What have you done to your ride lately?

[Oswego]

Good read. Glad to be able to lend an ear and some words of wisdom. I forgot to tell you that I did mine over the course of weeks, not days. Took me so long I ended up buying the car I was borrowing while I was working on my Toyota

I had to cut off my LCA's they were so seized.

Funny note - I still have my blown up hard drive in my car waiting to take it to a place to have my pics and data recovered. Someday

 

[CowboyTaco]

Glad it worked out but damn that sucks. @italynstylion is next up to do most of what you just did. Hope he has an easier time. Next time I am going to recommend going straight to the puller.

Definitely get the bearing puller before you start. Rather have it and not need it than the other way around. It was super easy and would have saved me HOURS!

That dust shield is a PITA, i've put it on 180* out and installed the bearing then realized once I put the rotor on I fucked up. I'm about to just leave it off next time I have the bearings out

I've done this or completely forgotten to put it back on more times than I'd care to admit

I thought about taking it off completely, but wondered if it also provided protection from water. I figured cold water on a hot rotor would not be a good combination. I also thought about ordering the 4Runner/GX dust shield in preparation for doing the larger caliper, pads and rotor since I have the 17" wheels. If there is no true good reason to have it on, I may just take it off and leave it off next time.

Axle nut was easy; the axle stub seized to the hub.

I wouldn't exactly say easy, but that was not the part that ruined my day.

 

[CowboyTaco]

Good read. Glad to be able to lend an ear and some words of wisdom. I forgot to tell you that I did mine over the course of weeks, not days. Took me so long I ended up buying the car I was borrowing while I was working on my Toyota

I had to cut off my LCA's they were so seized.

Funny note - I still have my blown up hard drive in my car waiting to take it to a place to have my pics and data recovered. Someday

Another reason I need a third vehicle.

 

[Anathollo]

Definitely get the bearing puller before you start. Rather have it and not need it than the other way around. It was super easy and would have saved me HOURS!
I thought about taking it off completely, but wondered if it also provided protection from water. I figured cold water on a hot rotor would not be a good combination. I also thought about ordering the 4Runner/GX dust shield in preparation for doing the larger caliper, pads and rotor since I have the 17" wheels. If there is no true good reason to have it on, I may just take it off and leave it off next time.

I wouldn't exactly say easy, but that was not the part that ruined my day.

People say the shield there helps cool your brake rotors. I ran without them for awhile without any issues. But I'd say their biggest benefit on a 4WD vehicle is that it will protect your brake rotor from any grease spray should your CV axle boot tear while you're offroad or on the highway. That's the main reason I took an hour or so to sit down and modify my dust shields to fit my new caliper and spindle reinforcement brackets.

 

[CowboyTaco]

What do you guys think about the Dorman Lower Control Arms?

TOYOTA TACOMA Dorman Control Arms 522-719

I'm between replacing the LBJs now and then doing the bushings and alignment cams at some point down the road. I wonder if I should just go ahead and replace the LCA entirely so that LBJ and bushings are replaced at the same time.

The LBJ that I have ready to swap in is the Duralast one from AZ and is greaseable ($38). The LBJ on the Dorman is identical (as far as looks) to the OEM and is non-greaseable. As far as I can find online, it looks like it's about $80 for the OEM bushings and I'd likely need someone to press the old out and the new in. So it's about the same cost to replace the LCA with the Dorman as it is to replace the LBJ and bushings on the OEM one. But I don't want to suffer inferior quality.

Something else to consider, I do intend on getting a 3rd vehicle despite what my wife says in a little over a year. I'll get a new DD when my truck turns 10, so I'll have the ability to take off both LCAs and have the truck sit while the work is done.

 

[tx_shooter]

Hoping to get the call my 4R is ready to be picked up this afternoon. I am looking forward to how it drives with a new transmission.

 

[tex]

Hoping to get the call my 4R is ready to be picked up this afternoon. I am looking forward to how it drives with a new transmission.

They are gonna get it done in 1 day?

 

[tex]

What do you guys think about the Dorman Lower Control Arms?

TOYOTA TACOMA Dorman Control Arms 522-719

I'm between replacing the LBJs now and then doing the bushings and alignment cams at some point down the road. I wonder if I should just go ahead and replace the LCA entirely so that LBJ and bushings are replaced at the same time.

The LBJ that I have ready to swap in is the Duralast one from AZ and is greaseable ($38). The LBJ on the Dorman is identical (as far as looks) to the OEM and is non-greaseable. As far as I can find online, it looks like it's about $80 for the OEM bushings and I'd likely need someone to press the old out and the new in. So it's about the same cost to replace the LCA with the Dorman as it is to replace the LBJ and bushings on the OEM one. But I don't want to suffer inferior quality.

Something else to consider, I do intend on getting a 3rd vehicle despite what my wife says in a little over a year. I'll get a new DD when my truck turns 10, so I'll have the ability to take off both LCAs and have the truck sit while the work is done.

I want to say I heard the LCA with the bushing and BJ already pressed in are okay but not as good as OEM stuff. Swap them out and then rebuild the OEM

 

[Taco Loco]

I would buy a take off LCA set from a FJ, they are beefier than the Tacoma and just rebuild them. This is what I did and I would stick with OEM.

 

[CowboyTaco]

I would buy a take off LCA set from a FJ, they are beefier than the Tacoma and just rebuild them. This is what I did and I would stick with OEM.

