Ok, I'll try to make it brief.
A few years ago I bought a wrecked 02 Tacoma. Wrecked in the right front. Replaced steering and suspension w/ parts from wrecking yard, and had a body shop do the rest. Jan of 09, right front ball joint broke while Elk hunting. Toyota dealers replaced ball joints on recall notice. Just over a year later the right front ball joints broke again. Toyota wouldn't help this time. I bought ball joints and did the job myself. After it was all put back together I noticed the right front bottom ball joint is tilted towards the wheel, while the left front is straight perpendicular. Could this be because the lower control arm I bought from the wrecking yard a few years ago was bent? Look at the pictures and tell me what you think.
Thanks a bunch for your advice!
Gary
A few years ago I bought a wrecked 02 Tacoma. Wrecked in the right front. Replaced steering and suspension w/ parts from wrecking yard, and had a body shop do the rest. Jan of 09, right front ball joint broke while Elk hunting. Toyota dealers replaced ball joints on recall notice. Just over a year later the right front ball joints broke again. Toyota wouldn't help this time. I bought ball joints and did the job myself. After it was all put back together I noticed the right front bottom ball joint is tilted towards the wheel, while the left front is straight perpendicular. Could this be because the lower control arm I bought from the wrecking yard a few years ago was bent? Look at the pictures and tell me what you think.
Thanks a bunch for your advice!
Gary
Registered User
Looks bent to me. Hard to tell exactly how bad from a picture but I'm sure you can see it in person. I would take it to your alignment shop and ask them what they think. If it is as bad as it looks in the picture, I would replace it even if it isn't causing the BJ failures.
Contributing Member
Did the body shop ever check for frame damage for any bends/ripples in the frame?
How bad was it wrecked (direct impact?) and what did the body shop do?
Those pics don't help. The truck could have a bent wheel, frame, LCA or all combined.
How bad was it wrecked (direct impact?) and what did the body shop do?
Those pics don't help. The truck could have a bent wheel, frame, LCA or all combined.

