It happened to me and it can happen to you.... Another NOT oem part failure with pictures

It's not on top of anything. Pennsylvania has a 6% sales tax. Philadelphia replaces the 6% with an 8%, for a total of a 2% increase.

So, if you buy a car from a dealer in Philly, but don't live in Philly, then you just pay regular PA sales tax. Unfortunately, if you live in Philly, you have to pay the city tax even if you buy outside the city.

A perfect example would be the movie World War Z, starring Brad Pitt, which is set partially in Philadelphia. However, the Philly scenes were actually filmed in Scotland. Why? Philly wanted to tax everything, including the earnings of the actors and actressses!

I understand that a city needs tax dollars to function, but there's a difference between reasonable taxation and just being plain obnoxious.

In my opinion, the government and its various agencies (like the IRS, and Pennsylvania's own Liquor Control Board) are a lot like port-a-potties. You'd rather not use them, but if you get caught doing your business outside of them, you could go to jail.

 

oh ok 2% Philly tax.
I think TX is worse. We pay 8.25 and some cities tack on 1 or 2% for 10 total.

 

This is one of the many reasons I bought my head unit on Crutchfield! They don't charge sales tax unless you live in Virginia!

 

I’ll agree to disagree with you on this. How many oem ball joints came apart? They were even recalled at one point. I currently have the Napa ball joints with grease fittings. There’s not a ball joint on the road, no matter what manufacturer, that doesn’t wear out eventually. Like several people have said, that socket looked dry. I’ll opt for a greasable joint over a sealed joint any day.

 

OEM recalled LBJ's aside, Normal OEM LBJ's usually fail after the recommended service life (100K miles). Usually twice the miles of the recommended service interval. This topic has already been covered and documented on the quality of OEM vs aftermarket so many times. Everyone will make their choice from past experience and with their wallet. Just don't kid yourself that your buying the same quality or better buy going cheaper. Certain parts you definitely can but not LBJ's.

 

Just replace them at 100,000 with OEM when you do your timing belt and you will not have an issues, they are easy to replace

 

To my understanding the issue we're dealing with is a poor design - aftermarket ball joints manufactured with looser tolerances (an effect of producing lower cost parts) will amplify this. OP saw a failure after 15k miles, not even a 1/4 of the recommended life. I just replaced my original, non recalled ball joints at 220k before a failure occurred. I went oem.

 

I have replaced my OEM (factory original LBJ) after 320k miles only as a part of preventive maintenance. There were no signs of being worn. Good luck trying to get that from any aftermarket brand.

 

Almost 600,000 and never had an issue with OEM replace ball joints.
Usually replace mine around 150,000 miles

 

Oem and aftermarket have both had problems with the same part. It’s the design itself, the joint is designed upside down compared to most front suspension systems. The spring is always putting tension on the joint, literally trying to pull it apart. Most suspension systems have the joint flipped over, allowing it to wear but not fall out due to the ball and socket separating, because tension is pushing the ball and socket together. Most people miss the fact that the joint is loose because they have no idea how to check it, no matter who manufactured the joint.

 

Automotive labor is ridiculously expensive. I work at Ford and our labor rate is 160/hour. I dont understand how anyone outside the top 1% can afford that (as far as non fleet customers go).

The part that has me upset is the techs still max out around 30/hr. 130/hr to pay service writers (glorified secretaries) and overhead. Then management and owners pocket the rest.

 

I'll have to look more into this. Doesnt gravity and the weight of the vehicle push the ball and socket together?

Nevermind. I see. Since the knuckle sits above the lca it's always trying to separate. I see....

 

Good trail spares

 

What you see as a flaw, it is actually the design feature. IT allows the ball to contact with the socket through the ball side not just top (bigger contact surface). However it depends on the quality and craftsmanship. Using the same design with poor quality execution leads to premature failure. The example of my and most OEM not abused LBS proves the design working correctly. It is not Toyota problem, that aftermarket manufacturers (read: chap copy) can't keep up with it.

The same way you may say that interference engine is a design flaw. It is not if your timing chain has lifetime durability. It is a flaw (like in old VW golf diesel) where there is a timing belt with limited life span and on the top of that it is exposed to debris that may come from broken driving belts (my friend had such failure when cheap driving belt broke and few into timing belt).

 

OK now you yall got me looking out the window at my 2000 Tacoma wondering about the Ball joints on that the truck has 230,000 now and I have checked the Ball joints with front of truck jacked up doing both the wheel pull checking for abnormal movements and then with medium pry bar checking for anything loose and the only thing that I have found worn is the bushings that hold the Rack & pinion are worn and going to replace them ASAP .... sight.... now I better get me some Ball joints to do at same time I guess...

 

I feel you. After reading "LBJ threads" I developed a paranoia to the point where I was afraid of going over speed bumps. Everybody was saying: replace them before they go, and every time I checked them, they were as good as new. Finally after two years I said "f-k it, just get'r done and be over". So I did it (with OEM of course) (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/what-can-go-wrong-with-my-truck-or-rysium-build.457350/).
After examining my old LBJ on bench I built a confidence, that my new LBJ will serve me for next 20 years. No more fear

 

I'll tell you exactly why IMHO... When you are at speed, nothing is strained, it's rolling right along. When your at low speeds, the weight and force of the truck into a corner puts the most stress on your parts. That has been a question I pondered many years ago and that's my conclusion because this is just about exactly how this always happens...

 

Jack the truck up by the lower control arm. Just enough that the wheel clears the ground. Then use a pry bar to try and lift the tire up and down, by wedging the pry bar between the tire and the ground. This may take a bit of effort and a long pry bar, but if you feel a bump, or hear a pop, you’re going to need someone else to work the pry bar or look for where the movement is exactly. The important part is to jack the truck up by the lower control arm, of you don’t, everything is going to feel tight as can be, even a worn joint, because it is still under pressure from the spring.

 

exactly.

 

Going to get them from Local Toy dealer Monday........ Thanks