Hi folks. Dealing with some front end noise that I SUSPECT is the UCAs or strut mounts, and maybe some looseness that I suspect is the ball joints, so I'm just going to do a full refresh.

I DON'T need steering rack bushings (but I am going to get new bolts for the universal joints in the pinion), and I don't need the LCA No.2 / caster bushings, or engine mounts, or tranny mount - because those are all new.

So aside from those, do I need anything else? Any extra small parts I might have missed?

 

How about tie rods? What site are you using? The UCA seem kinda cheap compared to US prices.

 

Oh yeah, tie rods. I don't think those were replaced with the steering rack.

Site is Impex Japan.

 

Yeah, those prices seem to good to be true. I know they have a website and a bunch of Google reviews but I wouldn't roll the dice on that purchase as a whole. $167 for an OEM upper control arm? No way. Make sure you read all the fine print on their website too...

If you do order from them, let us know how it goes.

 

Will do. This is a known, reliable website. Everyone over at ih8mud uses them for Land Cruiser/LX470 parts, which are even more expensive than LS parts.

 

Ordered October 17th, here October 29th. Total cost of all of the above PLUS tie rods was 910 + shipping was an additional $140. Very well-packed. OEM as heck.

Total cost

 

I stand corrected! Nice score and I'm happy you had a good experience with them. I'll have to try my luck with them as I need some parts for my GX460...

 

Alright so can someone tell me in what order I should replace:

UCA
LCA
LBJ
outer tie rods
sway bar bushings/end links

I mean, should Just remove everything, switch out the sway bar bushings, add the end links, switch out the end links, then UCA, then LBJ, then LCA? Just wondering if I'm going to run into some problem because of the order I go in.

 

I would do it all at once. What you start removing one part it gets easier to do the rest

 

Surprisingly, I really helped smooth out my entire driving experience by replacing the engine and transmission mounts. I thought I was having “old suspension issues” but it was really just a lot of excess vibration with the mounts being bad. If you’re over 100k miles I would probably replace…I should've done it way sooner than I did at 220k. It’s so refined now. Even my parents were commenting on how smooth the ride was this morning when I took them to the airport whereas previously one complained. If you can feel the car move or vibrate at all when you turn the engine over then it is probably time. I can’t even feel it now and it sounds super distant on startup (and while driving).

 

And then build up from the top, yeah? UCA, knuckle, strut, LBJ, LCA, and end links, tie rods.

 

Yup already did those last year. Didn't make a difference.

 

Well I started on the passenger side today. The nut on the lower strut bolt just won't come off. Tried a breaker bar and a brand new 1/2" impact wrench (max torque 375 ftlbs). My socket isn't impact rated, and cheapo Harbor Freight material, I wonder if that's why? It left shiny marks on the nut, so I'm going to go buy impact sockets tomorrow and I soaked it in PB blaster tonight.

Also, is it normal that the lower end of the strut is twisted on the mount?




EDIT: Okay I just figured it out. Took the strut out from the car. So this is what people are pointing out when they remind you to make sure the top of the spring is sitting in the right spot. If you don't, then the bottom will be twisted. Crap work by the mechanic, wish I'd caught this sooner. Wonder if the bushing is worn out because of that twist. I used spring compressors to change out the mount and guesstimated the right amount of shift (~30 degrees) in order to get the lower part straight. I suspect that the correct placement is midway between two of the three top strut mount bolts.

I had to do all that with the LCA removed from the car but the strut still attached.

 

Okay I got the strut nut off using a breaker bar. I'm going to have to install the LCA/LBJ first and attach it to the knuckle, because now I can't get the knuckle off as it's swinging totally free from the UCA, so I can't get any torque on the castle nut at the UBJ.

 

I could never get that shock nut off even with a strong impact, it would only come off with a breaker bar+long pipe and kroil. In my experience, it was easier to do the UCA first. It helps to have a separate jack to lift the LCA to help align the shock/UCA.

I also did the hubs/LBJ/outer tie rods at the same time. Sledge hammer took off the hubs easy from the knuckle. The LBJ and outer tie rods are connected, so it's easier to do those together using a Pitman Arm Puller.