Do I need a whole new lower control arm?

What are you pointing at in the photo? The leaking ball joint? Probably just need to replace the ball joint in that case.

 

Can someone post a link to the part I'm pointing at. Does it look bad?

 

You can't tell from looking at it as much as the play it has up and down in the ball area. ANY movement up and down is grounds to replace it. Replace the bolts to the hub.

 

https://adventuretaco.com/guide/ste...eH6o8MMLRQkQ-ed1zKgjbdEj_U7FFoFCqsTkDB2XULG4X

EDIT: This is for 6-lug trucks...

 

It's called a Lower Ball Joint.

 

OP has a 5 lug truck. The write up you linked to is for a 6 lug. Very different parts and process.

@ OP- do you work on your truck yourself, or do you take it to a mechanic?

 

My bad -- OP's profile pic presents as a red 4WD or PreRunner...

 

Those are the older style joints that were upside down and the weight of the vehicle is always trying to force the joint apart. A little grease coming out doesnt always mean a problem but I'd be seriously considering replacement just due to age

Manufacturers have since gotten aways from that design and most lower ball-joints are now flipped over so the weight is pushing it together instead of apart

 

Thanks I know now that it's a ball joint. I do some of the work myself. I had a shop redo the front end 2 years ago. They did all the ball joints. It's just making a creaking sound on that side when I pull up my driveway or going slow over bumps. That's all that looking bad under there.

 

2WD with spindle lift as per the description listed in OP's profile. Looks like a 5-lugger with 2-bolt steering stop.

The ball joint is not in the lower control arm in 1st gens. Rather, it's in the steering stop bracket. No way to tell if the joint is bad by just looking at it, because the boot is open at the bottom. Jack up the truck until the tire is just off the ground. Put a pry bar under the tire and pry up. Check for play in that joint. Alternatively just replace it because it's leaking and has no regreasing provisions.

 

My lower ball joint looks the same or worse. It's the original one with240,000 miles on it. I am looking for OEM parts. I found this website. toyotapartsdeal.com. Is this an OEM site?

 

If you can find 555/Sankei they are good quality too and basically oem equivalent. That's my go-to on older Toyota suspension stuff

 

I'm just gonna say this first: If you are unsure, take the truck to a shop. There is a ton of info to be shared on this site and other forums, but we can't make decisions for you.

Usually creaking would imply bushings. I would suggest getting some silicone or teflon dry lubricant and spray one bushing at a time. If the creaking stops, you know what the problem was, rather than spraying everything all at once.

 

Yes- Toyota Parts Deal sells real OEM parts. It's been my personal experience that when I need many parts not in a hurry, TPD is great. But the catch is, their shipping cost and time can "seem high". So when I just need one or two things, I order online from the local toyota dealer and pick up for free. The online pricing from the dealers is much lower than if you call or go to the counter, but you gotta do your own research into the part numbers.

Avoid ordering from Amazon or Ebay unless you can verify the seller is an actual dealership or OEM supplier. Most are not, so be weary.

 

Is it just me or does that bolt on the left side not look all the way torqued down?

 

I agree it does look like the bolt is slightly backed out

 

What are the bolt that go here called? I cant find them anywhere. And yes those bolts are tight they just look like that.

 

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