Im putting a new upper ball joint in my 94 4wd ext cab, and also decided to do the control bar end links as well, as the bushings were almost non existant. I dont plan on going off roading too much with this truck right away, so the end links will be staying for the time being.

the problem Im having is that Ive never worked on this kind of suspension before (torsion bars), and the manual says to slack off the torsion bar to do the end links?

I cant seem to figure this out. Anyone want to walk me through this quickly? Thanx!

 

By control bar, do you mean the sway bar? The big U shaped bar that mounts to the frame behind the front suspension and attaches to the lower control arm?

If so, no need to monkey with the torsion bar. Jack it up and let the suspension droop. I cannot recall if the bushings for the frame are a split design or if they need to push on from the ends of the sway bar. If they are a split design, then just unbolt it from the frame, replace the bushings, bolt it back up. No need to unbolt the end links.

If they need to push on from the ends of the sway bar, then, loosen the nut at the top of the end links, remove all of the bushings, washers, etc to get the sway bar off. You might take a picture of an end link ahead of time so you can get the order of the bushings and washers right. Then you can push the bushings onto the ends of the sway bar, if need be.

 

x2 on no need to mess with torsion bars.

 

well wtf is my haynes manual talking about!

(shouldve gotten a chilton)

 

Idk... throw the haynes in the trash and use an online toyota fsm...search here and you will find.

The bushings between the fram and sway bar are split design, no need to mees with the ends... unless you are talking about the end link bushings. Then its pretty straight forward.

 

From his description and the fact that the manual said to relax the t-bars, and the fact that he's replacing the ball joints, he could very well be talking about the control arm bushings.
If that's the case, then yes you have to relax the t-bars.




Fred

 

Pictures of what's being asked about sure would help....

If you say "end links" two things pop in my mind: sway bar and tie-rods; two very different things.

 

no, it was the end links i was doing. and i just spun the nuts off, and dropped the whole bar off the truck, zipped the links off, and put new ones on, reinstalled....

/but i am having a helluva time getting my upper ball joint out !!!

 

Then you were replacing the sway bar end links. I have to wonder why they say to relax the tbars to change those... That's disappointing advice from Haynes. Time to buy a Chilton and use the FSM.

On you upper ball joints, where is the problem? On the top or getting it out of the spindle?

Are you using a pickle fork or a bj puller?

 

Well I got the end links out somewhat easily (no need to do anythign with the torsion bar), and also got my balljoint in.

Its been such a long time since I worked on a used 300k vehicle, I forgot you needed to give em some rough love - I beat the crap out of the pickle fork, and it popped the balljoint. This of course after I realized "If I take the shock out, it will drop the lower arm down -DOY!"

Yeah I double checked the manual, and it says to slack off the torsion bar for both the end links and the ball joint removal. wtf? Maybe for the 2wd models?

Anyways, got all that done, new valance, under coated skid pan, lights, cleanup, sent for windshield, and tomorrow I see if all this work over the last 2 weeks will make it pass an inspection!