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For God's Sake, Get Your Balls Checked!!

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  • For God's Sake, Get Your Balls Checked!!

    Hi every one.

    I found out the hard way, what the inside of a ball joint looks like.

    This happened to me recently and I am worried that it could happen to someone else if they don't get their ball joints checked.
    Luckily it happened at low speed. I had control over steering and braking all the way to stopping in a turning lane that is almost never used.
    I slid for about 30 meters then the rear driver's side wheel locked up as I was braking to a stop. That wheel didn't have much weight on it and you can see the white skid mark line behind it in the first photo.
    At highway speed it would have been a bit more of an adventure trying to stop.




  • #2
    I think there was a recall for the front ball joint several years ago.

    Be interesting to know if yours missed out or had it done.

    Glad no-one was hurt, just your hip pocket.

    Cheers,
    Mal

    Comment


    • #3
      Recall here http://www.productsafety.gov.au/reca...-cruiser-prado

      Comment


      • #4
        I've researched this a bit too. It's surprising how many photos look just like mine. Even in left hand drive vehicles, it's still the left lower ball joint that let's go.
        Just wanted it out there for any unsuspecting drivers of what can happen.
        The only indication was the steering got a bit heavy that morning then it all let go on my way to work in the afternoon.

        Comment


        • #5
          I liked the wording of the recall notice……..the lower ball may have been scratched... WTF????
          The thing is designed WRONG. Ball is working upside down.
          Anyone with a 90 series surely must be aware of the potential for this to happen.
          Only sure fix is to replace upper and lower joints very frequently.
          Not expensive, 555 brand is about $170 for a full set of top and bottom joints.
          120 series, design problem sorted.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by carco View Post
            I liked the wording of the recall notice……..the lower ball may have been scratched... WTF????
            The thing is designed WRONG. Ball is working upside down.
            Anyone with a 90 series surely must be aware of the potential for this to happen.
            Only sure fix is to replace upper and lower joints very frequently.
            Not expensive, 555 brand is about $170 for a full set of top and bottom joints.
            120 series, design problem sorted.
            Hey bimboita,

            Unfortunately this is a common point of failure for earlier model Toyotas with upside down mounting of the lower arm/ball joint, eg., see here as well;

            http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...up-thread.html

            Carco is spot on, with the arm trapped under the CV the 120 is less likely to experience this kind of failure.

            Glad you made it out in one piece!

            Best

            Mark
            2006 GXL petrol auto. ARB deluxe bar x3 HID IPF's, ARB alloy roofrack, ARB awning, BFG A/T, Safari snorkel, Piranha breathers, Pacemaker extractors, custom Ironman 45710FE 436-569mm with Dobinsons 350, custom Ironman 45682FE 383-618mm with Dobinsons 487, Firestone kevlar 60psi airbags, 30mm extended Roadsafe links, AMTS bashplate and recovery points, ABR Flyer with Powersonic AGM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Before I went to Fraser Island last week I did a quick check under the car and saw the passenger side tie rod boot sleeve was torn. I replaced the tie rods and luckily I did because the passenger side rack end ball joint was needing replacing. It clicked in and out when turning the wheels with the car jacked up.
              Brett1979
              Avid PP Poster!
              Last edited by Brett1979; 23-10-2016, 11:06 PM.
              2005 120 series V6 Grande, 2 inch susp lift (King/EFS combo), 32 inch MT’s, Safari Snorkel, rear diff lock, breathers, Light Force spotlights, UHF, dual batteries.

              Comment


              • #8
                As these cars are getting on a bit it's a wise precaution to bite the bullet and re-build the front end.
                Never seen one drop a ball joint while driving on the bitumen though, off road after a bumpy gully for sure and the damage is always considerable.
                If the tie rod ends are clunky, the rack ends will be too so it pays to do the lot, car will handle like new again.
                I found the prices for 555 brand were quite reasonable and of course there's No-Name stuff even cheaper. (I wouldn't use No-Name on upper/lower ball joints though)
                The most expensive items I found were control arm bushes with a fair bit of work to access them. But once the arms are out it's quick work to cut out the old bushes and press in the new.
                Clean up the adjusters so she's an easy job for the alignment bloke.
                Ball joints…….unfortunately you'll probably need some hefty pullers.

                Comment


                • #9
                  If the OP could satisfy my curiosity, has the car been lifted?
                  I'm not a fan of the 2" lift as at max droop, the upper ball binds due to the angle, outer drive shaft boot rubs on the LCA and tie rod and rack end joints are loaded even more eccentrically.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Whoops! Thanks for alerting us. Will dig through my maintenance history at the first opportunity to see whether this is ticked off...

                    What were the damages in the end?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      It's a common occurrence with the vehicles of this age. Interesting coincidence - every single Aussie one I've seen was at low speed on the bitumen, without major accident. Only particularly bad one I can recall seeing was on a 3rd gen 4runner in the states, it was wrecked from rolling.

                      Anyway, I suggest staying with genuine for these. Mine ran for 14 years on the originals till they finally were worn enough to be replaced. Installed 555s and 1 year later I'm replacing them again. Cheap aftermarket for critical things like this is just not worth the hassle or risk. Of course, price comes into it as well. A pair of 555s for $120, or genuine from your local Toyota for $700. I wasn't happy with either option, so got a supply of genuine and am selling them for half that price

                      carco, if you don't like the droop of 2" lifts you'd have a bit of a shock over mine. Only 2.3" lift at front but modified struts which if not strapped, will allow CV's to entirely bind up and steering wasn't far off as well. I have an aftermarket UCA though, with larger balljoint, which helps a lot.
                      glen_ep
                      Addicted PP Member
                      Last edited by glen_ep; 02-09-2016, 11:01 AM.
                      glen_ep - engineered, 4" lift, 33" 255/85R16, lockers, 4.88 ratios www.pradopoint.com.au/showthread.php?17237 www.youtube.com/user/glenep www.fb.com/groups/ToyotaPrado90

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I'm new to the 90 series but has anyone swapped across 120 arms and steering knuckle/hub?
                        Wonder would the half shafts still fit OK???

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Haven't heard of anyone doing that. Inner CV splines are different, not sure about the outer. Even if everything measured up ok you'd have to relocate the sway bar (90s are at back, 120s at front).

                          Why would you go to that trouble though, just use genuine and they should last many years.
                          glen_ep - engineered, 4" lift, 33" 255/85R16, lockers, 4.88 ratios www.pradopoint.com.au/showthread.php?17237 www.youtube.com/user/glenep www.fb.com/groups/ToyotaPrado90

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by glen_ep View Post
                            Why would you go to that trouble though, just use genuine and they should last many years.
                            Absolutely. Just because the car gets older and something wears or fails for the first time, just replace it and you should be good for the rest of the time you'd own the car for. Mine were worn after the car had done 350,000km and was 18 yrs old. I wasn't terribly gentle with the way I drove it in my younger days either.
                            2005 120 series V6 Grande, 2 inch susp lift (King/EFS combo), 32 inch MT’s, Safari Snorkel, rear diff lock, breathers, Light Force spotlights, UHF, dual batteries.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Like I said, I'm new to the 90 series but having just replaced wheel bearings, upper/lower ball joints. LCA bushes etc etc, I was surprised at the engineering.
                              Even pressing out the wheel bearings wasn't too easy, certainly not compared to the 120's bolt in unit.
                              I was interested to know if it was a common "mod" to replace the various 90 series components with the more modern 120's.

                              Comment

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