hey folks. i'm a newby to the forum. just recently bought a 2nd gen 4runner. front tires are wearing on the inside and cupping. checked out the upper and lower ball joints on each side and are all in need of repair. the pitman and idler arms look like they might be bad as well. a few threads i've read sound like replacing the bushings might be an option. my mechanic quoted all repairs at $750. OEM replacement parts online come to just under $400. mechanic friend has ball joint puller i can borrow. is it worth the trouble to do the work myself? i've done some mech but never ball joints and arms.

 

I've done all of the mentioned at home on the ground. It's not a big deal, and to get them loose, all you need is a big hammer and a steady swing for the ball joints. I can't remember if they are pressed into the control arms or not. If so, a ball joint press or equivelent may be needed.
Upper and lower control arm bushings may need to be pressed as well, but I believe you can do it with a vise.
You'll need a puller for the Pitman, but the idler shouldn't give you much trouble. Good luck, and have fun

 

Ive done ball joints and that was not a real pain at all. The ball joint puller I rented was not the right size or shape to pull them off the knuckles, so I used a pickle fork and a 3lb hammer. The joints themselves just sit on the a arms and bolt in.