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Mexican Truck Repairs


Ulu

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I am rebuilding the front end on my 2012 Toyota de Baja Prerunner. Here you all probably thought Toyota Tacoma was a Japanese truck. But you just have to look at the door post to see it was built in Mexico. Anyhow it’s metric and so when I bought a ball joint press for American pick up trucks mine was the size in between at 2.375” dia.

 

I can fix that . . . 

 

I bought the Maddox brand ball joint press kit from Harbor freight for 90 bucks. I chose this one because I watch some guy do a pre-runner on YouTube and he said it fit. It doesn’t fit mine. There was a mid year change in 2012, where they put the four-wheel-drive ball joints and tie rods on the pre-runner too.

 

It is actually a pretty solid tool compared to their crap I’ve bought in the past years. Of course it looks like **** if you put it next to the $800 Snap-on. Here it is in action.

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You’re supposed to be able to use this with the arm on the chassis, but I thought it would be much easier this way and it was.

 

This is what’s still left in the box.

BE69DECB-549E-4437-9DCB-DCB423252584.jpeg.217364bf8df242af11965c69bd23a5be.jpeg

I split this 2.188” id spring steel cylinder with a cut off wheel and spread it open 3/8” with two pry bars, to slip it over the Toyota ball joint. Very gingerly, did I this, as it could’ve shot across the garage like a rocket if I slipped.

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I put a hose clamp around the thing after I installed it, but there was really no reason too as everything stays together. I wanted to contain the pieces if it decided to split wide open under pressure.

 

Pressed free!

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I achieved success by loading up the press tight, until it flexed, then wracking with an 8lb hammer. The 4lb in the pix wasn’t enough.

 

The press fit was only about .0025 on a 2.125 dia, but it had been there 10 years now. The replacement ball was even tighter, at about .0075” interference. I greased it all well, and after careful alignment and a big cheater bar it went right in.

 

And thar she be . . . All shiny and new.

image.jpg.705ad186edcd9c8435b3ce6d6ffbf12f.jpg

 

Edited by Ulu
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I took a drive and found that ball was making 90% of my slop; and, thus emboldened, I will try to replace the other 3 tomorrow.

 

Unfortunately it is a real pain to get the upper suspension arm bolts off of this car, So I’m going to do the upper ball joints right on the vehicle. They appear that they’re going to be about 1/4 as much trouble, however the video I watched on YouTube shows a guy cutting the old stud off with a grinder before pressing out.

 

I sure hope I don’t have to stoop to that.

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I leave control arms attatched. And the $800 snap on ball joint press is not overrated. It has been a real treat after using the “consumer friendly” version. Having a good 1/2 drive impact helps too. 
 

i too have one of those “split” ball joint sleeves. Necessity is the mother of invention. 

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I have a shiny 20 year old impact wrench. It's a craftsman and I oil it on rare occasions, but I'm a hand tool fan myself.  I've done balls on-the-car every time until now, unless I was replacing bushings too. This time I wanted to remove the snails and inspect & clean them for rust and dirt. They were kinda sticky.

 

I was so lucky that after expanding the sleeve, it still fit ok on the press plates too. That was a bonus! The $90 kit is sure not a $900 Snap-on. ? It does the job, though this little truck is about its limit, and it is not what you'd want in the shop for regular use. OMG no!
 

 

What I'd really like for ball joints is a nice air/oil porta-power kit. Instead, I bought a new shortie bottle jack and rounded up some stout bits for an open frame press, but I never needed to build it.

 

But, If this cheap press galls or snaps I will be ready.

 

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Keep the threads greased. Thats the big thing. I distorted my original one with a 3/4 drive ratchet and 6 foot bar. Ball joint went 1/2 way and jammed. Told my buddy to wire brush the bore and grease ball joint which he chose not to do. 

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I tried Mobil-1 grease but I think Lubriplate is better.

