hilgeg

Guys I need some help. I took on the task of replacing my upper control arms and bushings, lower control arm bushings, lower ball joints, and upper ball joints. In the process noticed that my right outer tie-rod was cross-threaded so added that to the list. Put the whole thing back together and now as the suspension travels the tires toe in. This is causing dangerous bump steer and major push into corners.

It was so bad I took it to a local shop and they are stumped. The lower ball joints I bought are NAPA ones. I'm not sure if the knuckle is in a different spot but the new outer tie-rod end wouldn't seat without some grinding. Also it does not appear that the tie-rod end goes straight to the knuckle. It looks like it reaches towards the front of the truck a little from the steering rack???

To be safe I bought OEM ball-joints today.

The truck has 155,000 miles on it and I've never done bushings or guides to the steering rack. I don't feel much play in the tires, but at this point I'm grasping at straws. Any input would be helpful. This has been going on for two weeks.

As a side note I had a real tough time getting the steering rack back into place (had to be removed for the cam to come out of the lower control arm).

hilgeg

Another thing I should mention - the new upper control arm are MOOG's. Could it be possible that the location of the hole in the upper control arm where the ball joint passes through is in a different position then OEM? This could cause the spindle to no longer be straight up and down. Guess I better dig my OEM control arms out and measure but please let me know if you have had something similar?

hilgeg

I'll try pictures. May be tough to gauge but the tie rod seems to be connecting to the knuckle too far forward. This is a pic of the right side. Anyone see anything glaringly wrong? The second pic is from the bottom - just to show how far that tie-rod is reaching. I don't remember that in the past.

Jomoka

The... uh, tie rod end... it bolts on from the under side of the steering arm. SO the tie rod sits parallel and at the same angle as the lower suspension arm. Bolting it on upside down and the angles are off, and the steering angle changes as the suspension travels.

Jomoka

As a second thought, you're not normally able to bolt together tie rod ends backwards like that. It's a cone shaped fit, generally speaking the parts won't fit together enough to get the nut on if it's backwards. There might be some other sort of situation going on as well. I think 4Runner tie rods ends are a little smaller than Tacoma tie rod ends for whatever reason - perhaps you have a Taco balljoints and 4Runner tie rod ends?

hilgeg

Dude - I so hope you are right! I've been beating me head against the wall on this one. I had to grind that damn hole out to get the tie rod end to fit.....go figure! Thanks! I'm going to go hit my manuals to find the diagram. Thanks!

Jomoka

I did do a double-check on my memory by going out and peeking at my 4Runner. Tie rod ends def. bolt on from the underneath side, not the top.

I'm just wondering what sort of 'grinding' you did. Might need to replace something at this point.

rworegon

Tie rod ends often have different part numbers for the left (driver) and right (passenger) sides.

Have you verified the part numbers and that you installed them on the correct sides?

hilgeg

Jamoka - you are a genius! Problem solved. I actually had already gone an bought another new set of OEM lower ball joints so one I did the "grinding" on will be chucked. Waste of a ball joint but at this point I don't care. I want a drive-able truck again.

For anyone else attacking a major front end rebuild - either take pics or do it one side at a time so you have a reference. (Or just don't be an idiot like me)

fibercarbon

can you make a parts list for all the parts you used. i need to do this on my 97 4runner v6

hilgeg

Sorry fibercarbon - haven't been online in a while. I went mostly with Napa stuff. They have never let me down yet. I will say one thing - if you need to do your upper control arm bushings, just replace the arm. Price is a little bit more but even with a torch I couldn't get my old bushings out. So my list would be:

Right upper control arm (NAPA) NCP-2606102
Left upper control arm (NAPA) NCP-2606103
Lower control arm bushings x4 (NAPA) NCP-2673580
Lower ball joints (Toyota OEM ONLY!)

A couple months previous I did:
Upper Ball Joints x2 (NAPA) NCP 2601565
Inner tie rod ends x2 (NAPA) MRC ES3663
Outer tie rod ends x2 (NAPA) MRC ES3548
and lastly Energy Suspension Poly Bushing kit for the steering rack.

Big investment for a truck with barely 150,000 miles, but well worth. it. I'm hard on my truck and rolling 285/70/R17's. After the worn parts were replaced it drives like new.

Jomoka

+100

I've seen enough thread of various aftermarket LBJ's falling apart to stay far, far, far away from them. That's not a subtle failure mode there.