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Completed the passenger side balljoint job, but not without some headaches.
I opted not to remove the brakes and CV from the knuckle, easy enough just a bit heavier to muscle around.
The upper balljoint did not have the studs pressed in. While pressing them in, my 5” bench vice exploded. Lucky it broke on the last stud (for that side), and it has a lifetime warranty.
Also, the upper balljoint made in china, was not dimensionally as perfect compared to the one I removed made in Japan or USA. The pitch between the outter studs was a hair too narrow, so I had to enlarge the clearance hole on the upper control arm one drill size. Was about 5/16” now 3/8”. Not too bad.
Overall, I don’t plan on doing anything differently on the drivers side, except for not breaking my vice. I’ll try to pull the studs into the upper BJ using the nuts provided. Hopefully shave a little time off the job too.
Perhaps I’ll get a chance to finish the other side tonight after the family falls asleep. I still have to torque everything down, and put cotter pins in, but I gotta reconfirm torque specs in the manual.
if it aint trail carnage, it’s shop carnage eh tom? gonna see how quickly you can exercise the lifetime warranty again?
Haha yup, always testing the limits of strength…..by breaking stuff.
Already made the trip to Canadian Tire, just gotta bolt it back down to the workbench. Pretty effortless exchange, even got an “upgrade” cause mine was obsoleted a few years ago.
Last month I had to exchange a handful of taps / dies that were worn out from cutting and chasing threads. Gotta love Mastercraft lifetime warranty, but dislike how often I need to utilize it.
Speaking of Mastercraft, my Dad bought me a welder for Christmas! Just gotta wait for Santa to shove it down my chimney to keep up appearances for the kids.
There were some Lincoln Electric ones one big price cut for Black Friday, but for at least the next couple years the hardware itself will not be the limiting factor….definitely the user. Glad I’ve got a scrap steel and scrap cardboard pile accumulated, I’ve got some plate bumpers to build next year. My winter list is long enough of essential items before I tackle this next challenge.
Sweet deal on warranty! I just got my torque wrench and ratcheting breaker bar replaced today. I love Canadian Tire for that!
Good progress on Redee!
Thanks Kevin and Steve! Having a blast already this wrenching season. Got an hour to myself today and picked off a couple easy tasks.
I cleaned up the hub faces, and mating surface on the front with my wire wheel, and broke loose all the bolts on the drivers side to do the balljoints.
Yesterday I managed to partially remove a fender flare with the back of my head. So I completely removed it and found the ugliest part of Redee. She’s got the cancer, of the fenders. Drivers side is the worst, torn between covering it back up with the flare, or removing the cancer with a high-speed cutting device.
Drivers fender
Passenger fender
Plumb bob
Plumb bob and square to show exposed tire tread.
Personal preference is NO flares cause I like the original body lines. The Next set of rims and tires will be skinnier to fit inside the wheel wells, maybe a 33” x 10”. Considering I put on 3,600km this year, figure new tires are a decade away haha.
I like no flares personally. I’d cut off the rust if it were me. Fenders are cheap too if you wanna replace and paint. Red can be hard to match though especially if it’s older paint.
thomas, i think i’ve got a set or 2 of fenders in the war chest. i’ll check on the weekend when we’ve got daylight. will let ya know buddy
Thanks Evan, that confirms it, a 4Runner does look better without flares. I have not put the front flares into the old extra parts pile….yet. I’m not too worried on colour matching yet, I still haven’t detailed the paint since recovering from the barn. There’s a few spots that’ll need attention from a body repair person.
Thanks Mark, I hope you find a set for me.
Overall Redee is in FANTASTIC shape for her age, but that one frnder is hideous and sharp, there’s a rough spot where a CB antenna mount was wedged between the bed rail and topper many years ago, and a split seam in the a-piller from the former residents.
Yesterday my buddy Dave came by, and did some carpentry in the shop while I wrenched. I completed the balljoint swap, everything torqued to spec where possible. With the 4” IFS lift, I can’t access the upper bj with my torque wrench, nor do I have a crowfoot extension in 24mm. So I made the Upper balljoints really friggen tight and got a cotter pin in place. Done.
I also put most of the steering back together on the truck. Idler arm, inner/outer tie rods with new sleeves, and steering damper. The power steering gearbox rebuild is next to finish the steering mechanical bits. But that’ll be another day.
Today I visited my sister and 5-day old nephew. Mom and Baby Boy are both happy and healthy. The snowblower she was gifted by a neighbour was not so healthy. Spent an hour or so on a tune-up, and lucky me the spark plug which I bought yesterday was a perfect match. Now my Bro/law has 8.0 Tecumseh’n Horses at his disposal when the snow resumes its assault on us.
tom, guess what the war chest coughed up after an epic battle. yup, a pair of front fenders with only surface rust on the inside! and to boot, they’re even red!!! i’d post up pics but for some reason my old phone is not relinquishing pictures that i take with it. f%@k!!!
No way! What a score, I’m shocked they’re red too that’s awesome. How much Toyota stuff do you have stashed away anyway?
Thanks Mark! A pleasure talkin’ to ya the other day. I guess it’s time to yank the rear flares and mud flaps off, and start pondering new mud flaps and mounting.
Replaced pads and rotors on my buddies Subaru Legacy, made a horrible grinding noise pulling in the driveway.
One of the rear brake pads wore through then fell out. Grinding was caliper on rotor. Hour or so later, all 4 corners got new pads and rotors. Easy peasy, only 3 sockets needed. 19mm, 17mm, 14mm.
@toy-yota, sorry dude, but you’ve not got the proper security clearance for that info. lol
@toys-n-yotas, yes it was. trust i’ll see ya on the weekend coming
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