The Camry in my signature has reached 110,000 miles as it enters the 6th year of service. Did an oil change recently, and noticed that the driver side lower ball joint is leaking grease. Checked wheel, no play. The passenger side is good. Honestly did not expect the ball joint to fail this soon. Anyone done a replacement of the ball joint? There isn't enough room to remove the castle nut of the ball stem, unless I remove the drive shaft from the hub. Any feedback is appreciated. Given that this is a critical part, I am sourcing toyota OEM ball joint from an online dealership parts site in Virginia. Thanks.
Camry lower ball joint replacement trick needed
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If yhe joint is tight , can you just replace the rubber " boot " ?
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
If yhe joint is tight , can you just replace the rubber " boot " ?
you can buy chinese boots at the parts store. It will fail in a few weeks.
If yhe joint is tight , can you just replace the rubber " boot " ?
you can buy chinese boots at the parts store. It will fail in a few weeks.
If you replace the ball joint, stay with Toyota parts. If you hold'em side-by-side with the aftermarket parts, you'll see what I mean.
Originally Posted by Chris142
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
If yhe joint is tight , can you just replace the rubber " boot " ?
you can buy chinese boots at the parts store. It will fail in a few weeks.
You may be able to buy an OEM boot at the dealer. I tore a boot with a pickle fork before I learned about the correct tools. Honda had the replacement for only a few bucks.
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
If yhe joint is tight , can you just replace the rubber " boot " ?
you can buy chinese boots at the parts store. It will fail in a few weeks.
You may be able to buy an OEM boot at the dealer. I tore a boot with a pickle fork before I learned about the correct tools. Honda had the replacement for only a few bucks.
I've always pulled the driveshaft on my Sienna, it isn't that difficult and it lets you use a torque wrench when installing the stud nut on the new one. But that video shows it can be done with the driveshaft in place.
Thanks all for the responses...in the video, the tech pried against the CV joint to push the ball joint stem out... I am not sure that's a good idea. Question for kschachn, when you removed the drive shaft, did you have to remove the steering tie-rod end for the hub to swing out?
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Yeah, I take the whole hub out. It's a good opportunity to check the wheel bearing and the CV joints since it's difficult to check those with the drive shaft installed.
Mind you I've only done it twice in 400,000+ miles so it's not that often.
Leaking grease doesn't mean the joint has failed. Is the boot torn? If not then some minor "leakage" is normal. Wear can be checked with a pry bar and looking for any movement.
Mind you I've only done it twice in 400,000+ miles so it's not that often.
Leaking grease doesn't mean the joint has failed. Is the boot torn? If not then some minor "leakage" is normal. Wear can be checked with a pry bar and looking for any movement.
Your old ball joint's junk. Pop it out with a pickle fork. They cost $10 and have many other uses, or you can borrow the loan-a-tool from autozone.
Make sure you lift the entire front end, both wheels, so you aren't fighting your sway bar.
The rest of the job is nuts and bolts. If your castle nut is half on, half off, when you pop the taper you'll be able to get the rest of that nut out.
I take it you don't do much front end work; these cars are simple and a great way to get started! Good luck.
You may enjoy using a several-foot-long pipe to pry the lower control arm down (vs the subframe) to get the clearance for stuff to fall out. The LCA bushings will be stiff-ish and want to move upwards.
Make sure you lift the entire front end, both wheels, so you aren't fighting your sway bar.
The rest of the job is nuts and bolts. If your castle nut is half on, half off, when you pop the taper you'll be able to get the rest of that nut out.
I take it you don't do much front end work; these cars are simple and a great way to get started! Good luck.
You may enjoy using a several-foot-long pipe to pry the lower control arm down (vs the subframe) to get the clearance for stuff to fall out. The LCA bushings will be stiff-ish and want to move upwards.
Super easy. You do not need to torque a castle nut. Think about it, how is that supposed to work when you need to put to put a cotter pin in, just tighten it tight (not nut busting tight) and then tighten a little more to get the pin in if need be, never loosen it.
Remove the cotter pin and nut use a pickle fork if you are replacing the joint or a ball joint tool if reusing, remove the ball joint nuts/bolts on the LCA pry the LCA down and remove.
