Replacing LCA vs. New Ball Joint

In a thread a little ways back it seemed the common consensus for Tacomas, at least to save a few bucks, is to just buy new LCAs and swap those compared to replacing the ball joint. I'm leaking some grease out my DS ball joint and while there's no signs that it's completely failed (besides the grease) but it's likely on its way out I'd assume. Also wondering (before I look into my warranty myself) if anyone knows whether that replacement/repair can be covered so I wouldn't have to pay out of pocket...or at least decrease the amount I pay out of pocket, I'm still under warranty so if I can save some cash I'm for it.

Thaaaaaaanks

 

Your '12 is still in warranty? Mine just rolled 110,000 miles.

 

What warranty is that?

I just replaced my LCAs, due to fused bushings preventing a good alignment. My '13 (with less than 70K miles on it) is a CPO, but there was no coverage for the repair.

 

why has no one made a uniball replacement for stock LBJ? And a little grease leaking out of the boot is nothing.

 

There are a few places that sell uniball lowers...you just have to buy the entire LCA to go with it!

TC and LSK (pending) are the 2 I am looking at right now.

 

Yeah, I see a $1500 price tag on those. Where as a stock uniball replacement would be much cheaper.

 

I'm around 96k but I just bought the truck last year so the warranty from the dealer/Toyota. I wanna say it's 2yr/24k.

 

Well they are also fully boxed lowers so the price is fitting. But to your point, that's replacing your Toyota with a Ferrari metaphorically speaking.

 

See that's what I assumed and since there hasn't been any signs that the ball joint is failing I just didn't know if a glob a grease was worth the trouble or not worry about it yet

 

Those lowers are worth it as they are quite beefy. The two points of failure on stock is the BJ and the weak shit weld job. Both can be mitigated with a stock uniball and a little fabrication.

 

Honestly if I end up replacing I'd just buy Moogs for both sides and just bang out driver and passenger. JBA UCAs are in the somewhat near future so why not replace upper and lower

 

3. The Alignment bolts/bushings that routinely seize. Which is why curiosity got me looking at LCAs

 

Honestly, if I had another 15-1600 bucks laying around, I probably would have dropped some TC LCAs into my truck. Still not sure I wont really.

 

There's a hell of a lot I'd do with an extra $1600...

 

I feel ya there.

 

You should see my ever-changing google doc excel sheet

edit: makes me cry a little since I have the prices listed too...

 

Erase the Spot. Those are shit. Get the inReach

 

If I'm honest, the ball joint is the least of my worries. Haven't noticed any issues other than seeing a leak. If just a bit of grease leaking is no big deal then a save myself a few hundred bucks. Just wasn't sure that if I wanted to have the dealer do it all whether the warranty would do anything.

 

Easily mitigated with a glorious amount of Lucas Red n Tacky.

 

Has indeed been substituted.