Experiences with parts quality.

[Bill]

After 200,000 miles it's time to replace some parts. When it comes to ball joints and control arm bushings I have two options. The easy one is to replace the control arms. The other (for the lower control arms) is replace the bushings and ball joints. Moog's control arms come with ball joints that have a carbon fiber bearing. If I opt to buy the ball joints, Moog has ball joins with a metal "gusher bearing." I'm not really fascinated by the gusher bearing marketing term. I'm more concerned about which will last longer, metal or carbon fiber bearings. I know there are plenty of people here who have used both options.

The other question is I'm debating on replacing the coil springs. Moog has discontinued the spring my truck uses (Moog 80664). However, I see that Husky Spring and Pontotac still have them listed. I've never heard of Pontotac, but in regards to Husky, does anyone have experience with them? How is their soil spring quality?

I'm adding the links for reference in case anyone wants to look up these options in the future.

https://www.huskyspring.com/ Use the Moog part number for cross-reference 80664

Automotive Springs | Car Springs & Suspension Springs | MW Components

In-stock car coil springs for passenger cars or custom automotive springs such as suspension springs, brake springs, clutch springs, and more for OEMs.

www.mwcomponents.com

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Moog isnt what it used to be.

My buddy replaced a bunch of front end parts on his 02 Silverado 2500, ball joints and a few other things, within a year or 2 and like 15-20k miles they were junk.

 

[Jazzer]

I had the same experience with Mevotech ball joints, and rotors from Autozone (Duralast) had so many casting inclusions it tore up the brake pads within 15k miles.
Centric rotors and remanned calipers get good net reviews and have performed well for me.

 

[MaicoDoug]

It's no surprise that the china junk is here and we will continue to suffer. The major brand names have been bought and we are duped. My ebay "Detroit Axle" ball joints are still going good after 5kmi, but after 70kmi, don't expect that.

 

[pentode]

After 200,000 miles it's time to replace some parts. When it comes to ball joints and control arm bushings I have two options. The easy one is to replace the control arms. The other (for the lower control arms) is replace the bushings and ball joints. Moog's control arms come with ball joints that have a carbon fiber bearing. If I opt to buy the ball joints, Moog has ball joins with a metal "gusher bearing." I'm not really fascinated by the gusher bearing marketing term. I'm more concerned about which will last longer, metal or carbon fiber bearings. I know there are plenty of people here who have used both options.

The other question is I'm debating on replacing the coil springs. Moog has discontinued the spring my truck uses (Moog 80664). However, I see that Husky Spring and Pontotac still have them listed. I've never heard of Pontotac, but in regards to Husky, does anyone have experience with them? How is their soil spring quality?

I'm adding the links for reference in case anyone wants to look up these options in the future.

https://www.huskyspring.com/ Use the Moog part number for cross-reference 80664

Automotive Springs | Car Springs & Suspension Springs | MW Components

In-stock car coil springs for passenger cars or custom automotive springs such as suspension springs, brake springs, clutch springs, and more for OEMs.

www.mwcomponents.com

Totally agree with the comments about miserable parts quality. FWIW, with these types of parts, ball joints/tie rod ends/stabiliser links, for the past decade or so I’ve been replacing each failed part with ones that have grease fittings (usually Moog/Mevotech) and greasing them spring and fall, or whenever I’m changing tires etc. I don’t think I’ve had any go bad since then. Virtually all the non- greaseable ones in my fleet have failed.

 

[Bill]

One of the issues with inferior parts is people buy the "econo" line. Most manufacturers make OE quality parts that are often not made in China, and an economy line that is made in China that are junk. The reasoning behind this is to get their brand in the door at auto parts retailers and appeal to that type of customer who makes purchasing decisions only based on price, and that is a lot of people. It's all about market share. I will pay for the better part if it is available. In regards to people having problems with Moog, they too have some cheap lines for some vehicles. But, I will also add that when reading through a lot of ball joint posts on auto forums, the majority of the people complaining about failures appear to be in areas of the country where rust and corrosion is a problem. I think there is a good possibility the dust seal wasn't seated properly, or they didn't grease them. In contrast, I read posts wherein people out here to the west have managed to get 150,000 plus miles on the original ball joints and tie rods WITH deteriorated dust boots. You have to grease greaseable joints. How often depends on where and how you drive. Someone in Oregon, California, or Arizona can get away with greasing them once a year. If you're in the rust belt or some parts of Florida, you have to grease them at every oil change.

But back to my original question, ball joints with carbon fiber bearings, or metal bearings?

 

[Bill]

I had the same experience with Mevotech ball joints, and rotors from Autozone (Duralast) had so many casting inclusions it tore up the brake pads within 15k miles.
Centric rotors and remanned calipers get good net reviews and have performed well for me.

FYI, Centric was acquired by BPI, the same company that owns Raybestos. They used to machine a lot of their parts in Southern California. Most of those parts are imported now.

https://www.brakepartsinc.com/

 

[MaicoDoug]

Imported with compliances to who? The American Society of Automotive Engineers & American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME,ASAE) have no bearing or compliance to any of the suppliers on amazon or ebay at all. So buyer beware. Hoping your insurance companies don't find out where you have been purchasing your parts from.

I am good friends with a chemical (plastic) engineer who like most is contracted to a china plastics manufacturers who when I inquired of what sort of byproducts are they asking you to add to the old US recipe, his reply was "all kinds of stuff" like rice hull powder for instance. It's out of our hands thanks to the epa and OUR old businesses who sold out to pocket stuffing which is NOT politics, not yet, not yet this year.

 

[Blmpkn]

Hoping your insurance companies don't find out where you have been purchasing your parts from.

This is somewhat of a thinker ^ damn.


Considering our nation's penchant for being overly litigious.. it wouldn't surprise me if insurance companies started sneaking BS clauses into their policies that dictate what parts someone can choose to repair their vehicle with..

Studies show that it's an incredibly small number of people who ACTUALLY read all the 'fine print' that's run in front of our eyes.. under 10%..

 

[Blmpkn]

According to federal data.. 2% of accidents nationwide are caused by mechanical failure.

Tires and brakes make up the majority apparently.. 63%.

Steering & suspension failures only comprise 3%.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

According to federal data.. 2% of accidents nationwide are caused by mechanical failure.

Tires and brakes make up the majority apparently.. 63%.

Steering & suspension failures only comprise 3%.

So 63% of the total accidents are tires and brakes. I could see that. I drive shitboxes and use whatever tires I can find. Fairly regularly a tire will fail. Never explosively tho. Been really lucky, the last 2 of 3 times have been withing 100yards of my place. Brakes I use cheap parts but do take the time to replace the pads or shoes. Almost never replace rotors or drums tho...

 

[bobbywalter]

exploding 37s require attention.