@@brettriggins81 And, it's our hope that the knowledge we share in our videos is passed on to others. We're basically Paying it Forward to help out our fellow DIY Toyota/Lexus Auto Mechanics, because we've been helped by others willing to share information. Thanks again!
I’ve ran this for about 20-15k miles and they are bulletproof on a 04 Tacoma with auto locking hubs. No mods to it. And that 12 point bolt head did come in contact with my cv axle dust shield. But after a few drives it self clearances lol.
Yeah, these ball joint are built stout. The damage that can occur from a lower ball joint failure can be extensive, so yeah, these ball joints are worth the cost. I'm going to get myself a set at some point. I'm guessing they won't be out of stock for long. It's a popular product for them and they'll get some back in stock soon.
I've had an issue on my 3rd gen 4runner with stock lowers purchased at auto part stores. Some have a domed top over joint and some flat. The domed joint interfered with the cv shield and created a groove, I call them 2wd ball joints. I had to find lowers that where flat over the top of joint to work on 4wd.
I installed these on a truck with add hubs and there was minor interference between the axle dust shield and the bolt. Minor massaging of the dust shield resolved the issue, but the tolerance is so tight with the stock bolt from total chaos that I’m guessing each truck is going to be different. Some might be fine, some might need a little effort to get it to clear without rubbing.
@nate_gb2506 Yep, we've heard from several people reporting the same thing. So, it's not just an issue with manual hub swapped 3rd Gens or 1st Gen Tacomas with manual hubs. I'll report these findings to Total Chaos.
typical excellent video by TTT. When all is said and done you will be spending north of $1000 more than going with OEM Toyota replacement. Worth the extra over OEM? IMO no. Ball joints are a wear item for many vehicles. I have two 2nd gen Dodge Cummins which I have yet to get over 100K miles OEM. Usually 70-80 K . MY 98 has 250K and absolutely zero play but has lived in the south and only on road miles. What to do? I will do a dial indicator test and once I get to .5mm, replace them. Fixing things that aren't broken especially because of anecdotes on you tube is evidence of OCD issues.
Well, if you regularly check your ball joints for play, you will most likely avoid a LBJ failure. Lots of people aren't going to do what you do and check for LBJ play on a regular basis. Many just want to install it and forget it. Like I said in many comments for this video, you're buying peace of mind. I guess your peace of mind will come from regular LBJ inspections and that's perfectly fine. It's kind of like the Pink Milkshake issue of a trans cooler failure in the radiator that will destroy your automatic transmission. Some people like yourself will probably just renew the radiator on a regular basis to limit the chances of it happening to you. Does it completely eliminate the risk? Nope, it doesn't. My 98 4runner is now completely bypassed because I have a Koyorad Aluminum radiator that does not have a trans cooler in it. So, a trans cooler failure allowing the coolant and ATF to mix and ruin my transmission won't happen to me. Anyway, thanks for the comment.
Would these work for a Toyota Land Cruiser 90? Front suspension of 3rd gen 4Runner is the same. My biggest concern are always lower ball joints! I think the newer models solved it by making a push design instead of pull. But this will solve it too. Nice video 👌👌👌
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks Timmy. I looked at their site and they actually advertise the TLC Prado 90 joints in their list. It is the same part number as for a 3rd gen 4runner. So I think that will work. Nice to know!
How common is the failure? I'm @ 250k miles on the original ball joints, given the life left in my truck I'm thinking about just going the inexpensive route.
Yeah, what is peace of mind worth? That's why I'll be doing this mod, to not worry about a LBJ failure causing major damage to my truck and even possibly a life-threatening accident.
@@TimmyTheToolmanso modern day ball joints are problematic? I was always under the impression that there was an issue with the original design but it had since been rectified. Is that not true?
@Thomas-xm5ym Yes, the problem will always be there because of the way the balljoint is affixed to the vehicle. The LCA and steering knuckle are constantly trying to pull it apart. I also believe the original OEM ball joints made in Japan were superior to the replacements you can get now.
I got this for my 3rd gen and found that the passenger side bolt rubbed on the CV axle dust shield but not the driver side. Weird. Everything went in normally and according to the directions. eventually the dust shield got shaved down by the bolt and now it does not rub anymore.
Hi Tim! I watched your video about the actuator for the gx470. I have a few questions about it. Is there a way for me to send you an email or connect with you somehow?
