Wow that's a great write up. I just paid $100.00 bux to get them swapped out 2 weeks ago. For me, it was worth it cuz i hate working on anything...especially in Texas heat. .....not to mention i'm almost mechanically retarded.
I got mine at Sewell, and they cost $50 bucks each I think.
Not a bad price, and it sounds like it makes a huge difference. This will be next on my list but I will let my mechanic handle these chores. Maybe I will stick around and watch though so I can do it myself next time
I did mine this past friday..really easy. I think it took an hour working really slowly, washing my hands a few times & stopping to cool off.
Anyways, my tip for everyone: if you have a 17mm open ended wrench, then you dont even need to touch the brakes to get the bolt off the tie rod end. There's not enough room for a socket to fit without removing the brakes, but I know if i had a regular wrench, it would have saved me a little time.
Also I used a long twist-tie to hang the caliper. I ran the wire through the hole where the caliper bolts to the spindle & through the coil spring & twisted a couple times.
And yeah, your alignment wont be perfect afterwards (mine's not) because the tire sits differently on worn balljoints than on new ones I guess. I think it throws off your camber. and I didnt replace the tie rods so it;s not the toe. Its not bad enough for me to need an alignment, but you be the judge once you get yours replaced.
Good thread. Thanks. When ordering parts I have noticed most people are buying the lh and rh as separate items. They are available as a set.
Part # 43340-39415 (thanks to MarkMAcGS$ for saving me bucks) it does not show up on the parts sheet as a pair. Go to sewell and do a search for this part number. Be sure to change the "search by" to part number.
Sewell also has nuts and bolts that go with the ball joints. I have not seen anybody else list these with the parts they bought. Any comments on whether or not this is a good idea would be a good add to the thread. I am going to buy them because they are cheap.
Chenzo26, thanks for the time and effort you put into this thread. I used this along with the other thread in the sticky and tackeled my outer balljoints and tie rods end this weekend. No walk in the park due to stubborn bolts and a small issue with one of the tie rod ends but got it done! Thanks again.
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2000 GS400 Millenium Silver / Platinum Series
great write up, I just did the balljoints and tie rod ends DIY yesterday and steering feels like the car is new. the steering is very stiff, like race car stiff, it's great. Too bad I didn't have a torque wrench, I just tightened everything as much as I could, and its pretty damn tight, my body was turning 360 degrees on the floor when i was tightening those bolts.
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2001 GS300 Silver on Black
work/mods: Chrome Grill (SD Style), OBX clear side markers, Full white xenon LED interior and exterior lighting. 6000k HIDs and 3000K fogs, new lower balljoints and outer tie rods, daizen bushings, G2 Painted red calipers w/ metallic silver Lexus decals + Brembo slotted w/ akebono ProAct pads
Performance: SRT intake w/ ECU and Tanabe Medallion Touring Exhausts
i also want to add that my steering wheel is off by a very noticeable amount after the bj and tie rod replacement. But i'm also planning to replace my steering rack and sway bar bushings soon, should I wait and get an alignment then or would the bushing replacements wont affect my alignment since removal of sway bar or steering rack is not required for their bushings replacment.
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2001 GS300 Silver on Black
work/mods: Chrome Grill (SD Style), OBX clear side markers, Full white xenon LED interior and exterior lighting. 6000k HIDs and 3000K fogs, new lower balljoints and outer tie rods, daizen bushings, G2 Painted red calipers w/ metallic silver Lexus decals + Brembo slotted w/ akebono ProAct pads
Performance: SRT intake w/ ECU and Tanabe Medallion Touring Exhausts
FYI*** you will need 2 open ended wrenches to remove the tie rod ends. A 14mm to hold the shaft above the lock nut, and a 19mm to turn the tie rod end. A great DIY.
whats symptoms that the balljoint and tie rod need to be changed? just slippy steering or does it fix some car vibrations?
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-Current cars: 00 GS400, 95 SC300 5-speed, 92 benz 300TE, 03 benz C230
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for balljoints, you get a clicking/clunking noise when you turn the steering wheel, or entering a driveway. Or you can just jack up your car, take out the wheel, and lift the rotor assembly to see if you have any freeplay.
^^ definitely the clicking/clunking noise, mine was so bad the night prior to changing my bj's that the clunking was echoing through my campus streets at night, was just glad no one was around or else i'll be getting weird stares...
and yes, definitely 2 wrenches for replacing the tie rod ends
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2001 GS300 Silver on Black
work/mods: Chrome Grill (SD Style), OBX clear side markers, Full white xenon LED interior and exterior lighting. 6000k HIDs and 3000K fogs, new lower balljoints and outer tie rods, daizen bushings, G2 Painted red calipers w/ metallic silver Lexus decals + Brembo slotted w/ akebono ProAct pads
Performance: SRT intake w/ ECU and Tanabe Medallion Touring Exhausts
actually, my old tie rods were so loose that I was able to twist them off more than halfway prior to the replacement..talk about a close call
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2001 GS300 Silver on Black
work/mods: Chrome Grill (SD Style), OBX clear side markers, Full white xenon LED interior and exterior lighting. 6000k HIDs and 3000K fogs, new lower balljoints and outer tie rods, daizen bushings, G2 Painted red calipers w/ metallic silver Lexus decals + Brembo slotted w/ akebono ProAct pads
Performance: SRT intake w/ ECU and Tanabe Medallion Touring Exhausts
.....not to mention i'm almost mechanically retarded.
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