Fiend13 build

The boot on the ball joint was completely flattened on the ground and when on the lift the ball joint had a lot of play and no grease inside the boot. My LCA ball joints are the same way, but they have a bunch of grease built up around the boot. Those are covered under my extended warranty since they're still stock, but the UCA's are aftermarket so I'll have to take care of those.

 

I think it was $50 since I already had the led's. It's well worth the price though, Jerez is great to do business with, you can tell that he really cares about his work outcome.

Nothing I just tried to not drive it that much, only to and from work and that was it, so it might be off by about 30 miles...unless the correct mileage shows up from the ECU somehow once you plug it back in

 

How was the ball joint install? I'm probably going to end up with LRs UCAs if I got new ones. Do you think greasing them once in a while would've helped

 

The install took about an hour, really easy. As far as regreasing them, there aren't any zerg fittings so there's really no way to put more grease inside the boot.

 

Ohh, did you have a link on how to install? I think I've seen people use something to get grease up in the boot or like a needle through boot

 

I'll have to look in to it more. As far as the install goes for the ball joints, just put the truck on axle stands, take the tires off, put the jack under the LCA and lift it just a enough to support it, after that loosen the nut on the bottom, loosen the nut on the top, use a pickle fork to separate the ball joint (section underneath the boot) from the spindle. I used a 4lb sledge to tap the pickle fork in and then tapped the forward side of the spindle and repeat until it breaks free. After that, remove the 2 nuts you loosened and take out the ball joint. Put in the new ball joint, tighten the top nut first, tighten bottom nut pretty snugly and then line the castleated nut up and cotter key.

 

Yeah, I just replaced my UCAs with new used 2013 OEM that I got for free. Figured why not. Only difference would be not taking UCAs out and loosening the nuts around the ball joint. Not bad

 

If you have a lift it would be better to upgrade the UCA's eventually so you won't wear your tires out so fast or so your CV axle isn't at a bad angle. I looked into regreasing the ball joints and everything I could find said that if there aren't any zerk fittings then you can't add grease. I saw that people used a needle fitting and punctured the boot but that's only a temp fix. Once compressed the grease can come out or with there being a puncture in the boot it could cause a weak point and have the grease blow it out. I'll have to keep looking though because these ball joints should be permanently sealed around the boot meaning nothing can get in or get out unless you blow the seal. If you find anything let me know.

 

Alright, that's all I've heard also. And yes, I need new UCAs, but too much moola

 

Yeah, they can be. The LR aren't bad in price but for $100 more you can get some Total Chaos uniball UCA's. But that's not to say that LR's are bad. My LCA ball joints are bad and that couldn't have been what cause the uppers to go bad.

 

Also, I think this is where I bought mine cause they were the cheapest here at $379.

http://4x4.fatbobsgarage.com/toyota...table-upper-control-arms-2005-2014-p7532.aspx

 

Nice. Uniballs aren't good for me cause they'll squeak

 

Then I'd just go with the LR's then. And earlier I meant to say that my LCA's are bad and that COULD HAVE been the reason my uppers went bad. If I lived close to you then we could trade services, lol. I'd install your UCA's and you hook up my interior lighting!

 

Ohhh, idk if mine are bad or not, but I've heard LCA ball joints are a pain to replace. And yeah man lol, UCAs weren't too bad. Driverside bolt was a pain cause fuel lines were in the wau

 

Yeah, with the LCA's I had heard that Toyota doesn't make factory ball joint replacements so you have to go with a new LCA. But even if they do make them, it can be a bitch even with a press kit. I'd like to replace the LCA's with aftermarket but the only one's I can find are for LT kits and I found some locally fabled but they were $1500!!! I ain't paying that much unless they're part of a LT kit

 

Yeah, what are mid travel guys supposed to do hmmm

 

Stay stock I suppose or fork out the cash. Haven't really looked into it, but it makes me wonder now

 

Yeah, cause those ball joints obviously don't last forever. What was toyota gonna do when you brought it to the dealer to have them replaced? Lol

 

And by the way, this is the tool I used after I was enlightened instead of hammering on my spindle hoping the ball joint would separate lol. Makes life much easier.
http://m.advanceautoparts.com/mt/sh...rm-puller-ac3370/10449354-P?searchTerm=pitman

Autocraft brand pitman, tie rod end puller. Could get another brand too, but this one worked wonders

 

Nice! I was just using a pickle fork and hammering on that until it got tight, then hammered on the spindle a bit, then back to the pickle fork, and repeat until it separated. Ill have to remember thing next time