Upper control arm bushing cut/torn: replace immediately?

its a small cut, about 3/4 of an inch long. Hard to see in the picture, but you can see the rubber is wet from leaking grease. These are SPC LR UCAs. Replace immediately to be safe?

 

Upper Ball Joint. Nothing to really sweat over. Keep an eye on it and replace it when you get around to it.

 

Thanks. I'll do just that

 

have a 4runner
stock boot split 10 years ago
have never touched it
steering and suspension still 100% 140,000 miles later, still split

 

That's reassuring (no sarcasm)

 

You'll be fine, squeeze some grease into it and leave it be. The grease will help prevent water from getting in it.

You can just replace the boot if you like too. My 00 camry has the same issue, been about 57k miles since I've noticed the rip years ago. Just fill it with grease through the tear and be good.

 

Is it really worth fretting over 8.50? Replace em both while you are at it, that 8.50 gets you two of em, that are the newer larger style that flex better.

 

Plus alignment costs....

 

Inject some grease in there, clean the boot and seal it with silicon rubber sealant. You can buy a grease injector needle that fits on your grease gun for under $10.

 

Umm no.

Undo the ball joint from the spindle, swing the UCA up without undoing the ball joint from the uca, replace the boot. Then bolt the balljoint back to the spindle. There is zero adjustment where the ball joint goes into the spindle so no alignment will be needed. Hell you have to remove the balljoint from the spindle regardless to get that boot off.

you can get two new boots for probably 15 shipped.....

 

Sounds easy enough. Thanks for the tips

 

Hi, is removing the spindle as easy as simply removing the castle nut, push up on the UCA then reverse the procedure? Is there any tension on the ball joint spindle interface when I remove or try to reinstall?

Thanks for any of your help.

 

There isnt any tension per se but the taper on the ball joint stem does yeild a friction fit that can sometimes be tough to release.

Best thing to do is remove the cotter pin and undo the castle nut off the SPC ball joint, grab the castle nut off your old original UCA and thread it back on till it covers the tip of the threads of the spc ball joint (this is to protect the threads of the spc ball joint and to not mess up the SPC castle nut). then with a good couple LB sledge hammer give it a good wack in the upward direction. It will pop free after a hit or two and because you have the original uca castle nut on there it will catch everything from coming all apart. Grab some bungie cords/tie wire etc and then you can thread the castle nut off, swing the uca up and use the bungie/tie wire to hold the spindle in place.

 

A better method is instead of hitting the ball joint threaded end with the nut on to protect the threads is to hammer on the knuckle itself. One or two good solid blows will vibrate it loose like magic. I typically use a ballpeen because it's fun to say and the smaller head is easier to accurately hit in the confined space without smashing other stuff.

Not much tension other than the weight of components. Be sure to have a jack under the LCA to support the weight when you take off the UCA balljoint nut so it doesn't all come crashing down. And unless you have three arms it will. Work smart not hard.

 

Next time I have to remove a tapered shank like the UCA ball ill give that a try, i have seen others do it that way by hitting the thing its attached to not the actual part trying to be removed just never in the moment remember to try it that way. haha

 

When you do it, look at the shape on the knuckle in that area. Usually there is one spot that is raised and flat with more metal (you can kind of make it out from pictures up above). That's where you hit, don't have to be so hard you'll break stuff but don't be gentle about it either. Couple nice solid blows with good form and Bob is your auntie. Easy peasy.

 

Ding ding ding!! That’s why there is a flat spot machined into the spindle where the tapered bolt goes thru. Perhaps they should have stamped “hit me” on it, too.

edit: ah, you beat me to it already

 

Great, thanks for all the advice @nd4spdbh & @wi_taco . @hx989, knowing myself, I would have missed the "hit me" sign since I am too lazy to first clean my work area, haha (I'll have to change that habit as soon as I start cleaning up my pile of dirty clothes in the bedroom.)

 

A lot of good advice here!

 

A tool called a ball joint splitter is available but most likely unnecessary. Looks like a 2 pronged fork. The one time I used it, it separated so easily the above methods will most likely work. Using the splitter too small will jam it on & be super hard to remove.