I remember you saying that in Arkansas. Alignment numbers good? Shock mount location the same?

 

[CowboyTaco]

I want to say I heard the LCA with the bushing and BJ already pressed in are okay but not as good as OEM stuff. Swap them out and then rebuild the OEM

So on that note, I might as well go ahead and do the LBJ since I know it needs to be done and wait for the bushings until I have another vehicle to drive.

 

[tx_shooter]

They are gonna get it done in 1 day?

They think so. By the book it is an 8 hour job. I called after lunch and they were doing good but having issues with old crud falling off if it when wrenching.

 

[Taco Loco]

I remember you saying that in Arkansas. Alignment numbers good? Shock mount location the same?

Yep. They are the same, the FJ LCA's are just thicker.

 

[tx_shooter]

They are gonna get it done in 1 day?

They thought they were; but looks like I will be picking it up tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Silverback]

They think so. By the book it is an 8 hour job. I called after lunch and they were doing good but having issues with old crud falling off if it when wrenching.

300k miles and it has old crud on it. Man you did not take care of it.

 

[tex]

I cant believe it had crud falling off either.

 

[tx_shooter]

I was going to power wash it before taking it in for work but I figured the heavy rains we have had would have knocked a lot of it off. Guess I was wrong.

 

[Silverback]

Upside, new trans will be clean!

 

[Oswego]

People say the shield there helps cool your brake rotors. I ran without them for awhile without any issues. But I'd say their biggest benefit on a 4WD vehicle is that it will protect your brake rotor from any grease spray should your CV axle boot tear while you're offroad or on the highway. That's the main reason I took an hour or so to sit down and modify my dust shields to fit my new caliper and spindle reinforcement brackets.

I kept mine on as well. Also had similar issues with bending them then thinking I screwed the brakes up. Also if yours are toasted they are pretty inexpensive.

Also removing them could play with other parts. If you remove them the distance is changed for the CV. No idea if that tolerance would hurt anything and I doubt it would, but I do not know so I can't say it's going to be fine.

What do you guys think about the Dorman Lower Control Arms?

TOYOTA TACOMA Dorman Control Arms 522-719

I'm between replacing the LBJs now and then doing the bushings and alignment cams at some point down the road. I wonder if I should just go ahead and replace the LCA entirely so that LBJ and bushings are replaced at the same time.

The LBJ that I have ready to swap in is the Duralast one from AZ and is greaseable ($38). The LBJ on the Dorman is identical (as far as looks) to the OEM and is non-greaseable. As far as I can find online, it looks like it's about $80 for the OEM bushings and I'd likely need someone to press the old out and the new in. So it's about the same cost to replace the LCA with the Dorman as it is to replace the LBJ and bushings on the OEM one. But I don't want to suffer inferior quality.

Something else to consider, I do intend on getting a 3rd vehicle despite what my wife says in a little over a year. I'll get a new DD when my truck turns 10, so I'll have the ability to take off both LCAs and have the truck sit while the work is done.

Ive never purchased anything from Dorman so I'd recommend getting the opinion of someone who has used them (and someone who's opinion is worth listening to - most TW people are Parrots just repeating what they heard or read somewhere and have no actual hands on knowledge of the topic). I just recently upgraded to TC so you know what my opinion is on that. Few years ago when I was doing my rebuild I did not have the financial security I currently have so TC was not an option.

You can always drop the spindle and loosen the LBJ then and add grease to a non serviceable LBJ as well. Just shoot grease in through the bottom of the boot with a large needle fitting on your grease gun (not through the boot - in the gab between the boot and shaft). Total PITA, but not bad if you only need to do it once or twice in 5 years.

Only issues you need to look out for with rebuilding stock is metal fatigue and corrosion degrading the steel. I rebuilt mine once and that's it for me. Rodger scared me enough concerning the lack of metal over the bushings and how they already break free there when new so it was an easy decision to go TC for my third "rebuild".

 

[Anathollo]

I kept mine on as well. Also had similar issues with bending them then thinking I screwed the brakes up. Also if yours are toasted they are pretty inexpensive.

Also removing them could play with other parts. If you remove them the distance is changed for the CV. No idea if that tolerance would hurt anything and I doubt it would, but I do not know so I can't say it's going to be fine.



Ive never purchased anything from Dorman so I'd recommend getting the opinion of someone who has used them (and someone who's opinion is worth listening to - most TW people are Parrots just repeating what they heard or read somewhere and have no actual hands on knowledge of the topic). I just recently upgraded to TC so you know what my opinion is on that. Few years ago when I was doing my rebuild I did not have the financial security I currently have so TC was not an option.

You can always drop the spindle and loosen the LBJ then and add grease to a non serviceable LBJ as well. Just shoot grease in through the bottom of the boot with a large needle fitting on your grease gun (not through the boot - in the gab between the boot and shaft). Total PITA, but not bad if you only need to do it once or twice in 5 years.

Only issues you need to look out for with rebuilding stock is metal fatigue and corrosion degrading the steel. I rebuilt mine once and that's it for me. Rodger scared me enough concerning the lack of metal over the bushings and how they already break free there when new so it was an easy decision to go TC for my third "rebuild".

If I remember right, they snugged up just fine. But that is a valid concern over tolerance issues.