Lower Ball Joint advice needed.

Hi Gang,

I had new tires installed on my truck today, and the guy at the shop showed me that I need a new lower ball joint on the drivers side. He wants 210.00 bucks to do it. (I'm guessing that he will use cheap parts............the shop is NTB.)

I like to do stuff myself, so can anyone recommend a good place to buy what I need online? I want to go with good quality parts at a fair price.

Last question.....I wont be able to do the job until next weekend. Is that a big deal? There is play in the joint, but its not horrible. The passenger side is just fine.

Thanks All!

 

I would only go with OEM on such an important part. I haven't replaced one myself, but it looks pretty easy. If you are used to working on vehicles, go for it. Other than normal tools, you just need a ball-joint puller and a torque wrench.

 

Go with OEM lower ball joints.

Camelback Toyota has them for $97 ea. Don't know what shipping is. For comparison I just paid $117 ea at the local dealership and that's with a 20% discount.

 

If IIRC, Toyota had a recall on the ball joints a number of years ago. I'd check at the dealership before I did anything else and see of yours have been done. All they need is the V.I.N. to check.

It may save you a few $$ if they haven't and Toyota picks up the tab due to the recall. Hope this helps.

 

Recall only applies to 01-04 Tacomas. Don't know the specifics of the OPs truck.

 

They're not too hard to change out yourself. I used OEM. If you do a search, you can find hundreds of horrible pictures of peoples' Tacos after their lower ball joints failed while driving down the road. It's not pretty.

 

Thanks for the input guys.

My truck is an 04 DC TRD.

I had it at the dealership awhile back to see if I qualified for a new frame. I didn't as mine was in good condition. I think the dealership was kind of bummed as they love the jobs that Toyota pays for.

They didn't say anything about a recall on lower ball joints. I will check it out.

Looks like an easy job based on the videos I watched on youtube.

Thanks again!

 

OEM all the way. And do both sides at the same time. Even if the other side isn't showing any signs of wear.

IMO, LBJs should be a regular maintenance item, just like the water pump and timing belt on the v6. Every 90K. Don't wait for failure on this stuff.

 

I am at 140K with the original water pump!

Should I replace it pronto?!

Too big of a job for me......and it ain't cheap!

 

The lower ball joint is only a few bolts and a few smacks with a hammer and it's off(Google shock and fall sus pension you dont need a pulcer to get the tiemail rod or the nall jpint loose)..you'll need a torque wrench to put it back on. Do the water pump when you do the timing belt next assuming it's the 3.4

 

http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/shockandfall/shockfall1.htm

 

Lower ball joints are really easy to do. Don't need any special tools except torque wrench. BUT you do need some locktite on the threads. Red I believe. Definitely go with OEM.

 

Thanks for the input guys!

Love this forum!

Love my Taco!

 

Use the blue lock tite, its much easier to loosen than the red.

 

For sure. Red usually requires heat to get it undone, which would likely melt the boot on your ball joint. Since the LBJ has to come off for some other maintenance things like changing struts, you don't want to have to sacrifice it in order to take it off.

 

I used Moog when I did mine 3yrs ago but I also plan on cutting the IFS this winter. I would go OEM if you are in it for the long haul. A puller also helps, its like 12 bucks and a useful tool to have any way.

As for red locktite: I have never had to use heat to get that off, maybe a breaker bar and I would classify myself as a pussy.

 

Where is a good place to get a LBJ tool?

 

You don't any tools other than the torque wrench...you hit the area where the stud sticks through with a hammer read the shock and fall article I posted above....

 

I bought it from autozone, its the big ushaped puller with the threaded rod. Yea you can beat it off (ha) with a hammer, but the pullers dirt cheap and you can zap that bj off in 2bursts of the impact.

 

I would say go with the NAPA Chassis line of ball joints. They have an improved design that works better than any moog or raybestos aftermarket ball joint out there. supposed to better than OEM even.