First Gen Lower Ball Joint(LBJ) Failures

I fall in to the camp of "I have no idea when mine were last done". The toyota service site says they were done at like 25k miles, so I'm guessing that was the recall kit, but no other mention of ball joints on the site and mine is at 260k (I just bought it with 255k).

Soooo...I'm getting this done. Also need LCAs and new cam bolts as my truck lived in New Hampshire and all that is seized up. Problem is, any of the parts numbers here on the forum for recall kits etc (04006-62134?) are not showing up for me in a search on the toyota parts website. When I search "lower ball joint" like 4 different assemblies come up at different ~$110 price points but none of the parts numbers are close to what is listed here and "fitment is not available" shows on those pages.

Has anyone bought these OEM LBJs recently for a 05DC 4x4? Has part number changed or do we know a surefire way to obtain the right parts?? To be clear, I don't care about cost here...preference would be to buy a whole kit with all parts and bolts necessary etc...not worried about just getting a cheaper "recall kit" and having to source extra bolts and cotter pin and whatnot. Just want the right stuff to get it done.

As an aside...the toyota website overall drives me nuts. Logged in on the main website and you have to open a separate popup window to get to parts...and then re-login? Then on the parts website it won't just take my email and password, wants to send me a pin to text or email, but lists the wrong last two digits of my phone number...but my phone number is correct on my profile on the main site???? How can Japanese engineers make such great trucks, but such shitty ball joints and websites??????????

 

Have you read this thread

https://www.tundras.com/threads/lower-ball-joints-part-numbers.97100/

 

Yes that is where i sourced the PN I searched for... @shifty` post #17...the most recent post in that thread from user @ps8820 seems to be having the same issue I am. A lot of older posts on the forum stating 04006-62134 is the PN needed but that part doesn't show up for me on the toyota site...

 

I am a product of all of your relentless warnings about LBJ.
I put the cheapest RA on prior to joining y'all here. Living comfortably now with the OEM.
Thank you all

 

It's really sad that all of them laugh after they post. Like have LBJ failure is a goal.

 

Tis a FB group full of swine and the occasional decent human.

 

Like that Eun guy?

 

I am the swine I speak of

do I say; not as I do

 

Toyota owners website showed the LBJ recall was done on my truck in '07 @ 18K miles. Don't have a record of them being replaced since then.

I've owned the truck for 5 years and haven't replaced them. No idea their age but I don't have any up/down movement when the tire is jacked up. Still, have a new pair of OEM LBJs with OEM bolts on hand. Going to swap them out this weekend. Doing the tie rods at the same time as LBJs, and if I feel extra squirrelly I've got upper/lower control arm bushings and upper ball joints.

 

Just the bushings??? You got a press Mr. Squirrel?

 

I am not sure how you are trying to order parts, but the recall kit is still very much available.

https://toyotaparts.ourismantoyotao...n-available-even-if-vin-is-supplied-400662134

The part number and fitment per the Special Service Campaign (recall) document I shared earlier in this thread and can be found several paces on this forum:





I hope this helps.

 

Got a ball joint press, yes. Remember seeing a Yota Youtuber change his CA bushings using one.

Was getting $1,000/yr tool money from my old job. So I started collecting specialty suspension tools to use at home. Not pictured: about a dozen other tools like spring compressor and etc.

 

you need to let me know how that goes. I've heard it's a nightmare pressing out the LCA bushings.
Or link the vid so I can watch this guy and see if it's a lie

 

Can't find the Toyota guy who did it. But here's an example of how to press CA busbings with a ball joint press.

https://youtu.be/cgnhUbffyiI?feature=shared

 

Side note:

Found this jem while scanning youtube

https://youtube.com/shorts/7HZaaax6wz8?feature=shared

 

I don't know man, that looks like a ford arm. But if you can pull it off. More power to you babeh

 

Control arm bushings suck. But they're kinda like the UBJs. You go in expecting them to be a bitch to get off. And you won't be disappointed. But it's just work.

I did them on my Tacoma. Torch, sawzall. Rubber fumes, flames, then rubber dust and chunks flying, then they're out, albeit in pieces.

First I tried a bottle jack inside the control arms, plus heat, but all that did was very slightly bend the control arm, and I almost couldn't get it back in the truck. The press Riverdale posted may or may not actually work, depending on the bushing condition, but it won't bend the control arm in the process.

 

My truck was a one-owner Texas truck for the first 13 years. Now it's a GA truck. Pretty clean all over. Bless salt free roads.

The only bolts that have ever given me trouble were exhaust manifold. *knocks on wood*

 

That helps. My Tacoma wasn't rusty, really. Just a matter of the rubber being firmly in place for the last 20+ years. Probably upper control arms will be easier. The lowers get the bulk of dirt, slush, corrosion, so at least on my truck they were in worse shape. I sold the truck with the original upper control arm bushings in place. 26 years old and 330,000 miles. Replaced the lowers because they were making noise. Uppers weren't.

I'll be interested to see how this goes for you. Definitely post on the progress and what techniques work for you.

 

coming from ( and still own ) a 3rd gen 4runner, we have the same lbj failure. now my new to me 2002 tundra was supposed to have had them all done last year...but no paperwork, the uppers are obviously new and are blue boots, now I dont trust the lowers, so will do them soon

 

Damn. I must not know how to use AI image generators. Thought it would be funny to make a boy scout badge of a broken ball joint. This way you could award it to members of that FB group.

Some of the images it generated with that prompt were funny.

 

Ide wear that last one

 

Yeah, but your Moogs didn't fail (ya lucky bastard)

 

Those look like they came from the land of not quite right aka ROK

 

This guy got roasted in the comments which gave me joy.