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Permanent solution to prevent catastrophic LBJ failure?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Ealan120, Jun 27, 2025.

  1. Jun 29, 2025 at 6:08 PM
    #21
    Parkvisitor

    Parkvisitor Do you know midnight?

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    stuff
    nah, I’ve seen too many pics of failed LBJ’s with stock wheels.
     
  2. Jun 29, 2025 at 6:12 PM
    #22
    t0p_d0g

    t0p_d0g 私はタコマが大好きです

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    What part of “doesn’t help anything” do you not understand?
     
  3. Jun 29, 2025 at 6:23 PM
    #23
    Parkvisitor

    Parkvisitor Do you know midnight?

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    I understand you need to calm down. Go have a snickers
     
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  4. Jun 29, 2025 at 6:36 PM
    #24
    t0p_d0g

    t0p_d0g 私はタコマが大好きです

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    It’s all good, I’m just trying to get the point across that I never said it was only oversized wheels and tires just saying that they don’t help anything.

    Snickers is one of my favorites I may have to go get me one. :D
     
    Parkvisitor[QUOTED] likes this.
  5. Jun 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
    #25
    Parkvisitor

    Parkvisitor Do you know midnight?

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    I think it was a batch of poorly manufactured OEM lbj’s that started the attention to this issue but it is a design flaw and lack of maintenance or checking for play is the most contributing factor to failures
     
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  6. Jun 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
    #26
    rocknbil

    rocknbil Well-Known Member

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    In case no one gets it . . . .

    - LBJ failure is not a condition of total miles. I've heard stories of them breaking at 50k and stories of owners going over 200K with no issues.
    - The Tacoma suspension is in a constant stress, the weight of the truck is pushing down, the spindles pushing up, with about a 1.5" diameter of metal (below the ball) keeping them from ripping themselves apart. This is the design flaw you hear about.
    - Nearly all of the LBJ failures I have seen have been at low speed (though I've seen a few going down the highway.) The word that keeps coming up is "speedbump." The second is "just getting on the freeway." So if your LBJ is already cracked below the ball and you hit a speedbump, or take a turn the lateral stress can be what's pushing it over.
    - Nearly all the LBJ failures I have seen/heard of are the joint itself snapping off right below the ball. There are issues with the bolts shearing off, but IMO this is a different failure (over torqued? ) than the actual LBJ, but since I don't know I'll keep it at that, opinion.
    - Personally I don't think this is completely true. If the joint is beginning to crack/weaken, the play ( < 1mm) will be fine, but you still have a crack developing that may go at the next speedbump.

    The real problem is you never know. They could go tomorrow or last a decade. Put new ones in every 50K or so.
     
  7. Jun 30, 2025 at 7:20 AM
    #27
    rish57

    rish57 Well-Known Member

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    Big thing to remember, the LBJ's are really easy to replace...big thing of course is to make sure they're torqued properly and specifically for whatever type of bolt you're using...there is a stickied thread with all that specific information. In all reality, it really comes down to how you drive and where you live...I live in the midwest and the city I'm in has potholes everywhere and crap road conditions in general, if I was one of these momo's driving around fraking with my phone all the time and not paying attention, I'd have a ton of suspension damage and the LBJ's wouldn't make it past 30-40k I bet. Also for the love of god, after they are replaced, use a paint stick and mark the bolts, check them once a week for the first couple of weeks after changing them, and them give them a glace with every oil change.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2025
  8. Jun 30, 2025 at 8:52 AM
    #28
    t0p_d0g

    t0p_d0g 私はタコマが大好きです

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    For anyone interested I just ordered both Left and Right LBJs shipped to me for 219.84.


    IMG_0347.jpg

    The shipping is free it’s part of the discount. (4th July Sale)
     
    Tydeorum likes this.
  9. Jul 2, 2025 at 9:10 PM
    #29
    Tripodchief

    Tripodchief Well-Known Member

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    None yet
    I just did mine this week, the originals at 150k, had so much play I can't believe they held
     
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  10. Jul 3, 2025 at 1:38 PM
    #30
    t0p_d0g

    t0p_d0g 私はタコマが大好きです

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    I did my LBJs today they were the originals date coded Jan. 16 and 20th 2004 262K miles. They had some play but were in decent shape for the miles.

    It’s a very easy job took my time 3 hours total and I rotated the tires.
     
    rish57 likes this.
  11. Jul 3, 2025 at 2:18 PM
    #31
    rish57

    rish57 Well-Known Member

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    I mean let's be completely honest, they were designed to come on and off pretty easy without having to jerk around with pressing something in and out...I think the only thing that could have been done to prevent them from seperating like they can is some sort of retaining cap etc...I'll have to take a look at the ones I just replaced and see if I can find the identification like you did for the date, cause in all reality, they weren't really all that crazy bad...same thing when I replaced the center support bearing on the driveshaft, it's was pretty good shape as well...I think it really comes down to how a person drives, and where they drive.
     
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  12. Jul 3, 2025 at 2:38 PM
    #32
    t0p_d0g

    t0p_d0g 私はタコマが大好きです

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    Yeah, the 262K miles on mine are all highway miles and I avoid pot holes like the plague.

    I live in the south and there was zero rust.
     
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  13. Jul 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
    #33
    rish57

    rish57 Well-Known Member

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    Yep, I'm around 270k, definitely in the rust belt, but I wash the underbelly quite often during the winter when they start salting like crazy.
     
    t0p_d0g[QUOTED] likes this.

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