Uniball LBJ from Anonymous Fabrication

Dezert4Runner

Pineapples belong on pizza
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,172
I dropped off some OEM LBJ’s to Josh @ Anonymous Fabrication that were pulled when I replaced with new a few years ago. He’s local to me in Vista, so I got a chance to talk with him for a bit about this upgrade. I’m getting the heim steering tabs added while the uniball cups are being welded in. Planning on getting all my loose ends lined up for the JD Fab LT install soon, and this is one of them. I’ll keep this thread updated with pics when I get them back, and eventually install photos and long term updates.

Here’s a few photos from his website. He’s trying to source bolts from ARP for the 4 spindle bolts since shearing a bolt is likely the next failure point on an abused rig. For now, I’ll either run factory Toyota bolts or the ones he’s providing (grade 10 I think, can’t remember).

https://anonymousfab.com/products/tacoma-4runner-lower-uniball-conversion

image_4ec1390c-420e-444a-bb9d-96dd1873fe76_800x.jpg


image_8d42da15-cd1f-4c5b-a549-d7f53a182aaf_800x.jpg

image_ae71d7e9-6b8e-4e9c-8305-eb51eb4f2fd4_800x.jpg
 

eimkeith

IFSFFS.
Official Vendor
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
816
Age
52
Location
NC
any pictures of those disassembled? I'm trying to visualize the threaded portion at the bottom where it goes through the tapered sleeve (and the spherical, right?)
 
Last edited:

Stairgod

Two bad decisions away from buying a bulldozer
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
2,438
Pretty slick.
Not being intimately familiar with the 1st/3rd gen LBJ's this seems like a damn good thing
 
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
257
Location
Roaming
He's using 555's bodies which is fine. Personally I'm rocking 555's myself. Just know to paint them before install if you want to avoid surface rust.
 

Blender

Swiftie
Joined
Oct 4, 2018
Messages
2,772
Location
Chandler, AZ
Nice.

I always thought it was silly to weld a double shear tab onto a stock LBJ since it's a wear item. Problem solved.
 

Dezert4Runner

Pineapples belong on pizza
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,172
Nice.

I always thought it was silly to weld a double shear tab onto a stock LBJ since it's a wear item. Problem solved.
Other than the possibility of failure from the original design, this was my next thought about long term maintenance (due to the heimed steering upgrade). I wasn’t too fond of the idea of dropping $200+ on OEM units I can trust, and then having to weld on them each time I need a replacement. This should make swapping uniballs quick and cheap when the time comes.
 

Dezert4Runner

Pineapples belong on pizza
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,172
I replaced my LbJ’s 3-4 years ago and kept the old ones, which are what I gave to him for cores. I’m not installing the uniball ones until my LT goes on.
 

Dezert4Runner

Pineapples belong on pizza
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,172
The cups are welded in but the double shear brackets still need to get cut so I’m waiting on that before I get them back. Looks like the 4runner tie rod bracket was drilled out to accept the heim hardware I gave him for mock up. The JD Fab kit is designed around the Tacoma OTRE diameter, which is larger.

1643300722527.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Blender

Swiftie
Joined
Oct 4, 2018
Messages
2,772
Location
Chandler, AZ
At first i was suspicious of a single 3/8" bolt holding the misalignments together. Looking up the proof load and axial static load of the uniball, it all looks OK.

Likely gets more travel compared to a thru bolt design.
 

Dezert4Runner

Pineapples belong on pizza
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,172
At first i was suspicious of a single 3/8" bolt holding the misalignments together. Looking up the proof load and axial static load of the uniball, it all looks OK.

Likely gets more travel compared to a thru bolt design.
Between the uniball LBJ and the heimed steering, I’m sure my CV’s are the first thing to bind so I not sure the hardware difference matters as much on my application like it would on a 2WD.

I’m definitely going to need a lot of Tri-flow on hand. I get squeaking from my rear heimed LCA’s and sway bar links and have to lube them every 6 weeks or so, so I guess I’ll just make rounds on everything all at once.
 
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
257
Location
Roaming
Between the uniball LBJ and the heimed steering, I’m sure my CV’s are the first thing to bind so I not sure the hardware difference matters as much on my application like it would on a 2WD.

I’m definitely going to need a lot of Tri-flow on hand. I get squeaking from my rear heimed LCA’s and sway bar links and have to lube them every 6 weeks or so, so I guess I’ll just make rounds on everything all at once.
Ive given up on all the creaking and squeaking I get now. Heim sway links and heim upper and lower trailing arms...I got on rickety sounding rear setup right now with the snow and moisture constantly washing out the tri-flow
 
Top Bottom