Chooch

Hey guys, so I'm going to try my best here and write up a step by step ball joint installation for the 2nd gen 4runners and trucks. Just did all 4 this weekend and took some pics so I'm going to try my best to explain it for all you wondering what to do! Btw I am a first year Automotive Service tech so suspension work is my thing.

I used OEM Toyota ball joints for this job, I highly recommend using OEM ball joints as they're going to outlast anything after market. They are a bit pricey but worth it. I have a friend who works at a Toyota dealership so I paid $400 bucks for all 4 taxes in.

First thing you want to do is jack up the vehicle and take off the wheel. I used a 21mm socket on a 1/2" breaker bar for this.


Next your going to want to unbolt the caliper and hang it up somewhere so you don't stretch or break the brake lines. Caliper is held on to the knuckle by 2 18mm bolts.


Next you want to take off the 12mm bolts on the hub, don't know what to call this piece but it has a spline in the middle for the axle to go through.


Once you got all the bolts off there is cone washers that are still holding it onto the hub. Take a brass punch and hammer the ends of the studs and they should pop out.


Next you want to install a couple bolts in this piece and thread them in to separate it from the hub. I had a few bolts laying around from my old S10 that worked perfectly.



Next you need a 54mm axle nut socket to take out the 2 axle nuts. I used a 55mm socket on a 2' 1/2" breaker bar to take them off.



Theres a lock washer inbetween the 2 axle nuts, just take a flat head screw driver and pry it out.



Then take off the last axle nut, and slide off the whole hub/rotor assembly. Be careful not to get dirt in the bearing!


Then take off the 10mm bolts holding on the dust shield.



Unbolt the steering linkage that attaches the tie rods to the knuckle, I believe these bolts are 22mm. There are 2 of them, couldnt get a good picture of the bolts but they should be pretty obvious.


Next unbolt your shock, using a 22mm socket or wrench.


Now that the knuckle is disconnected from the steering linkage go ahead and start unbolting the top ball joint, start with the 22mm castle nut then the 12mm bolts ontop of the control arm.



I got the upper ball joint unbolted from the control arm and pryed it out so I could get the ball joints out easier.


Now there is no right or wrong way to get the ball joints out, just keep hitting the knuckle around the ball joint with a BFH untill it pops out. A pickle fork would help too.


Old


New


Now just bolt up the ball joints and get the knuckle back in place. Re assembly is just backwards of what I just showed you. Its pretty straight forward. These ball joints are really easy to do and I hope this thread helped some people. Feedback would be much appreciated as this is my first write up. Hope some of you gain from this, just trying to help out some fellow Yota owners!

All back together!

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

That is a lot more stuff than I ever took off to do my ball joints....

...none the less, nice pics and write up

Fierce Legend

Ya Dude I just did mine. I didnt touch the rotor or caliper. I just lossened the torsion bar and then I disconnected it and I removed the control arms and used a block of wood to holt the rotor and the cv axle boot from ripping.

MudHippy

Half ball joint, half wheel bearing and seal replacement write-up. Except you left out most of the wheel bearing and seal replacement part.

Just callin' it how I sees it...

PunchyMcGee

The effort and level of detail you put into this is exceptionally helpful. Thanks for your time!