Im starting to get a faint shake at 60mph. Going to get my wheels/tires balanced first. However I was looking at my service records and I see that the lower ball joints have been replace in 2007 at 40k ago.

What is the life span of LBJ? We do have some crappy roads here in Boston

 

The 60mph shake could be anything on the front suspension being worn.

It seems these cars are so sensitive in the front that anything that has any wear can exhibit the same symptom. So if you have the vibration issue you need to look into the age of everything on the front.

Tire balance, wheel pads squarely on the rotor surface (no rust build up between), rack bushings, caster bushings, inner rods, outer rods, wheel bearings, upper/lower bj's, etc..

 

Yah I just got my rack bushing yesterday, will install those, balance wheel/tires, and check those bearings...its not a major shake just minor, but any shake is a bad shake ya know haha

I see all these people breaking LBJ's recently and I dont want that to happen to me! How long should they last??

 

Yea, I replaced mine 20k miles ago but with some aftermarket ones from eBay. Should I be looking into some oem ones in the future? But like the OP, how long untill the next LBJ service?

 

Well I'll try to stay quiet on the LBJ brands because this is CL and OEM is best even if they break all the time. But some of the best built joints available start with a m and end with a g....

But a BJ should last a very long time, and it should exhibit obvious signs of wear before just breaking like the OEM ones have been doing. Such as clunking on slow bumps or transferring quick, light, loose, juddery feeling shakes you can feel in the steering wheel at slow to moderate speeds over cracks/holes/bumps. And of course with the wheel jacked up off the ground seeing if you can feel any play when you grab the top/bottom of the wheel and try to shake it in/out.

Since it seems you don't know what brand are in it then who knows. But there are millions of other models of cars with 200k+ miles on all stock bj's and they rarely ever break.

 

my original LBJs went 100,000KM. I replaced them with Beck Arnley, which lasted only 10,000KM.
Replaced those with OEM and have put 20,000KM with no signs of wear. Have also replaced upper arms, caster arms, struts and poly rack bushings - not lowered, stock rims. I guess the lesson is "Your mileage may vary."

 

i was told my trusted senior lexus tech that these should last about 60K. maybe less then 60K if your car is lowered. Look into Front RCA to relieve some stress on the balljoints if your car is lowered on coil overs.

 

I agree. Sorry I had to

 

is it ok to replace just one side of the lower ball joint ? or is it best to do both sides at the same time? do i need an alignment after its replaced ?

 

Anytime your dealing with suspension or steering components you 'should' replace them in pairs at the same time.

 

Well Beck doesn't manufacture Ball Joints they use various vendors to supply the product so you never know what you will get. I've seen plenty of BA stuff come in two boxes and have totally different brands and finishes on the same part number.. You likely bought the BA because they were cheap, and there is a reason they are, because their business is driven on price and volume, not product design.

So for the viewers out there don't base all aftermarket options out there on a crap company that don't actually make or at least design their own products.

 

Here is what I do, pop the ball joint off. Then you can inject grease into the ball joint with a grease needle without hurting the rubber cover by lifting the edge. Once it is nice and lubed you pop it Back in. Do this every 40k

 

mine just went at 120k actually broke off driving in the highway ..clipped a median effd up my fender ! so now i think i will be replacing my lbj:s before winter with moogs ! i dont care how new these becks are

 

what does a complete bj repair cost?? new member here need advice

 

As much as you want to spend on the joints. It's an easy diy job with basic tools since these actually bolt onto the spindle instead of being pressed into the control arm like alot of cars do.

At a shop on a lift it would take well under an hour. So whatever the hourly rate of the shop you use is about what labor should be.