UBJ at same time as LBJ?

Hello everyone,

New 4Runner owner and first post here...

Just purchased a 2002 SR5 2WD with a little over 150k miles. I understand that the lower ball joints need to be replaced ASAP due to their failure rate. But my question is: should the upper ball joints be replaced at the same time?

I haven't read any articles about the UBJs being such a dangerous point of failure as the LBJs. So, should it be one of those "while I'm at it" kind of things, or do the UBJs typically last longer than the lower?

Thanks in advance for whatever advice you have!

 

So...did this rig get the recall? My 2002 got new LBJs in 2003 via the recall and went 250k miles on them. I replaced both upper and lowers and they were all really easy to move around but not what I would consider dangerous or loosey goosey.

So yeah, IMHO, you have to take the steering knuckle off anyways. Why not do all of them? Also, you will want to replace that seal that keeps the wheel bearings clean. It has a metal spring/band in it that breaks free. I wouldn't bother with the wheel bearings unless you really find some play. They are beasts and at 250k miles mine are still solid.

 

No idea if it got the recall. Unfortunately, I know very little of its history.

A shop will be making the repair as ball joints are a bit out of my comfort zone. They had quoted me $1000 for the upper and lower combined. So my thinking was if only the lower are the ones so prone to fail, that perhaps the uppers could wait, and that could reduce my bill. But I don't want to save money at the risk of safety!

 

Easy replacements, I'll do it for $800

 

You can look up all your recalls up on-line with your vin.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

 

That recall link is very helpful! Thanks so much for that!

And according to it, I have no outstanding recalls.

 

Just bought a 2002 SR5 with 161k. Ran a Carfax & saw that the lbj were done. I believe you can also run your vin# through a Toyota site & see a dealership work history. And that one is free.

 

Uppers aren't such a concern.

Lowers are but they're super quick and easy to replace; go OEM.

 

Thanks so much, Kwikvette. That's what I suspected, but appreciate the confirmation.