If its too hard (you need a long pry bar) to press the LCA down remove the lower link bolt, no need to mess with the CV axle nut or anything else.
Edit: eljefino had the same thoughts as I was posting.
Remove the cotter pin and nut use a pickle fork if you are replacing the joint or a ball joint tool if reusing, remove the ball joint nuts/bolts on the LCA pry the LCA down and remove.
If its too hard (you need a long pry bar) to press the LCA down remove the lower link bolt, no need to mess with the CV axle nut or anything else.
Edit: eljefino had the same thoughts as I was posting.
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The 1A Auto video is certainly good however, this method will be almost(Almost) useless in NY State after 10 yrs of driving in the salt.
Here's a pic of the ball joints, both side. the driver side is greasy. sorry, don't know what happened in pic orientation. it was upright before I uploaded.
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/04/full-26013-31364-20190330_152722.jpg "[Linked Image]")
![[Linked Image]](https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/attachments/usergals/2019/04/full-26013-31365-20190330_152707.jpg "[Linked Image]")
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That's typical of what we see here and should be no problem, clean it off and penetrating oil for a while first. I would break the joint free from the knuckle before removing the 3 nuts.
Hi, Trav, yes. that makes sense to leave the nuts and bolts intact before breaking the ball loose. I've seen many youtube videos in which they removed the link and then beat the ball joint around... Thanks.
NY may be a different story than CA. But around here, I have seen cracked dust boots and the joints will remain quiet and tight for years. Personally I would leave it alone, but the climate in NY may dictate more aggressive actions.
Yep, joints with bad boots don't last very long at all in the salt belt. First its the salt and water then the sand accumulated from winter salting and sanding, it gets into the joints and that's the end of it.
I recently replaced both ball joints due to the grease "leak" getting worse on driver side, and leak started on the passenger side. Used OE parts. Would like to share a few things:
1. both joint boots are intact, grease "leaks" from where the boot meet the ball stud, I guess it's not sealing well.
2. ball is loose, can easily push ball around; it should be very tight
3. there is enough room for the box end of the wrench under the CV joint to break loose the castle nut, it wasn't difficult
4. difficult part was to release the ball stud from the knuckle. my ball joint separator (harbor freight) does not fit: the fork spread on the tool is 3/4 in, and the ball stud (max diameter) is 7/8 in. I ended up with a few moderate raps with a 4lb sledge.
5. tip: clear the surface where boot meets knuckle to a shine, and apply rubber grease. The knuckle and ball spins during normal operation while the boot and ball housing stays stationary.
6. cotter pin is 1/8 in in diameter, I did not use the ones that came with the joints, used stainless ones instead.
7. alignment done.
1. both joint boots are intact, grease "leaks" from where the boot meet the ball stud, I guess it's not sealing well.
2. ball is loose, can easily push ball around; it should be very tight
3. there is enough room for the box end of the wrench under the CV joint to break loose the castle nut, it wasn't difficult
4. difficult part was to release the ball stud from the knuckle. my ball joint separator (harbor freight) does not fit: the fork spread on the tool is 3/4 in, and the ball stud (max diameter) is 7/8 in. I ended up with a few moderate raps with a 4lb sledge.
5. tip: clear the surface where boot meets knuckle to a shine, and apply rubber grease. The knuckle and ball spins during normal operation while the boot and ball housing stays stationary.
6. cotter pin is 1/8 in in diameter, I did not use the ones that came with the joints, used stainless ones instead.
7. alignment done.
Originally Posted by The Critic
NY may be a different story than CA. But around here, I have seen cracked dust boots and the joints will remain quiet and tight for years. Personally I would leave it alone, but the climate in NY may dictate more aggressive actions.
I agree . Keep running it until it gets loose .
Can you inject some new grease into the boot ?
NY may be a different story than CA. But around here, I have seen cracked dust boots and the joints will remain quiet and tight for years. Personally I would leave it alone, but the climate in NY may dictate more aggressive actions.
I agree . Keep running it until it gets loose .
Can you inject some new grease into the boot ?
Is Toyotanation broken?
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