I'm fixin' to... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

bob2 · 05-30-2011, 06:49 PM

I'm fixin' to.... install new front a-arms, ball joints and wheel bearings. just the parts for this will cost me $350, and that's from rock auto!

Anything I should know about this, before I tear into it?

all shared experiences appreciated

pmesfun · 05-30-2011, 07:13 PM

Control arms aren't bad, I replaced the FR in 30 minutes. I heard the ball joints suck, let me know how you do those. Wheel bearings have to be pressed in/out, I'm sure you already know that.

I would reccommend the biggest breaker bar you can get, haha. I used the 25"? 1/2" Breaker bar from HFT.

***BMR*** · 05-30-2011, 07:59 PM

I did lower control arms/ball joints on my Camry a while back; pretty much the same setup. Yeah, the ball joints are a pain, because you're blocked from getting any kind of socket or box wrench on the castle nut attaching it to the knuckle. And an open end wrench spreads and slips off, rounding off the hex nut's corners. To get them off, I had to slit the nut on two sides using a dremel with a cutting disk, and then use a chisel to split it open.

***SyStEmOfEvIl*** · 05-31-2011, 07:34 PM

If you are changing the wheel bearing at the same time as the ball joint it is easy. That's what I did when I did my right side. Left side still is on my todo list.

bob2 · 05-31-2011, 08:10 PM

i was thinkin' that the 3 bolts would succumb to a 1/2 inch power wrench with the a-arms off?

***SyStEmOfEvIl*** · 05-31-2011, 08:38 PM

I didnt have any issues with the 3(2 bolt's, 1 nut) connecting the ball joint to the a-arm, they were easy to remove. The Crown on the knucle was pretty easy as well when you remove the knucle to replace the wheel bearing. Hope you have the same luck as I did.

bob2 · 06-01-2011, 04:56 AM

it's funny how this went. first i had a shimmy in the right side i could not fix. (spent lots of money trying!) then it started squeaking... i think the hub is wobbling, because of a loose bearing?

***SyStEmOfEvIl*** · 06-01-2011, 10:12 AM

If your wheel bearing is going bad, it should be making noise going over bumps(Atleast mine did). When you jack it up you should be able ever so slightly feel the play when moving the tire up and down and from side to side(mine did). Or something else could be going on. But if the wheel bearings are stock still, it would be good to change them anyway. Along with the ball joint as that is pretty cheap on its own. If nothing else its a good place to start if you can spare the money. I did not change my a-arm's as I did not have the money at the time, but I think I will change both sides when I do my left side wheel bearing and ball joint. I also replaced my right side hub do to I messed it up when trying to pull the 2nd peice of bearing race off of it. But all in all im glad I did just because now I have a new hub, which means new wheel studs aswell. All depends on how much you have to throw at the car.