock LBJ and pressed in Moog LBJ. You can rent a Ball Joint Press kit from an automotive store. And removing the lower control arm to take out the bushings is pretty straight forward, there are lots of youtube videos showing the way.

 

$1284 for the arms/ball joints + $493 labor + ~$160 parts for the tensioner is still going to be hundreds (about $500) under what the other shop quoted. IMO it would be easier (and likely cheaper) in this instance to just hand the truck over to the dealer and let them do their thing. It sounds, at least from this post, that they seem pretty legitimate. Then you also won't have to deal with finding a ride, assuming you don't mind waiting at the dealer for the day.

Not sure how if this is a state specific thing but in the past if my vehicle has been at a dealer for a recall, they always give me a free loaner. So it may work out that you can just leave your truck with them and take a free rental for a day or two.

 

Thank you @EatSleepTacos, that's really good advice. I'll also ask them about a loaner being covered under the recall part. I used to live in Roanoke, BTW. Love Virginia.

 

Okay, I guess I am hijacking my own thread...here's another quote that just rolled in, but it is from a local off-road specialty shop to upgrade the shocks only (after repairs are made) with Bilstein 5100s front and rear- $1320. Breakdown: front shocks $135 each, rear shocks $95 each and $780 for six hours (!!??) of labor. Alignment is $80. Why would it take a shop six hours to install shocks?

 

I’m not sure if you can match my deal in Salt Lake City, but I had a place near Denver do my front end rebuild for $1100. Newly refurbished LCAs, gusseted spindles, new driver side CV axle, hub seals, and alignment cams. The control arms have the Whiteline bushings in there too.

I would check the regional TW forum for Utah and see who you can find there. I paid way less than most shops would run for all that.

 

Not to hijack, but do you have any details on what parts would be replaced as part of the air injection pump recall? I thought that 2012s were no longer covered, or weren't covered, or something like that

 

The Toyota page said "certain models" in 2012 had the recall. Here is the Toyota page to enter your VIN:https://www.toyota.com/recall

When I entered it on a different site for universal recalls, it said it had none. I had to go to that Toyota specific lookup. Hope that helps!

 

Six hours sounds insane. Anybody can do the rear shocks in 20 minutes, maybe more if they're rusted in place. The front coilovers require a bit more effort, but they are reasonably doable if you're DIY inclined. Six hours sounds like they don't want the work.

 

Exactly! I'm having a lot of WTF moments right now with the shops! I'm thinking you could even factor in time to drive to the store for beer, and stand around and drink one or two while admiring your work, and still come in at three hours tops!

 

I just replaced my LCAs with new OEM parts. I have 165K on my 11 OR. I paid about $265 a side plus about another $50 for OEM cam bolts. I'm so glad I did this myself!! I have the tools, so I was able to do all the work myself. It was definitely worth the effort. But if you don't have the tools, then yeah it's a no brainer to have the shop do the work. I love having new bushings as well. My LBJs were in need of replacing, so I did the whole arm.

 

Which shop did you go to? Been scanning TW all day about LCAs and shops I have talked to (south Denver metro area) are quoting ~$1400 just for LCA replacement. Would love to talk to the shop you went to.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/foothills-off-road-transformations-fortifyrigs.595396/unread

 

Does anyone have a opinion on these???
https://www.carparts.com/control-ar...acoma&vehicle[make]=Toyota&vehicle[year]=2008

 

This is like asking "what's inside hot dog meat" - no way to tell. 1 year warranty, no-name brand...probably hot garbage. My opinion is to avoid.

Like others have said even Moog is trash nowadays. Maybe the Napa ones are okay but it if was my truck I'd be doing that Japan OE parts import mentioned earlier in the thread and pressing them in myself (or a local shop). Or bust out your $$$$$ and pay the stealership.

 

Occasionally you can find a used OEM set in good condition as well.

 

Who sells the white line bushings?

 

I got mine on Amazon..

$153 Whiteline W53312 Front Control Arm Bushing, Black

AmazonSmile: Whiteline W53312 Front Control Arm Bushing, Black : Automotive

 

This is very nice. Would you happen to know the part number for the upper ball joint?