UPPER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT WRITEUP???

Anyone know of a good upper ball joint replacement thread? I've searched Google, Youtube, and the TW search engine, but can't find anything 2nd Gen related...

 

BUMP FOR HELP??? Somebody has to have info on this topic?

 

I'm not sure about a write up but it's not a complicated job. Somewhere there is a service manual posted. Also, try 'www.alldatadiy.com'.

 

I'm just looking to find out if I need a press.... a pitman arm puller, or any other tool to do it. I've done the balljoints on my 98 4Runner.... but curious if the 2nd Gen Taco is done the same way, or if I need a different tool to do it....

 

I don't think so. Basic tools should work. You might need a pickle fork...

 

Yeah.... I figured I might.... but still need something to pop it out of the upper control arm.

Has nobody in all of Tacoma World, never changed an upper ball joint on these trucks? The oldest 2nd Gen is 9yrs old now... someone on here has had to have changed one??

 

Bump?

 

Well, just had an Upper Ball Joint explode in the driveway, so I'm in your boat. Removal wasn't too bad for the first time at 140000 miles. Impact wrench helps remove the bottom castle nut, it is less likely to spin. Remove the c-clip that secures the joint from the bottom side of he UCA. Was able to do this with a standard set of needle nose pliers used backwards. Use the factory jack, installed upside down, between the fender (above) and the UCA(below). This should immobilize the UCA so you have something solid to wail on in a moment. Put a torch on the control arm in the vicinity of the joint, I got it good and hot. Apply mini-sledge liberally to the bottom of the joint. Boom, it came out.

And now I can't get the new one installed to save my life. Think I'm gonna need a BJ tool set,

 

Well, got it finished today. Trying to beat the new ball joint in with a hammer was futile. Went to Autozone, and as discussed elsewhere they will lend your really nice ball joint service set for only a deposit. Beats the Harbor Freight version, which I've seen bent. Clearance kinda sucks, but I was able to press in the new part without too much frustration. I had to put a 3 foot bar on the wrench to get the last few turns on the press.

The NAPA replacement c-clip was difficult to use, I reused the factory clip with good results. The replacement boot was impossible to get over the ball joint, even using the press. I'm going to go back and reuse the factory boot, which is a more pliable rubber and still in good condition. Again use the factory bottle jack to crank down the UCA for reconnection to the spindle, and you're good to go.

The aftermarket ball joints I found have a zerk, and took a large quantity of grease, so I'd definitely make sure they get serviced early in their lives.

 

Thanks for the info man! I still can't believe nobody else has ever had an issue with their ball joints... lol!

I booked an appointment with a local shop to do mine.... but had to cancel it, because my other truck needed to have the rack and pinion replaced. THat too, was a project I planned on undertaking. However, after having removed every bolt off the rack, all I had to do was take off the powersteering hoses. That became a whole different story...

I never managed to get them off, and ended up bringing it to a garage to have the rack replaced. IT took 2 experienced mechanics to get those hoses off.... and 5.5hours to do it. They only charged me for 3.5hours of labor.... so.. all together... the rack cost me about $1000.00 to replace. FML!

 

Ouch. The power steering rack was not fun, I managed to narf the threads on the brand-new rack. Oops.

 

NEVER heat a contol arm when replacing a ball joint. It weakens the metal. You will be lucky if you don't kill someone with your truck.

 

I'm about to finish replacing one upper and one lower ball joints with a pair of MOOG's. Truck is 2005 and lives at 66 degs north (salty roads). So getting things apart was quite a hassle. Removed the arms. Didn't even try it any other way, as then I could use my 20 tonne press.
Getting the LCA off, didn't go so well as the sleeve on the front bolt was seized. Had to use a saw to get it off. Back bolt was no problem. Nut on the ball joint on the UCA was also seized and impossible to get off. Cut it off with an angle grinder.
I had a set of "receiver tubes" made so I could use the press to get the balls out. Those are just 3 4" tubes
The LCA ball didn't wanna leave, even under full press pressure. Then used the "receiver tube" and my biggest hammer to get it moving like 0.5 mm. Then put it back into the press. Still didn't move. Applied some rust penetrator to it and left it in the press under full pressure for about an hour (fetching the kids from a friends house . Then adding full pressure again to the press broke it loose with a big bang.
The upper ball was easier. It just popped out with some good pressure on the press.
Presssing the new ones in was not a problem. Hardest was to get the lower ball to go in straight, and the get the MOOG's rubber boot onto the upper one. Ended on using one of the "receiver tubes" to push it on. Had the balls at -18 degs and warmed the arms with electric heat gun before installing the balls. Don't thing that helped much, if at all.
Key to success where those tubes I had made for me.

 

For ball joints that are really stuck put them under pressure either with a shop press or a ball joint press and tap on the control arm with a ball pein hammer near the ball joint. The shock and the vibration will help free it.

 

Tried that, using a regular hammer. Even tried two, hitting it on both sides at the same time (like one does to free conical rod ends). Maby it helped.

 

anyone have pictures of this??

Im having issues trying to get my upper ball joint out. I gave up and ordered a new control arm with the ball joint pressed in.

 

I changed them out. I did all my control arm bushings and ball joints at the same time. It was a pain in the ass but doable. A huge pain in the ass..lol
But Im 50 so most rrpairs on my truck are a pain nowadays.
If you have access to a press I would suggest going with that.
I did it with a bottle jack and a steel pipe to catch it. I may have used c clamps to get one of them and a little propane hand torch.
I would do it again if I had to

 

Thread started in '14, OP hasnt been around in over a year.

Zombie hunter you must be ?