Installed Kings - WTF!? Lower ball joints?

Uh, what the fuck is going on here.......
2.5 Kings just installed - driven 20 miles total. I have a light clunk in the front end on certain bumps. Crawled under to inspect and stock ball joint boots are leaking.
Running stock lowers and stock uppers.
Have ICON uppers to go in soon, but wanted to keep stock upper arms through hunting season that starts in 3 days.

 

Looks like maybe a small dryrot crack and the change in angle or added pressure is pushing some grease out. Happened when I did my Tacoma and to be honest I didn't do a thing and it was fine for years. You could maybe inject some grease in there with a needle / syringe. But it'll likely get pushed out too. I can't say for sure but it's possible it looks worse than it is.

 

And I believe the bottom of the King is coming into contact with the front axle.

 

That might be what I am hearing.

 

They are very close to each other.

 

I did drop the lower ball joints to swing the coil overs in vs disconnecting the top ball joint.

 

No, I was going to adjust height before heading in for alignment.

 

Here’s bottom shock instal -

 

I don't think the LBJ is a big issue that needs attention right now. Probably can be addressed when you install the UCA, from what I know, the LBJ is a tough install and a lot of guys just do the whole LCA instead. If you get a new LBJ I'd get OEM or AC Delco, others seem to be hit or miss.

As for the axle, it does look like its rubbing. Its possibly an alignment will fix that.
Idk if you have a lifetime alignment place near you. Cuz you'll need another one when you do the UCAs, it starts to add up paying each time

 

Yep - Firestone. I had a lifetime on my 4runner. I’ll do that on the Tundra and go from there I suppose.
I was worried about the additional droop these Kings provide. That’s not an issue?
They seem to be a significant difference than the stock TRD front shocks.

 

I have never installed this fancy of a coilover, but that doesn't look right to me. Maybe these are meant to have some play and pivot side to side like that? Almost as if a spacer or washer is missing?

 

There’s a bushing/bearing inside the King shock-end you just can’t see it. I’ll snap a better pic once I peel the wheel off here shortly to adjust the CO down some.

 

I've never had coilovers anywhere near this quality, or any that provide this much travel, some guys use limiting straps to control the droop. I'd see how the alignment does and go from there. Maybe the tech has seen kings before and can comment on that lower mount

 

Ok that would make sense that these are built to work like that.
I think an alignment could be all you need. And clean up that excess grease and see if more pushes out, maybe someone else will chime in here but I don't think its something goo concerning at this point. I could be wrong on all accounts though

 

Jesus - full droop.

 

That’s axle contact.
Hopefully alignment takes care of that, because I hadn’t planned on going long travel so soon. Lmao

 

Here’s a better pic of that front lower inner bushing/bearing. It was a tight-bitch to get in there.

 

Wow that's a good amount of rub, both sides?

 

No, just passenger - which leads me to believe it’s alignment.

 

I hope so too. I bet it will, haven't heard of this issue before now.

 

Yup me too

 

Side note for all the guys that hate removing the entire CO to adjust. I modifed the OEM compressors so they fit inside the tight King coils (angle grind off about 1/4” on the spring holders).
You can adjust the CO height without dealing with the huge pain in the ass of removing them.

 

Super fucking excited about that one LMAO

 

The LBJ looks like it just seep a little. With the jack supporting the truck you can pull on the wheel, top to bottom to test but I think it's OK. Looks like you need to add some caster to your alignment. Even so I wonder if there's something else causing the spring to hit. I definitely think that was the clunk you heard. Sway bar too can cause a clunk.

 

Yep, thx! I already removed the sway bar entirely - wish that was the case - easy fix lol.

 

Adding caster may not be right as I go back and look at the photos. Where's @dcsleeper408 ?

 

Weird. Usually it's the tie rod that want to hit the spring perch, not the axle

 

The PO must have done this prior to my ownership - looks like a diff drop?
Would this be rotating the front diff forward enough to make the contact?

 

An alignment make take care of the issue but you need to install your UCAs. Those look to be extended travel coil overs. UCAs will correct the alignment geometry.

 

One last thing.. The spacers for the lower shock mount are different lengths. They look to be installed correctly, but hard to verify from the picture.

The longer spacer should be installed behind the lower mount. Shorter spacer installed in front. This will help create distance between the coil and axle.