If someone can put the measurements for the hole, I'm sure people can also make a 3D printed cap...it would be free if you have access to a printer, in millimeters would be best
In my opinion for the money and being a daily driven weekend warrior for the trails, these TC LBJ are not worth the money, unless otherwise you plan on literally racing your truck for the increased steering rigidity
Well, the problem is, there's LOTS and LOTS of failures that simply happen on the roadways with not much warning. So, it's not just a pounding down the trail issue, it's an all-condition issue. There Uniball LBJs buying peace of mind. But, if you regularly check your LBJs for play, you'll most likely avoid a very costly failure.
Stop covering and lubing spherical bearings! They are self cleaning, they are self lubricating! All you should be doing to maintain them, is blowing them off with compressed air after a car wash. Do you lube your shock shafts? No, you hose the dirt off dry them and let the wiper seals do their job. Even shock shaft boots have holes on top and bottom to get rid of moisture and fine silt. If the dust shield is the same od maybe the wheel bearing sits lower in the uprights with manual hubs
You don't lube shock shafts but the shock shaft on the other side of the seal is bathed in shock oil. The uniball doesn't have oil in it. Maybe Jordan's concern to keep the joint clean isn't a big concern, but it certainly isn't going to hurt anything either. Total Chaos has suggested people lubricate them if they develop a squeaking noise. I'm almost 100% sure the wheel bearings for an ADD setup and manual hub setup are exactly the same. The steering knuckles are exactly the same as well as far as I can tell, so I don't think it could be the problem. But, maybe there is a slight difference in the steering knuckles that's not readily apparent. Jordan is running the steering knuckles from a 1st Gen Tacoma. I'm still running my 4runner knuckles and just swapped the Tacoma hubs into them. It will be interesting to find out if I have any interference with the dust shields on my 98 with manual hubs. I measured the dust shields for an ADD axle and a manual hub axles and they are identical. So, the mystery continues.
@TimmyTheToolman if the seals that he has put on are not 100% airtight, it will gather condensation. If it doesn't get hot enough it will retain that water. Retaining moisture in a spherical bearing is going to accelerate deterioration. I'm sure total chaos says you can use Triflow on a squeaky joint but if the joint is squeaking, it needs to be replaced. Tri flow should be used until the replacement can be ordered shipped and installed. Applying triflow (a solvent) regularly allows debris to be pushed further into the teflon liner, causing more damage. Yes, a shock has oil in it but if the shaft is coming out of the shock covered in oil, you have a bad seal and it needs to be replaced, it should be dry passing over this wiper seals. The teflon liner on a spherical bearing also acts as a wiper seal. I get it man I like to tinker with things, service things as well you're doing and recommending everything you should do with a ball joint, but it should not be done to a spherical bearing. It's a different animal. I think wouldn't have as bad a reputation as it does, if people understood how to service them properly and the difference between fk and the chrome plated mild steel 75% off china crap. Interested in what you find maybe it's the depth that the cv goes into the wheel bearing?
@jordanziegenbein4479 sounds good. I've had my set on since march of 2023, very happy with them. I'd recommend grinding that nub off of your lower control arm and smoothing out that cut in the lower ball joint. Stress risers are not good at all
I'm sold. I'll start saving up!
Smart man!
Ultimate ball joint solution right there! Now I want it 😅
It’s a great option!
Thanks!
We really appreciate the donation. Thank you!
@ I pay for good quality knowledge. I encourage others to learn independently as well
@@brettriggins81 And, it's our hope that the knowledge we share in our videos is passed on to others. We're basically Paying it Forward to help out our fellow DIY Toyota/Lexus Auto Mechanics, because we've been helped by others willing to share information. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for this. My Taco is coming together on video. Trying out your instructions IRL 😅
You're very welcome.
Jordan upgrades are awesome
They sure are.
You bet your ass they are! Thanks for the kinds words :)
First gen tundra here. Saw a little grease leak out of the lbj so replaced with oem right away. Don’t want to mess with old LBJs!
THANK YOU! I was going to do this upgrade, but I haven't seen anyone do this and wasn't sure if it was worth it. I'm definitely doing this next time.
You're welcome! Yeah, it's a worthwhile mod for the peace of mind it gives you.
Like Jordan's engineering! Jordan you need to spend the money on solo lower control arms there worth it ..
To fix my 97 4Runner I just put a straight axle in 100% more reliable and way easier to replace wheel bearings on
But how much work was it to do a solid axle swap? Quite a bit of time and money.
How much for straight axel conversion
Great video !!
Thanks!
