Where do you get your Lbj oems? (Canada)

Hey guys, one of my lbj is about to fall off and I'd like to replace it.
My mechanic told me he could get non-oem lbj's but I've heard it's not a good idea to go with non-oem for lbj. I've found some on the Toyota dealership website but they're close to 300$ each (cad). I've found them on ebay, they are also around 300$ but that's for both right and left lbj. eBay says it's oem, highly reviewed and shipping from japan. Do any of you have experience with buying oem parts from ebay? Is it a terrible idea? Otherwise where do you guys get ur lbj's from in Canada?
Thanks in advance!

 

All of that is covered or linked from this sticky thread, which is why it remains stuck to the top of the forum: https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-you-wanna-buy-just-bought-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/

Short version:

• NEVER use non-OEM LBJ, period. It's one of very few parts where you CANNOT use aftermarket safely. This thread is 20 pages of people with fucked up trucks because they chose to ignore this advice, either because their mechanic or their ego told them otherwise: https://www.tundras.com/threads/first-gen-lower-ball-joint-lbj-failures.141860/
• Never buy "OEM" parts from fleaBay or scAmazon or WallyMart, or any other place with ZERO accountability, and ZERO checks for fakes. You WILL get counterfeit parts. It is happening more and more frequently, and the fakes look insanely convincing.
• There's a sticky thread that'll help you run down your part numbers, see reply #17 on page 1 if needed: https://www.tundras.com/threads/lower-ball-joints-part-numbers.97100/
• Always replace the four bolts per side with the parts.
• If you buy using Toyota's National Parts Program, you can get them, usually considerably cheaper than walking up to (or calling) your local dealership. How do you use the Toyota Parts system? There's a sticky: https://www.tundras.com/threads/howto-use-the-toyota-parts-system-to-find-order-parts.113808/
• NOTE: Not all dealers offer the same discount thru that site! You may try a few different ones near you if possible. Some offer more off than others. Sometimes the discount doesn't show up until you reach the Checkout page.
• There technically is a "recall kit" for the LBJs that is a barebones box, you don't get a new castle nut, and you don't get the bolts (which are sold separately anyway), but I don't think one exists for the 2000
• Don't play around. If your truck is showing signs of a bad LBJ, STOP DRIVING IT. Again, see the 20 pages of suckers above.

 

So in your opinion, even if the seller has 99.5% positive reviews on ebay, it's not worth it considering they might be fake (might explain why they are half the price as from the dealership)? Is my mechanic gonna order the bolts or should i mention it to him to order new ones as well? Thanks for info

 

But yeah. If that seller isn't a dealership, and they don't have phone numbers somewhere in their pictures where you can call and confirm that account on fleaBay is linked to the dealer, then I wouldn't trust it, dude. That's just my 2¢.

But I'm also an asshole after getting burned too many times. The reality is, counterfeiters are REALLY good at getting fleaBay to erase bad feedback. It happened most recently to me buying Switch Pro controllers for my kids. I was skeptical because they were so cheap. Authentic as hell looking boxes. But they weighed 20% less than my matching authentic controller I bought at Gamestop, and there wer a few key differences, like the generic ass battery inside the fleaBay unit. And when I looked at the eBay seller's profile, two new counterfeit warnings were in with negative feedback, from after I shipped. I left negative feedback with counterfeit warnings. I went back 5 days later, and ALL of the feedback was removed. Complained to fleaBay, nothing. Checked back a few months later, the seller was no longer active, but I was able to find them with a new profile. And when I went on scAmazon, I found a storefront selling Switch Pro controllers that had a nearly identical name, so I know they're shipping the same damn controllers there for sale. It's absolute horseshit.

I paid 185 CAD/ea for mine via the Toyota Parts site. And the bolts added another 5% per side. And I was cool with the 400 CAD price tag (roughly), knowing I didn't need to worry about authenticity, I'd not need to touch them for another 100k+ miles, and if I'd never be able to say that if I'd spent half that on aftermarket options, and if the aftermarket option failed, the chances of me walking away with less than 1,000+ CAD in damages is low.

It's all relative.

 

Give https://www.toyotapartsdirect.ca/ a try,Toyota dealer in Ontario
Cochran Toyota in Alberta is good too, reasonable shipping
my local parts guy will match their price if his wife sent him to work with a smile on his face

 

This is a good source for OEM parts in Canada. But shipping from London can be slow, and they often have to obtain the parts from Toyota, so that can delay it further.

Pricewise, I always check Megazip, Partsouq and Amayama. But, again, there is a wait for shipping, esp Amayama. On a few occasions, toyotapartsdirect has least expensive option.

Do not be swayed by the low price on aftermarket LBJs.

 

Can you buy from a dealer in America?

I got mine from Ourisman Toyota of Richmond. You can call in orders but the parts guy may not be there when you call.

If you do this yourself, I would not suggest using hand tools. I got it done lying on my back in the grass, but I wish I had had some nice power tools.

Here is my experience on the subject.

Something a local mechanic said...."pressing out the ball joints." | Toyota Tundra Forum

I bought the puller kit described in post #8.

WEAR SAFETY GLASSES ANYTIME YOU ARE UNDER A CAR. RUST IN YOUR EYE SUCKS.

Explore New & Used Toyota Models at Ourisman Toyota of Richmond