Ball Joint Checking
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2000 Lexus LX 470, 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser, and 1999 Lexus LX 470. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Inspect ball joints for wear. Move ball joint fully back and forth 5 times. Install nut and use torque wrench to rotate. Turn nut continuously at one turn every 3-5 seconds and read torque on fifth turn. Replace ball joint if rotating torque exceeds specification. See BALL JOINT ROTATING TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.
BALL JOINT ROTATING TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
| Application | INCH Lbs. (N.m) |
|---|---|
| Lower Ball Joint | 2.6-26 (.29-2.94) |
| Upper Ball Joint | 8.9-39 (1.0-4.4) |