I’ve ran this for about 20-15k miles and they are bulletproof on a 04 Tacoma with auto locking hubs. No mods to it. And that 12 point bolt head did come in contact with my cv axle dust shield. But after a few drives it self clearances lol.
@@camman4327 OK, so it's not just a manual hub thing. It happens on ADD axles as well. Good to know.
For reference: my dust shield would have required over 1/16" of "clearancing" so this approach would definitely not have worked for me.
Can you please do a video series on how to do a solid-axle swap on a 3rd gen 4Runner?
@@ScienceHeckYeah It's coming. Our buddy Chris is going to put 1 ton axles on his 3rd Gen.
Awesome looking forward to that .
That'll be worth the $1000, to bad it's out of stock.
Yeah, these ball joint are built stout. The damage that can occur from a lower ball joint failure can be extensive, so yeah, these ball joints are worth the cost. I'm going to get myself a set at some point. I'm guessing they won't be out of stock for long. It's a popular product for them and they'll get some back in stock soon.
Nice locking hubs on that IFS, Why?
I've had an issue on my 3rd gen 4runner with stock lowers purchased at auto part stores. Some have a domed top over joint and some flat. The domed joint interfered with the cv shield and created a groove, I call them 2wd ball joints. I had to find lowers that where flat over the top of joint to work on 4wd.
@@robertstoll1699 Interesting. I've never bought auto parts store LBJs.
Would be great with my solo motorsports mid travel kit
Yes, absolutely! I want one of those mid travel kits as well.
👍
I installed these on a truck with add hubs and there was minor interference between the axle dust shield and the bolt. Minor massaging of the dust shield resolved the issue, but the tolerance is so tight with the stock bolt from total chaos that I’m guessing each truck is going to be different. Some might be fine, some might need a little effort to get it to clear without rubbing.
@nate_gb2506 Yep, we've heard from several people reporting the same thing. So, it's not just an issue with manual hub swapped 3rd Gens or 1st Gen Tacomas with manual hubs. I'll report these findings to Total Chaos.
typical excellent video by TTT. When all is said and done you will be spending north of $1000 more than going with OEM Toyota replacement. Worth the extra over OEM? IMO no. Ball joints are a wear item for many vehicles. I have two 2nd gen Dodge Cummins which I have yet to get over 100K miles OEM. Usually 70-80 K . MY 98 has 250K and absolutely zero play but has lived in the south and only on road miles. What to do? I will do a dial indicator test and once I get to .5mm, replace them. Fixing things that aren't broken especially because of anecdotes on you tube is evidence of OCD issues.
Well, if you regularly check your ball joints for play, you will most likely avoid a LBJ failure. Lots of people aren't going to do what you do and check for LBJ play on a regular basis. Many just want to install it and forget it. Like I said in many comments for this video, you're buying peace of mind. I guess your peace of mind will come from regular LBJ inspections and that's perfectly fine.
It's kind of like the Pink Milkshake issue of a trans cooler failure in the radiator that will destroy your automatic transmission. Some people like yourself will probably just renew the radiator on a regular basis to limit the chances of it happening to you. Does it completely eliminate the risk? Nope, it doesn't. My 98 4runner is now completely bypassed because I have a Koyorad Aluminum radiator that does not have a trans cooler in it. So, a trans cooler failure allowing the coolant and ATF to mix and ruin my transmission won't happen to me.
Anyway, thanks for the comment.
Would these work for a Toyota Land Cruiser 90? Front suspension of 3rd gen 4Runner is the same. My biggest concern are always lower ball joints! I think the newer models solved it by making a push design instead of pull. But this will solve it too. Nice video 👌👌👌
@@maartenplieger1447 I'm not sure. I think this warrants a call to Total Chaos. Please let me know what they tell you.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks Timmy. I looked at their site and they actually advertise the TLC Prado 90 joints in their list. It is the same part number as for a 3rd gen 4runner. So I think that will work. Nice to know!
@@maartenplieger1447 Cool. Thanks for the update.
How common is the failure? I'm @ 250k miles on the original ball joints, given the life left in my truck I'm thinking about just going the inexpensive route.
@@taylorhickman84 It's not super common, but it has happened to a lot of people.
1k for this uniball? That is like almost 3 sets of OEM lbj for my Sequoia.
Yeah, what is peace of mind worth? That's why I'll be doing this mod, to not worry about a LBJ failure causing major damage to my truck and even possibly a life-threatening accident.
It’s worth it. A LBJ failure could cause just as much damage financially or even worse if it fails while driving at a high speed.
