Well this happened today….

Looks repairable. I would assess the condition of the tri bearing on the cv shaft? If it's in good condition I'd clean it up and re-use it. Looks like it only pulled out of the boot. (Do NOT buy a re-built CV from autozone or Napa. There is a reason why people turn those in) But clean off the tri bearing and see what condition your CV is.
One of the main causes for ball joint failure is a sagging suspension. If your truck shows sign that it is contacting the "bump stop" regularly, you might want to look into new struts. Hitting the bump stops causes major force on the LCA ball joints.

 

Don't beat yourself up too hard on this one. Honestly, at only 70K since they were last replaced, and by your Dad, I wouldn't have worried about them either until at least the 200k mark was approaching on the truck; especially as it was a one-owner and previously by your Dad and I'm assuming they weren't showing any imminent signs of failure. (excessive/uneven tire wear, loose or wobbling steering, bad alignment, failed inspection etc.)

 

Do you know what brand your dad replaced them with? If they were cheapies from the auto parts store that probably explains the early failure, try to stay with OEM on the LBJs. If that's out of budget then the 555 brand ones are also recommended and are cheaper than OEM are through Toyota.

I would stay far away from those ultra cheap ACDelco/MasterPro/Duralast etc LBJs.

 

I'm talking specifically about the balljoints as the item you shouldn't cheap out on.

If a cheap CV goes out it's not likely to cause the same issues as a cheap lower balljoint going out. The NAPA CVs I hear are actually pretty good.

 

I'm sure her dad has it under control. I rarely have had any problems with aftermarket parts. I'm only trying to save the girl some money. I'm not going to friggin' Toyota for wiper blades or a battery, lol.
BTW, it was the upper ball joint that failed. Her dad might have only replaced the lower, which didn't fail. Her mom wants her to get rid of it, anyway.

 

I agree with you, Justin. OEM ball joints are actually reasonably priced. Napa is usually where I go. I like it when their own brand synthetic is on sale.

 

I'd be either disconnecting that brake line, or at least propping up the spindle so the line doesn't break. You want to keep the fluid in the system. I'd still suggest changing the lines out. No telling what internal damage might have happened there.

 

I noticed that, also.

 

Thanks everyone for all the posts! I havent had a chance to read through all of them yet but I appreciate all of them! I’ll share some pics of the parts to make sure I’m understanding what is what.

A little update: found out that the BJs are original from factory, the only thing my dad did when he first got it (never have owned a Tacoma before but is well versed in vehicles and working on them) he put in the Bilstein shocks when he got it, and we eventually replaced the carrier bearing (that and getting my tires balanced helped the shake I used to experience at around 55 mph) , last year did all new rotors, calipers, break pads (the old ones were shot) but basically everything else hasn’t been touched and was on the to do list before the BJ failed mid ride so here we are.

 

Came home from work to find my dad had managed to get it in the shop and on the lift. Starting to get my list of parts needed and won’t be stingy if needing OEM. This is a vehicle I plan on literally driving the wheels off for a second time

my mom may not want me to keep driving it but once she knows it’s nothing to be scared of after fixing and continuing to take preventative measures and thorough maintenance, she will be just fine!

 

Yeah definitely none of those signs, I’m a little OCD when it comes to any squeaks or feeling “off” in my vehicle and I’m always calling my dad or looking it up to make sure nothing is wrong and we end up fixing it if there is something, my truck is just at 168k.

 

I can definitely say whatever work my dad would have done would have been OEM or best of the best, as I am his only girl he takes every precautions to make sure I am in the safest and good quality of vehicles and from the way he taught me I’ll definitely always try to keep best quality of any future or current parts that need replacing.

 

Kacie you’re gonna hear a lot of different opinions on what brand of parts to use.
Listen to the people that suggest OEM or at least 555 lower ball joints for your taco.
I used OEM lbj’s and ubj’s at about 110,000 miles for my truck. But that’s me.
Good luck!!

 

Hey Kacie Hope your day is going well considering the circumstances. Glad you changed the carrier bearing. Also, glad you're keeping the truck. Since you are, YES, go OEM as much as possible. That CV axle looks okay. New bearing maybe, boots & it should be good to go. Your dad has it all under control, so I'll leave it there. Keep on posting pics of your progress

 

I don't know that I'd say anything from a dealer is "reasonably priced", lol, but there are cases where it's necessary to bite the bullet for sure. Ball joints, engine internals, O2 and other sensors (easy to end up with counterfeit), etc...

I see people going to the dealer for things like bolts and washers, and that makes me giggle a little.

 

Yeah, there's give and take with the whole OEM stuff. Hang around here long enough, and everyone has a list of parts that MUST be OEM, and you're a terrible person for doing it differently.

It depends on a lot of things, but budget is a big one. I'd say get the best you can afford, but if buying OEM is expensive enough that you consider not replacing whatever the widget is, I'd say that replacing it with a new, but possibly slightly inferior item is better than remaining with the old worn out oem part.

For example, I ran Moog lower balljoints (almost an act of heresy around here) for about 6 years a while back. That was way before I had joined this forum and learned about the balljoint thing, but still, my truck didn't explode and I survived. The main thing is to get familiar with your truck, and do what you feel is best.

 

Well said, Justin! I like that, buddy

 

Glad to hear you escaped without any explosions Justin, that cracked me up!

I am much more familiar with my truck than ever before and continue to learn as I go. I love how well rounded I am quickly becoming when it comes to my truck care. TW has been a huge source of help! And of course everyone has their opinions and I will definitely be finding what works best for me and my circumstances as time moves on

 

Decided to go with all OEM parts for the repair, got a thorough list and everything priced through Toyota, not too bad for the peace of mind and getting my taco on 4 wheels again

Waiting for delivery and anxious to get my buddy back in action!

 

Take progress pics and keep us posted