 

Cleaning is easy but mandatory. I dressed the lead-in on the ball joint, as the toyota arm has a sharp bore, and it wanted to shave the ball joint.

Keeping it straight is the challenge. The pressing is simple. The setup is everything in presswork.

 

I was anxious to finish these up today, but I've been losing sleep due to AC, plumbing, and other issues at night.

I am too tired now and I sure don't want to smack myself with a hammer.

 

 

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Well I got up kind a late and I was feeling grumpy but I did go outside and replace the right upper ball joint.

 

I did this one right on the truck, but there was just barely enough room to set the press up. Here it is pressed out, just sitting on the arm upside down.

B98DDE79-BB2B-4AEC-B6FB-B03AED4D611B.jpeg.5ea3bcd290ca6dfafce1e2178ce25fd1.jpeg

 

This one was much smaller and easier to r&r.

 

This setup took it out with light tapping only. No breaker bar.

C3E6BB59-853F-4DB6-AA21-5396F8D873EF.jpeg.21d9e8a7d67e7b136ac93b1fa59ddad0.jpeg

 

This setup put it in, easily, with a few 4# hammer smacks to the press, but no breaker bar. Just a wrench.

 

775945EA-C3CC-41DE-BE47-452221933A19.jpeg.ecca4453bebba9d5d8a0754a5e896d60.jpeg

 

Anyhow, it got too hot on the ‘Crete for me to continue, so I will work on the other side of the truck tomorrow.

 

I am really happy with this little cheapo press. It’s saving me at least $1000. The Toyota Shop here probably wants $300 to change a ball joint.

Edited by Ulu
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3 hours ago, Ulu said:

Well I got up kind a late and I was feeling grumpy but I did go outside and replace the right upper ball joint.

 

I did this one right on the truck, but there was just barely enough room to set the press up. Here it is pressed out, just sitting on the arm upside down.

B98DDE79-BB2B-4AEC-B6FB-B03AED4D611B.jpeg.5ea3bcd290ca6dfafce1e2178ce25fd1.jpeg

 

This one was much smaller and easier to r&r.

 

This setup took it out with light tapping only. No breaker bar.

C3E6BB59-853F-4DB6-AA21-5396F8D873EF.jpeg.21d9e8a7d67e7b136ac93b1fa59ddad0.jpeg

 

This setup put it in, easily, with a few 4# hammer smacks to the press, but no breaker bar. Just a wrench.

 

775945EA-C3CC-41DE-BE47-452221933A19.jpeg.ecca4453bebba9d5d8a0754a5e896d60.jpeg

 

Anyhow, it got too hot on the ‘Crete for me to continue, so I will work on the other side of the truck tomorrow.

 

I am really happy with this little cheapo press. It’s saving me at least $1000. The Toyota Shop here probably wants $300 to change a ball joint.

Sounds about right. And shop rates are getting up there. And now i hear the add-ons like shop supplies and enviro charges are nearing 20%of the entire bill. 
all the local independant shops  here are over $100. 
im holding at $85 and $70 for classics/rods. 

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I started figuring the dealer parts cost & I possibly saved  $4000. Labor was $75 at the Toy dealer, but I haven’t gone there in 2 years. Probably $90-100 now, or more. Every time I drive past a shop in this town they have cars stacked up in the parking lot like crazy.

 

If I ever find myself needing to work for a living again, because Wall Street vanishes and Social Security vanishes as well, I will be working as an underground mechanic Possibly converting junk cars to electric.

 

Which reminds me that I need to recycle some 4gals of oil at Walmart.

 

;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Well I did the other side today and so now all four balls are changed.

 

Everything went quite well, except at the very end I blew a boot off by over greasing one of the joints, I diddled with it for 15 minutes trying to put it back together without taking a ball joint apart.

 

Now the whole front end is perfectly tight, and I can tell that one of my wheel bearings is a little loose.

 

I’m probably gonna put that off a little bit because they are $200 per side. For aftermarket. I did not price them from the dealer.

Edited by Ulu
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