Is It Easier To Remove Lower Ball Joints To Replace Front Shocks?

I need to replace (for the 2nd time) the shocks on my 1998 Tacoma 4WD. It was a bitch to do the last time because I had to really pry down on the LCAs so I could line up the lower shock bolt hole with the holes in the LCA.

I will use Bilstein OEM replacements and also put in new springs. The truck has 91K miles on it.

I think it would be easier to remove the lower ball joints but I don't know if that will allow the LCAs to drop low enough without my having to pry them. What do you think? I looked for a video showing this method but was unsuccessful. I realize I will need an alignment afterwards.

 

It's worth a try. You'll need an alignment anyway with new coilovers. If that doesn't work then mark the LCA cam tabs and loosen them up and put them back in place after - it'll be good enough to drive a short distance to get an alignment.

 

Bam!
https://www.tacomaworld.com/posts/14917826/
@Timmah!

 

lol I forgot to post his video this time, but bam @Sicyota04 had it. Here's a great tutorial by our friend @Timmah! - the front end suspension is all the same between Tacomas and 3rd gen 4runners like the one he's working on in the video. I just watched his video on removing the front diff and decided I need to do that while I have my engine out so I can do it myself.



And if you need it:



Check out his YouTube channel - tons of helpful videos that carry over to our trucks!

 

That's a good video and I downloaded it for reference. I'm still a bit confused about the location of the bottom end of the spring in relation to the front and rear of the vehicle (he made a mistake in his video but later corrected it).

I want to thank Timmah for making the video and Sicyota 4 for posting the link!!

One last question: Toyota wants $152 each for the front springs which BTW are different. Other sources do not specify if they are different and they are priced at $50-$60 each. Seems much too cheap. Where can I get genuine Toyota front springs for a decent price?

 

Just grab some aftermarket springs from OME. The factory springs aren’t all that great anyways.

 

I replaced my front shocks recently & was able to do it fairly easily without removing the lower ball joint. I loosened the LCA cam bolts (after marking the alignment) & used a small crowbar on the springs to get the extra space I needed to get the shock assembly in. Bilstein 4600's & new factory springs from Toyota. Assembled with a borrowed Auto Zone spring compressor. I thought about going with new OME springs, but they all provide some lift & I wanted to maintain factory height. I assembled the shocks & springs so that the end of the springs would sit in the correct position as per Timmy's video. Not really sure if that matters, but I did it because that's how my old factory springs were positioned.

 

I'm working from memory here and I may be all wet (wouldn't be the first time ) so please correct me if I'm wrong.

When the bottom spring perch is on the shock absorber it is free to rotate around the shock (i.e. it is not keyed to the shock radially). The top of the spring is flat and it too is not keyed to the upper retainer. If this is true, then as long as the bottom end of the spring fits against the "stop" in the perch, it won't matter which direction it (front, back, to the side...) when the assembly is installed on the truck.

 

They should only fit one way - on second gens it's with the bar code on the shock facing back. You'll see - at most it will only fit in two ways (obviously), but just eyeball it and make sure nothing is tweaked when you put the lower bolt through.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTGerbXeBUw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi5WhFjd8TA

 

your stock springs should be fine, Use the stock bottle jack to push the uca down, un hook sway bar from lca. Easy peasy

 

They are not exactly the same. I used his video to replace my sway bar and steering rack bushings over the weekend, and the sway bar end links are absolutely different between the 4runner and tacoma. Mine has a double ball joint end link whereas the 4runner just has a bolt and nut and 2 bushings on either side of it. That's actually something that's been bothering me about a lot of internet-based maintenance guides - they all assume that the 1st gen tacoma and 3rd gen 4runners are exactly the same. They aren't.

Not to knock Timmah, btw. His video was super helpful and I'll continue to use those videos for a guide. It's just a trend I've noticed with online videos.

 

The Bean didn't have a sway bar when I bought it.

That's a good reason to get the FSM and use it in conjunction with online resources.

 

Yeah, someone had a set for sale on the CO trading post, but wanted 300 bucks. Not worth IMO. Anything super complicated I'm gonna have professionals do. But I guess I could probably find a PDF online of the FSM.

 

even with OME and 881s I don't have to pry on anything to get my assembly out (spring/strut). I can push down a little on the UCA and it falls right out

also remember that the 95-00 had the same sway bar as the 4Runner, the 01-04 changed to a double-ball (like 2 ball joints) system and bolts sideways on the sway bar.

 

Same here, when I installed my Kings last month it was as easy as unbolt the 5100s/881s and bolt in the Kings. Didn't have to pry anything, they just slid out and slid back in. Maybe I got lucky lol.

 

I had to pry like a mother with 5100 and stock spring on the middle setting. So much so, that I slipped off the uca and about blew my groin out. I use the bottle jack now.

 

that's cause they were loaded up. I used a standard pry bar with a little pressure on the UCA. heck if I could have left the wheel/tire on it probably would have sufficed

 

Just loosen the lower control arm cam bolts, and the LCAs will flop down to your heart’s delight. As long as you dont loosen them so the bolts flop around, your alignment will keep. If you want, mark the cam bolts to be sure.

Using the prybay method, I find it’s better to have a 3rd hand, preferably from a helper, since I always end up needing 2 hands to fiddle with the bolt/shock to get everything in right.

Easy peasy.

Installing my mid travel Kings were a sinch. Granted, I was getting it aligned anyway, so I didn’t really care about keeping the alignment, but this is how I installed my 5100s several tears ago, and how I (re)installed my old 5100s on my friend’s truck when I got my Kings.

 

your control arms should move independent of the cam bolts, the bushings should allow them to rotate. otherwise they would need to be loose in order for articulation.

marking them is a good idea if you are going to try this and you will need an alignment. otherwise just use a bottle jack if it's not moving