offset442

tacoma, 2000, trd, auto, 4x4, 3.4l typical payload about 1,100 lbs load levellers on the rear


so on my way home from work today i had a surprise coming down my road, i hit the same 4inch bump i hit every day but today the usual bang was the hub and wheel folding under. Im very happy it happened here as opposed to anyother mile of the 20k plus miles i drive each year for living on dangerous high speed curvy mountain hwy's and free ways. I really happy the truck is just inconveniently parked down the street from my house, i can only imagine myself being wadded up at the bottom of a 100 foot canyon after flying off a particular unprotected compound curve the the free-way I commute on every day that btw has a good hard bump leading into it at the bottom of a hill with a 65 mph speed limit, I doubt control would have been an option i would only have been an observer and the first at the scene of the accident too boot.

the failure is obvious the ball joints cant take the extra stress of bouncing around with all my tools and gear everyday for thousands of miles week after week

I need a solution that a working man can afford,

i have been looking at SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms for some time because i have a laod related out of range negative camber problem that causes the tires to where heavy and fast on the inside, but i dont know if they are any stronger than stock uppers, but they would solve my tire consumption problem

I have yet to run across a solution for the lowers, does anyone know if a more bomb proof lower exists for my truck?

snobdds

Your ball joint went out, then the flopping tire destroyed your CV. Your hub looks fine.

You really need better spings that can carry more weight, front and rear. I don't know what your trying to accomplish with updated control arms, nor that it would matter.

Get OEM ball joints and CV's and remember to check them often...

Let me ask you...if you know the hole is there, why hit it?

offset442

the SPC control arms allow for an extra +/- 2 degrees of camber correction, and 4 degrees of caster correction even unloaded the camber/caster is dubious likely because of a frame alignment problem due to the fact its a ruff service truck.

when you live/work on dirt roads the "hole" is typically 6 feet wide followed by a series of several hundred more just like it with about an 8-10 inch spacing other wise knowen as wash-boarding, i built a dog toothed drag with an adjustable blade but it only works after a good rain and it almost never rains, and typically only provides tempoary relief becasue it only fills in the valleys with soft sand, I kinda just have to live with the "holes"

I think OEM is likely tainted just found this applies from 2000 to 2004 models strangely enough i have just recently noticed an episode of abnormal steering pressure and feel. I even pulled off to do a visual inspection once a few days ago but could not see the problem but the last thing i would have though about was the ball joint:

Manufacturer: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Mfr's Report Date: MAY 06, 2005
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 05V225000
NHTSA Action Number: EA04024
Component: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

Potential Number of Units Affected: 768379
Summary:
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SURFACE OF THE BALL OF THE JOINT MAY HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED. THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND LOOSENESS, RESULTING IN INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.
Consequence:
THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Notes:
TOYOTA RECALL NO. 50J. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

snobdds

Ball joints are a maintenance item. Their service life depends on the condition in which the truck drives in. Check them often, they are not a lifetime part. The original part # has a superseded number, which I bet Toyota issued for a revised design.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

If the roads are so bad don`t drive so fast!!

I piss people off all the time going slow over things like rail road tracks and bad sections of road.

My 2000 Tacoma with super springs in the rear hauls just as much weight if not more than yours .

When was the last time you had your truck aligned??

Now with 175,000 I am going to replace the ball joints here shortly because they are a wear item.

Like anything mechanical things break

Jomoka

Yeah, that's the $64,000 dollar question (OK, not nearly that much money) - how many miles were on the Taco when the balljoint broke?

I replaced both of them on my 4Runner at around 175K miles as well. They're a wear item, and they have a catastrophic failure mode. It's well worth it to be proactive and swap them before they are in danger of breaking.

offset442

I wasn’t driving fast 10mph ish, however, i get my trucks alignment adjusted every 3 months or so, and both me and the guy at the shop inspect the components usually with a crow bar to check for excess movements and i just replace anything thats got play.

since i have owned it i have replaced all front bushings with poly-urethane (could be part of my alignment problem because they center on the cam pin) except for the upper control arm because they are not that bad enough to fight the long bolt as its sized in, sway bar links, tie rods inner and outer, shocks, basically everything but the moving parts and ball joints, the truck now has 310k miles on it. I have probably avoided changing the ball joints because they looked hard to change, and i figured that they where more bullet proof, and would give some indication of needing changed before they failed so completely, guess i was wrong.

so last night I jacked up my truck, chained a pice of an old water heater tank under the control arm, locked up the rear and skid it home, so now that its all apart, i can clearly see that the lower ball joint failed because it dried out, which caused the gauling and pull thru, the left side joint is fully intact with no end play that i can detect, and its still fully wet, lesson learned any sign of grese leaking around a these ball joints Replace them right away or suffer!!!!!!!!!!!!

really don't be stupid like me, go check your ball joints right now and see if they are dry!!!!!!! its a bad deal when this happens because wheel and hun folds under the frame and jams becoming a skid, while firmly holding the tie rod, making it impossible to steer the other wheel, and did i mention it tears the brake hose off so the breaks fail completely as well? you would have only the e-brake for comfort and if you live in a wet climate its probably frozen too

so im replacing all 4 ball joints, both cv shafts, both front hub bearings bearings because now is a good opportunity, I noticed when i pulled the cv shafts there was heavy weight oil/grease on everything which should not be there unless the bearing seals have been compromised. guess i get those SPC control arms later. they are a very pricey upg and $250 per side

DailyDrive

That's the wrong way to do it. That's why there are service manuals, and professionally trained mechanics. The LBJ's are spec'ed for 0.02" maximum play. You'll never see that with the naked eye.

offset442

I think thats actually why i have come to the realisation that inspection is really not possible with the part installed, I have never used professional mechanics except travel situations, everything that i have ever need done on anything, i have done myself out of necessity with very few exceptions. granted i have made lots of mistakes that cost me redo's. i think my new rule with LBJ's on these trucks that have the full weight pulling out of the lip of the ball socket, is when in doubt swap em out.

DailyDrive

It is not only possible, the proper procedure is explicitly explained in the service manual.

Neither have I, but if something on my car failed that is a known problem and I neither asked a profesional about it, or properly researched the defect, then there is noone else to blame for the outcome.

I have properly inspected my LBJs, even though my car is several years older than when the manufacturing defect surfaced, and there is practially no wear on my LBJs. No defect, no problem, no need to replace.

DailyDrive

offset442

Your right you beat a dead hose for no reason, thank you however for contributing useful information

PhiTau4runner

Thank you for reminding me that it is not smart to put off regular maint.

Oh and to pony up and buy that darn FSM!