werewolf

I've read a bunch of stuff about lower ball joints failing ever 70K miles or so.

I've also heard they have redesigned the ball joint from 2001+ and on. Do these new, better ball joints last longer and can I put them on a 1998 GS400?

Also, how do I self-diagnose whether my ball joints are bad?

Thanks

rgarjr

iTrader: (1)

Yup, if the car is a 98, then yeah i would just swap them for new ones. Sewell or Carson are you best bet.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

The balljoints you buy nowadays are all 'updated'. I've changed a few 01+ balljoints before and they're definitely a lot better. No play, but people still want to change them out just incase.

The 98-00 are plague with balljoint problems.

Debonair

Have there been any Post 2001 Failures? My 02 GS430 has 96K and I was looking at replacing them real soon. I don't feel any issues while driving other than some ridiculous vibration at 60 and 80 mph.

BCP43002

You can inspect them yourself by doing the following:

Inspect Lower Ball Joint Free Play
Move the hub up and down by
hand (Most models with
wish–bone suspension):
a. Remove the tire.
b. Install the 2 lug nuts.
c. Inspect the free play while
moving the lug nuts up and
down at a force of 67 lbf
(294 N, 30 kgf).

The max free play should be .016 in. or .4mm

There is also a way if you jack one side up and put a large crow bar under the tire and lift up on the tire with the bar. I don't know how much free play you should have this way though.