@@TimmyTheToolmanso modern day ball joints are problematic? I was always under the impression that there was an issue with the original design but it had since been rectified. Is that not true?
@Thomas-xm5ym Yes, the problem will always be there because of the way the balljoint is affixed to the vehicle. The LCA and steering knuckle are constantly trying to pull it apart. I also believe the original OEM ball joints made in Japan were superior to the replacements you can get now.
I got this for my 3rd gen and found that the passenger side bolt rubbed on the CV axle dust shield but not the driver side. Weird. Everything went in normally and according to the directions. eventually the dust shield got shaved down by the bolt and now it does not rub anymore.
Interesting and I'm assuming you have ADD axles not manual axles?
Hi Tim! I watched your video about the actuator for the gx470. I have a few questions about it. Is there a way for me to send you an email or connect with you somehow?
@@TRPyaggia Yes. tim@timmythetoolman.com
If someone can put the measurements for the hole, I'm sure people can also make a 3D printed cap...it would be free if you have access to a printer, in millimeters would be best
Not a bad idea.
The caps are pretty standard sized (45mm IIRC) and you can get like 10 for $10
@@jordanziegenbein4479 you could also print one in TPU and get the dimensions you want for the rubber part. 10 for 10 bucks is not bad either
In my opinion for the money and being a daily driven weekend warrior for the trails, these TC LBJ are not worth the money, unless otherwise you plan on literally racing your truck for the increased steering rigidity
Well, the problem is, there's LOTS and LOTS of failures that simply happen on the roadways with not much warning. So, it's not just a pounding down the trail issue, it's an all-condition issue. There Uniball LBJs buying peace of mind. But, if you regularly check your LBJs for play, you'll most likely avoid a very costly failure.
@ agreed, Maintenance > Mods and of coarse enjoy the mods are maintained status
Stop covering and lubing spherical bearings! They are self cleaning, they are self lubricating! All you should be doing to maintain them, is blowing them off with compressed air after a car wash. Do you lube your shock shafts? No, you hose the dirt off dry them and let the wiper seals do their job. Even shock shaft boots have holes on top and bottom to get rid of moisture and fine silt. If the dust shield is the same od maybe the wheel bearing sits lower in the uprights with manual hubs
You don't lube shock shafts but the shock shaft on the other side of the seal is bathed in shock oil. The uniball doesn't have oil in it. Maybe Jordan's concern to keep the joint clean isn't a big concern, but it certainly isn't going to hurt anything either. Total Chaos has suggested people lubricate them if they develop a squeaking noise.
I'm almost 100% sure the wheel bearings for an ADD setup and manual hub setup are exactly the same. The steering knuckles are exactly the same as well as far as I can tell, so I don't think it could be the problem. But, maybe there is a slight difference in the steering knuckles that's not readily apparent. Jordan is running the steering knuckles from a 1st Gen Tacoma. I'm still running my 4runner knuckles and just swapped the Tacoma hubs into them. It will be interesting to find out if I have any interference with the dust shields on my 98 with manual hubs.
I measured the dust shields for an ADD axle and a manual hub axles and they are identical. So, the mystery continues.
@TimmyTheToolman if the seals that he has put on are not 100% airtight, it will gather condensation. If it doesn't get hot enough it will retain that water. Retaining moisture in a spherical bearing is going to accelerate deterioration. I'm sure total chaos says you can use Triflow on a squeaky joint but if the joint is squeaking, it needs to be replaced. Tri flow should be used until the replacement can be ordered shipped and installed. Applying triflow (a solvent) regularly allows debris to be pushed further into the teflon liner, causing more damage. Yes, a shock has oil in it but if the shaft is coming out of the shock covered in oil, you have a bad seal and it needs to be replaced, it should be dry passing over this wiper seals. The teflon liner on a spherical bearing also acts as a wiper seal. I get it man I like to tinker with things, service things as well you're doing and recommending everything you should do with a ball joint, but it should not be done to a spherical bearing. It's a different animal. I think wouldn't have as bad a reputation as it does, if people understood how to service them properly and the difference between fk and the chrome plated mild steel 75% off china crap. Interested in what you find maybe it's the depth that the cv goes into the wheel bearing?
@@anthonytrujillo7971 I'll pull these back off in a couple years and see how they hold up.
@jordanziegenbein4479 sounds good. I've had my set on since march of 2023, very happy with them. I'd recommend grinding that nub off of your lower control arm and smoothing out that cut in the lower ball joint. Stress risers are not good at all