I'm reading conflicting information from everywhere I seem to look. Anyone know the proper torque specs for the upper and lower ball joint castle nuts?

 

Yes, of course.

 

Oh wait ... did you want to know what the specs ARE??
http://web.archive.org/web/201102060...15componen.pdf

[it may just be me, but when you claim to know of "other" information, but don't provide any reference at all, people aren't going to respect your statements as much as you'd like. Tell us what you know, and why you think it's conflicting. Heck, you may have already carefully reviewed the FSM and think there's a more appropriate source out there -- I would have just wasted your time by posting to the FSM.]

 

hahaha Gotta love the people of the internet.

 

My intent wasn't to upset anyone. Just thought that someone might even know the torque specs right off the top of their head and if they happened to see my post wouldn't mind saying - Yup, 105 ft lbs! And then I'd be like, sweet brother thanks! I've experienced a lot of incredibly knowledgeable and friendly folks on here over the years whenever I've been in a bind working on the truck.

I didn't keep a record log of the different specs I saw here and there through google searching. I just saw a few conflicting numbers in a few different places - both for 4 runners and for pickups and I couldn't come up with anything that seemed definitive. I have a Haynes manual and I didn't feel very clear about what it was telling me either. So I jumped on here and said "Hey, anyone know the ball joints torque specs?" Yes, I was asking for the actual number. I wasn't just curious to know if anyone in existence knew what they were. That would be an odd and rather silly curiosity on my part.

From the diagram you kindly linked for me it's clear that the top ball joint castle nut needs to be 105 foot lbs. But it does not specify the bottom. I'm leaning towards assuming they are both 105 foot lbs.

 

What year? According to my 1993 4x4 FSM, upper ball joints castle nut is torqued down to 105 ft-lbs and for the lower ball joints 135 ft-lbs. Good luck

 

Thanks brother. Mines an 86 4x4. I imagine they are likely the same.

 

I got mine from oreilly with a lifetime warranty so I change them out every 4 years or so. They wear out uppers wear faster and I just take em in with the receipt and no questions asked. I use a little anti seize on the cone and tighten the nut "pretty tight" cause it has the cotter pin.

 

No ˟˟˟˟? What brand are they? Do they have grease points? I bought Moog ball joints, which are pretty expensive but they have grease points so that you can regularly add new fresh grease to them.

 

Master pro or whatever. They'll tell you what has the warranty. They do have grease zerks. I bought the lifetime alignment from Firestone too and I get a recheck a couple times a year depending on how much wheeling and if I work on the front end.

 

I can`t recall ever torquing anything but headbolts and Main and Rod cap bolts.

 

Look again. 135 ft-lbs is what it says (and confirmed by anndel)

And then what would you do? For starters, they would be wrong (top and bottom are different). And really, what good would it do you that some anonymous dude (or dude-ette) on the internet gave their opinion?

The reason that you come to Yotatech is not because anyone knows something off the top of their head, it's because they know where to look for a definitive answer. Or at least advice with sufficient provenance that you can form an intelligent opinion as to whether to follow it.

I'm certainly not upset with you (what good would that do?!) I'd just like you to bring what can to the party -- someday someone else is going to be looking for that same answer (maybe they have the same issue with the Haynes manual?), and they'd like to know the answer came "from" somewhere, not just off the top of someone's head.

 

Kind of glad this was posted as I am getting ready to install new ball joints today.


What I have found...
If I look at the 93FSM I have which includes the diagram that scope103 posted it does not show the torque value for the lower ball joint castle nut. There is a text box right next to the lower ball joint which reads 183(1870, 135) but that is for the knuckle arm bolts.


If I look at the 95FSM I downloaded, the diagram in it does show a torque value for the lower castle nut at 142(1450, 105).
If I could remember where I downloaded the 95FSM I would post the link.
The screenshot I posted is from the 95FSM.






Cheers
Andy

 

So, just to clarify, that's 105 ftlbs for the upper and lower BJ castle nuts. That is for 86-95. Verified by the 88, 93, and 95 FSMs.

EDIT: Also verified by the 70-88 Chilton. Which states the same specs for 86-88.

Case closed.

 

Roger that. 105 ft lbs torque for both ball joint castle nuts. Now this thread will exist for future google searches.

Also - worth definitively noting. 25 ft lbs torque for the four bolts connecting the ball joint to the upper arm and 43 ft lbs for the four bolts connecting the lower ball joint to the steering knuckle.

Those are all torque requirements needed for replacing an 86-95 ball joint.