When to replace lower ball joints/bushings?

Hey guys,

So next week I will be putting in my aftermarket UCA and installing bilsteins in the front

My truck currently has about 80,000 miles

Very rare sometimes I hear tiny squeaks when going over humps, but this could be anything

Should I go ahead and replace the front lower ball joints, just the ball joints, only bushings or leaving it as is

I read that sometimes replacing only the bjs or bushings can damage the lower control arms etc.. (if I replace the lower bjs or bushings they will be parts from the autozone not oem)

When do you really need to replace lower ball joints or bushings ??

Any advice helps,
Thanks in advance for the people that help

 

I just replaced my Lower Ball joints at 345k miles. I wouldn't even suspect them to be bad at 80k miles.
Squeaks could be any bushing, body mount, or bolt seizing in a bushing. Try to isolate the noise and reproduce it in the driveway and grab a stethoscope to pinpoint.

 

Beware that nearly every truck has seized alignment cam adjusters. It's unfortunately normal to cut the cam adjuster bolt to be able to replace the entire LCA since the bolt is seized, keeping you from being able to adjust the alignment. It's very unusual to just replace the LBJ itself.

 

If you do decide to replace the LBJ beware they take alot of force to get out. Ive rebuilt two sets and they both took 20 tons + heat to get out.

 

do I still have to worry about this if I leave the lower ball joints alone

 

You will likely need an alignment with a new UCA, especially if it's aftermarket. With a lift an alignment is mandatory.

This issue is one of the only "issues" with these trucks. Jeeps and Ford, etc usually have a laundry list of issues that nearly everyone has to deal with. We have pretty much this one thing.

 

What should I do to prepare myself before I take it in should I buy a new bolt, I don’t want to have to buy anything last minute

 

Sorry I am at work.

you need new cam adjusters, a carbide toothed sawzall blade or two (well worth the extra cost)
and new LCAs. I used MOOG on mine.

Remove alignment hardware until you find siezed bolts. Cut between LCA and frame, remove LCA and install with new hardware.

you don’t need to typically buy all the LCA hardware (OEM is best here) you only need the bolt on one side, and the sleeve on the other (typically)

there are a few other threads on this topic. It’s very very common.

 

FWIW regarding the LBJ I doubt they're bad at 80k unless it sees a lot of offroad abuse. I replaced one of mine at like 185k after it started creaking when turning the wheel at slow speeds, gave me plenty of warning and barely had developed any play after a while of me ignoring it. The other is still going strong, these aren't like the 1st gen taco LBJs.

They generally end up getting replaced just because someone needs LCAs due to alignment or bushing or whatever.

 

Good point.

the previous generation trucks and 4Runners had LBJs in tension. So when they failed your wheel and knuckle falls off. Our trucks have them in compression so even after “failure” they still typically hold together. Much less risky to push the life a little.

 

I got rid of some front suspension noise by replacing the sway bar bushings. I used the Energy poly ones with the supplied grease. That was several years ago and I recently re-greased them with Energy grease as some noise came back.

I replaced the lower ball joints at about your mileage but only because the boots were disintegrating and leaking. Cheap HF impact wrench removed and installed the new ones easily. I recommend Rock Auto for non-OEM parts.

 

My OEM LCAs lasted until 196k miles, and even then only the right side had a tiny bit of lateral movement. The left side was still surprisingly tight and felt solid and the bushings on both sides had zero play. I ended up replacing both with new OEM arms anyway.
If you're checking yours, I recommend jacking the front wheel just barely off the ground and using a big pry bar under the tire while a buddy lifts up and down. It'll help you spot any play in the joints down there.

 

Dang should I really need to purchase all of this if I am only doing the UCA, shocks and alignment

 

what will I be doing with the pry bar? and when you say lifts up and down you mean using the jack right

 

I just looked at a video on how to replace this, looks real easy

 

A shop will be doing all my work is this what you mean by cam adjusters?

$51 Lower Control Arm Cam Bolts Kit Fit for Toyota Tacoma 4Runner FJ Cruiser 2010-2022, Front Alignment Camber Toe Adjustment Bolts, 4 Pack for 2 Side

https://www.amazon.com/Control-4Run...&gPromoCode=cpn_us_en_pct_5_2025Q2&gQT=2&th=1

 

Not exactly. You want to unload the wheel, so jack up the truck until the tire is just an inch or two off the ground, just enough to get a big pry bar underneath it. Then, use the pry bar to apply upward pressure on the wheel, almost like simulating the motion of hitting a bump. Lift firmly in an up-and-down motion. This will help reveal any loose or worn suspension components. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, I had less than 1/16" of lateral play in my lower ball joint, and this method made it super obvious. It's a great way to check for worn parts.

 

I'd only use stock parts for the cam adjusters. But yes, those are the parts.

 

Should I buy them for the lower or upper control arms