Swapped out lower A-arms on Dig-Dug. I've gone this route once before and it's by far the easiest way. Changing just the bushings and the ball joint is a pain-ina-butt. Back in 2011 I tried swapping out just the bushings and they didn't want to budge and we used a torch to heat up the arm to extract them. The camber/toe alignment bolts had seized and I had to cut one of them out.
Flash forward to the best way to do this. Just buy the whole A-arm from Mr. Toyota. It comes with fresh new bushings and ball joint already assembled. In fact, you can't even buy a factory lower ball joint from Mr. Toyota, you have to go MOOG or Pro-Forged. Add up the cost of OEM bushings ($150/side msrp) and ball joint ($25ea, RockAuto) and factor in the time to press out 4 bushings and 2 ball joints and then press in 4 bushings and 2 ball joints on an awkwardly shaped hunk of steel. . . it makes sense.
First thing to do is actually take a paint pen and mark the alignment eccentric cams, so you can at least get close to alignment when you reassemble. Then remove castle nut on your outer tie rod.
Remove the two 19mm bolts from the bottom of your spindle (ball joint attachment bracket). Swing the whole spindle assembly out of the way and use a bungee or cargo strap to hold there.
Disconnect the coilover from the lower A-arm by removing the 19mm bolt & nut.
Remove the 19mm nuts holding the two camber/toe adjustment assemblies from the frame mounts. Slide the toe adjustment sleeve out of the bracket and bushing. You may need to use a brass drift to accomplish this.
Use a sledge to bang the A-arm free from the frame brackets. Add to the scrap heap for recycling.
New part pron.
Reattach this bracket. Use new cotter pin.
Torque all your nuts and use a crescent wrench to hold your camber/toe alignment cams in place while you torque the 19mm nuts down.
Flash forward to the best way to do this. Just buy the whole A-arm from Mr. Toyota. It comes with fresh new bushings and ball joint already assembled. In fact, you can't even buy a factory lower ball joint from Mr. Toyota, you have to go MOOG or Pro-Forged. Add up the cost of OEM bushings ($150/side msrp) and ball joint ($25ea, RockAuto) and factor in the time to press out 4 bushings and 2 ball joints and then press in 4 bushings and 2 ball joints on an awkwardly shaped hunk of steel. . . it makes sense.
First thing to do is actually take a paint pen and mark the alignment eccentric cams, so you can at least get close to alignment when you reassemble. Then remove castle nut on your outer tie rod.
Remove the two 19mm bolts from the bottom of your spindle (ball joint attachment bracket). Swing the whole spindle assembly out of the way and use a bungee or cargo strap to hold there.
Disconnect the coilover from the lower A-arm by removing the 19mm bolt & nut.
Remove the 19mm nuts holding the two camber/toe adjustment assemblies from the frame mounts. Slide the toe adjustment sleeve out of the bracket and bushing. You may need to use a brass drift to accomplish this.
Use a sledge to bang the A-arm free from the frame brackets. Add to the scrap heap for recycling.
New part pron.
Reattach this bracket. Use new cotter pin.
Torque all your nuts and use a crescent wrench to hold your camber/toe alignment cams in place while you torque the 19mm nuts down.
