Ball Joint Failure - My Turn

[ttora4runner]

For the past couple of days my 4runner has had a weird feel while driving and felt like there was tension on the steering wheel (wanted to pull right). I had looked underneath at everything and nothing seemed to be out of line.

Well, this morning I ran to store to pick something up before work and rememberd that I had forgot my check book at home and decided to run home and get it. At one spot in the road near an intersection there is a storm drainage ditch/dip in the road. I slowed down to about 10-15 mph, any faster than that and you'll scrap/bottom out. Right after I pass this the drivers side front end dives and I hear this scrapping/grindding sound. I drive a little more to get my self out of the intersection and get out to see what happens.

When I get out and look I just bust out laughing (I just couldn't help myself in this stituation and the person walking out to their car probable thought I had lost my mind) as the driver's side front wheel is not partially under my 4runner. Luckily, the slider prevented it from going any further under. So I made a few calls and after an hour and half the tow truck finally comes and gets me.

While waiting for the truck a few stop and ask if I'm okay and a few I just shot the breeze with for a little bit. Heck, someone even took a photo themselves.

So now my 4runner is at the Toyota dealership (they replaced the lower control arms a few months back) and I'm in a rental Chevy Avero. I'm also talking with my insurance too see if they will cover anything. I doubt it but I'm hopefully.

Thankfully, this took place on a side road and not on the highway or out on the trail somewhere.

So anyways here are the photo's:

What's that white line on the road and why is the vehicle slanting to one side


Well, that can't be good


Well, there's your problem




Anyone care to guess what the estimated repair bill is??

[fenrisx]

Glad you weren't out on the highway! These ball joint threads have got me scared! I wish I had the $ to do mine.


$1800?

[Seanz0rz]

well lets see:

new LCA - 200-400
new axle - 200
new lower bj - 100
new upper bj - 50
new inner tre - 100
new lower tre - 80
new soft brake line - 50
new abs sensor line - 50

id estimate 1200 for parts, 800 or more for labor. 2000.

if you are lucky, the LCA wont have to be replaced, and the inner tie rod is ok.

you mentioned (and i can see) that the LCA was recently replaced. why? a careful analysis of the mode of failure is due, as this may very well be their fault and they are liable. carefully document everything, and you may want to go to the dealer and take more detailed pictures of the broken parts. this is highly suspect to me.

[CJM]

Id make them pay for everything if they replaced the arm, fight tooth and nail imho. Somethign they did caused it all to fail. Wonder, was it the kinda BJ that has the nut and uses a cotter pint o keep it from backing out..betcha they didnt put the cotter pin in..

Funny tho, you didnt notice it feeling funny for awhile? I knew mine was kaput right away when I made some turns and the truck wanted to pull slightly, made some noises and felt funny on the road. Picked the front up and checked and listened to it clank lol.

Coulda been worse, I had a similar failure on a dodge fullsize work van I drove for a job. the BJ was the wrong one and literally was pulling out of the UCA. I drove it all day and told my boss aroudn 2pmw hen he finally picked up the phone I was heading in. Turns out a "2500 HD" model uses a 1 ton BJ. STUPID DODGE!!!!!! made it back and refused to drive it till they fixed it. thank god I got my regular work truck back a week later.

[Marc P]

I am getting mine done next week.....should have kept my SFA!!

[ttora4runner]

Sean you hit the nail on the head with that quess.

Right now the Toyota dealer doesn't want to accept responsiblity for it.

[strykersd]

if you are lucky, the LCA wont have to be replaced, and the inner tie rod is ok.
parts. this is highly suspect to me.

Considering that the control arm has been dragging it's probably removed some metal from the arm. Meaning that a ball joint won't sit correctly. I'd imagine that they'll have to replace it.

[20005spd]

wow thats nuts! i only remember seeing Ricks 4runner do this on here...am i correct with saying it was Ricks old runner? who else did this happen too?! ive had the stock bjs on my truck and i have 163k miles and wheeled hard never had a problem ive checked mine countless times for play and never found any. glad your ok if you were on the highway this could be horrible

[corax]

Here's the million dollar question - was the lower ball joint stud still in the knuckle?

[Seanz0rz]

Sean you hit the nail on the head with that quess.

Right now the Toyota dealer doesn't want to accept responsiblity for it.

of course not! i would say, do NOT give in. and keep telling them that it was lucky you were on an empty side street and not on a busy interstate where you could have killed yourself and other people. threaten to bring it to the newspaper/local news if you have to.

if you are lucky, the LCA wont have to be replaced, and the inner tie rod is ok.
parts. this is highly suspect to me.

Considering that the control arm has been dragging it's probably removed some metal from the arm. Meaning that a ball joint won't sit correctly. I'd imagine that they'll have to replace it.

the design of the LCA is such that where it was dragging might not be on a point that will impact the mounting of the BJ.

you can see it in this picture:


if the stud was still in the taper of the LCA, it likely rode the bolt down the street. if the stud backed out, it may or may not have damaged the bearing surfaces for the BJ nut. if it was out of my pocket, id try not to replace it, it is an expensive part. if they dealer is doing it on their dime (which it looks like they should, seeing as they were the last to touch it) then it should be replaced.