questions about replacing wheel bearings and ball joints

[ronclark]

Moog and Spicer are definitely NOT the same ball joint.

Some recent discussion here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139842

Since i just install Napa Pro Grade ball joints thy came from the Affinia Group
from my understanding make Raybestos and Spicer.

As for Moog I'll stand corrected by Junkie. (Listen to the guy you will learn a ton about 4x4's)

 

[jkent]

Too late for the ball joints. Plus they have lifetime warranty so if they go out I'll replace them, well new ones and try out Spicer. Just bought warn p/n 37780 and 32720 for the hubs. Almost a full brand new front end going into this beast haha! Just need new u joints when the time comes. I'll go Spicer for u joints though.

Make sure to buy the different spindle nuts too since you have manual hubs now... http://www.jamesoaksenterprises.com/products/spicer.htm

I just went through my entire D35, as 4x4junkie's link shows, i bought moog greaseable balljoints, timken wheel bearings, timken spindle bearings, axle seals, wheel seals, & moog u joints. I have everything together but haven't got any wheeling/road time yet as i'm waiting on my clutch/slave cylinder so as of now, I can't tell you what to expect.

 

[4x4junkie]

Since i just install Napa Pro Grade ball joints thy came from the Affinia Group
from my understanding make Raybestos and Spicer.

As for Moog I'll stand corrected by Junkie. (Listen to the guy you will learn a ton about 4x4's)

Not sure... looks (or at least, reads) like they could just be a distributor (the word "manufacturer" (in referring to themselves) seems scarce on their site).

Offerings from Affinia Group include steering/suspension components, filtration products and commercial distribution services. While our products are manufactured and sourced from all around the world, Affinia has made a global commitment to quality, assuring the highest possible level of fit, form and function in all products regardless of where they are made. Our commitment is to meet or exceed OE specifications, providing best in class products in all markets served.

Our Raybestos® chassis line provides unparalleled coverage, offering part numbers for all domestic and foreign nameplates on the road today. Our filtration offerings have a long history owing to the WIX® Filters brand, which is recognized as one of the most innovative lines in the industry. In addition to our branded products, we provide a substantial private label service for leading outlets, including NAPA and CARQUEST Commercial distribution services are located strategically around the globe to assure fast, reliable and efficient customer service. In addition to distribution services in North America, we also offer distribution services based in South America.

Dana (Spicer) is (or at least, was) the source manufacturer of these joints (I've seen reports some Mcquay-Norris (<sp?) joints are the characteristic gold w/blue boots also). Now I'm wondering if Dana may have sold off the suspension (ball joint) part of their company, I don't see any such products on the Spicer site anymore, but obviously they're still around (hopefully of the same quality too, certainly my Raybestos Pro-Grade joints were, I bought them 2008? I think? They've already far outlasted the two Moog ones (3 in total) I had in there before the Raybestos).


Cool link find.
I might have to do a little more research on this.


Also FWIW, Moog is a brand under the Federal-Mogul umbrella.


Edit:
McQuay-Norris is under the Affinia group, so that one makes sense now.


Edit-Again:

Well I'll be dammed...
Sold in 2004.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affinia_Group

That's right between when I bought Spicer-branded joints for my Ranger ('02), but could only find the Raybestos ones in '08 for my BII (and maybe is also why I couldn't find EITHER in '05 when I bought those stupid Moogs )

 

[surfer5567]

Make sure to buy the different spindle nuts too since you have manual hubs now... http://www.jamesoaksenterprises.com/products/spicer.htm

I just went through my entire D35, as 4x4junkie's link shows, i bought moog greaseable balljoints, timken wheel bearings, timken spindle bearings, axle seals, wheel seals, & moog u joints. I have everything together but haven't got any wheeling/road time yet as i'm waiting on my clutch/slave cylinder so as of now, I can't tell you what to expect.

bought the spindle nuts and found a good deal on a set of jeep warn d35 hubs too!

 

[surfer5567]

Not sure... looks (or at least, reads) like they could just be a distributor (the word "manufacturer" (in referring to themselves) seems scarce on their site).



Dana (Spicer) is (or at least, was) the source manufacturer of these joints (I've seen reports some Mcquay-Norris (<sp?) joints are the characteristic gold w/blue boots also). Now I'm wondering if Dana may have sold off the suspension (ball joint) part of their company, I don't see any such products on the Spicer site anymore, but obviously they're still around (hopefully of the same quality too, certainly my Raybestos Pro-Grade joints were, I bought them 2008? I think? They've already far outlasted the two Moog ones (3 in total) I had in there before the Raybestos).


Cool link find.
I might have to do a little more research on this.


Also FWIW, Moog is a brand under the Federal-Mogul umbrella.


Edit:
McQuay-Norris is under the Affinia group, so that one makes sense now.


Edit-Again:

Well I'll be dammed...
Sold in 2004.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affinia_Group

That's right between when I bought Spicer-branded joints for my Ranger ('02), but could only find the Raybestos ones in '08 for my BII (and maybe is also why I couldn't find EITHER in '05 when I bought those stupid Moogs )

so moogs arent the good brand anymore? are spicer still decent? or is it not raybestos? i dont really wheel that hard and the truck doesnt have a locker in the front so i am hoping the moogs will last for awhile. the truck is going to be a prerunner that has 4wd for just in case

 

[ronclark]

I should add that my Napa Pro Ball joints did say made in the USA on the box.

 

[4x4junkie]

so moogs arent the good brand anymore? are spicer still decent? or is it not raybestos? i dont really wheel that hard and the truck doesnt have a locker in the front so i am hoping the moogs will last for awhile. the truck is going to be a prerunner that has 4wd for just in case

I don't have a lot of experience with Moog pre-2002 (a few steering link ends), but Moog ball joints I bought when I built my BII in mid-2004 (I was wrong above) & again in 2006 were garbage.
One side (RH) developed slop in the lower ball joint after a mere 5K miles. Thinking it must be a fluke, I replaced it with another Moog, only to discover slop in the opposite (LH) side Moog after 8K miles (3K after I replaced the first one).
Fed up with this siht I went on a mission to find the Spicers I originally wanted in the first place. After some calls & emails, Rockauto revealed to me the Raybestos "Professional Grade" ones were infact the same joints (though never mentioned Affinia), so I went ahead and ordered them and lo-&-behold inside the boxes were joints much like the Spicers I had put on my Ranger many years back (which to this day are still going strong).
So I put two on the side that had the current bad Moog, leaving the other side go for time being, as it still seemed tight.
Finally after another 10K or so the Moog I replaced first Moog with (RH again) was now letting go, but the Raybestos side remained tight as new.

I'm now up around 25K miles on just the Raybestos joints and they are tight like the day I put them in (still having some preload). Even grease still squirts out of them pretty much the same color it goes in (clearish-green Castrol Chassis grease). The Moog joints always spit out a nasty grayish/black metallic-looking spooge when I greased them.

Both Raybestos and Moog are USA-made joints, FWIW.

 

[racer1044]

I work at advance auto moog parts have seem to drop quite a bit lately as far as their quality goes. Most of the suspension parts I have on the shelf are boxed made in the usa but most of the new stuff says made in mexico. I used to push their unit bearings which use to be natianal but the "new" moog bearings that are made in korea are very poor quality. Just my .02

 

[surfer5567]

Well when these go out I'll replace with Spicer. Thank god its not too big a deal to swap out ball joints

 

[bigtruck94]

bought the spindle nuts and found a good deal on a set of jeep warn d35 hubs too!

You will love those Jeep warn hubs! My dad had them on his old ranger and lasted him forever!!! Every time we went muddin, we left with no problems!