MOOG Tie-Rod Ends vs OEM

The boots on mine did eventually blow out FWIW. Not sure what I'll go with now. I thought it sucked that the stockers seized up and couldn't be adjusted so I don't know that I want to go back to those either

 

That really sucks. Thx for reporting back.

I'd go back to OEM, and use a light coat of HP grease on the threads when installing, won't seize that way.

 

If you call Moog 1.800.325.8886 and report the failure, they will send you a fresh boot to replace the POS ones that split. I just had a moog UBJ boot split after 4 weeks. I'm so pissed.

Anyone tried a different boot?

 

Greatly amusing video.

https://youtu.be/j50h8QaLaIk

 

Does anybody have a moog TRE and a slide caliper?

If so, Energy SUspension makes poly dust boots.

Should be easy to find one that fits:

http://www.energysuspension.com/universal-products/tie-rod-end-dust-boots.html

 

Just to add to the Moog TRE bashing. I installed Moog outer TREs yesterday. One came with a hole in the bushing that wasn't noticeable until it was compressed. The other installed fine but started leaking from the lower seal today, less than 24 hrs after install. I didn't grease until after installing and I did not over grease them. They are just a bad product.

 

Pick up the phone and give Moog an earful. They ain't gonna change unless customers complain.


I think the TRE is fine, it's the boots that are garbage.

 

I'm gonna contact them tomorrow. I'm refunding them through Amazon.

 

Well I called Moog. They couldn't care less. I'll just refund them through Amazon and buy a different brand. I'm done with Moog.

 

That sucks balls. Not a lot of other brands to choose from... I'm still undecided on which route I'm gonna go... Maybe OEM, or if I can find a quality boot for the moog I'd do that.

 

I'm giving the duralast TREs a shot. It's greaseable and they never gave me problems when I had em on my dodge.

 

Welp. I got potentially bad news for you my friend. The Autozone Duralast TRE part number is identical to Moogs part number (ES80895). Probably not a good sign.

 

I bet its out of the same damn factory. Maybe I should just go OEM.

 

Moog tie rods and LBJ have been working great for me so far.
About the grease: when I got my moog tie rods and ball joints there was a small paper with a warning to grease only AFTER instalation.
It's possible that a lot of people damage the boots during installation. This happened to me when working in another car.its very easy to damage those boots.
I've seen in this forum people driving their trucks with moog BJ'S and TRDs for more them 4 years with no issues.
Change them every 2 years and u will be fine

 

I'm going to add my 2 cents.

The grease relief port gets covered after installing the ends. The tie rod end links don't need a pound of grease either. Add I tiny bit twice a year and they will be fine. If they are firm to the touch you added too much grease. In that case pull the zerk and let it bleed out a bit then replace the zerk and be on your way.

I constantly see over greased parts in my line of work. Example an electric motor greased once every month and no one had ever pulled the lower pipe plug while greasing. The result was grease blew out the seal and stuck to the rotor and stator windings causing some inefficiency. Over time the grease accumulated on the rotor and caused the rotor to become out of balance. After the motor was disassembled at the machine shop the rotor was covered on one side and that unbalanced state had trashed the bearings.

My point in all this is to state one thing. People that over grease cause more harm than not greasing enough. On the OEM type tie rod end links you can grease them you just need the syringe attachment for your grease gun. Also Toyota likes moly based grease typically 3% molybdenum.

 

Moog is actually superior to OEM in my opinion. Autozone are not ALL moog parts. They are made by federal mogul but depending on the tooling available some are just re boxed moog. It's actually rare to find a moog stamped ball joint in a duralast box but it does happen.

 

Moog is huge but as you said it's not all Moog.
According to some of the Federal Mogul reps, if it says "MOOG PROBLEM SOLVER" it is a MOOG part without a doubt.

From what I read the upper ball joints are pretty good and the newer designed lower ball joints are much better than the outgoing version. Maybe they can use the new dust boot design on the TRE soon.

I may be rebuilding a new LCA to save some coin. Mevotech has great bushings and the steel of the LCA looks pretty good but the ball joints are too much of an unknown. May stuff some Moog lower ball joints in the new LCA and call it a day.

 

Problem solver just means it's an improvement to a problematic OEM design. If it's stamped Moog, it is.

 

Just saying what the rep said. The Moog OEM is not made by Moog, it is just re-boxed.

 

Who the hell knows anymore these days..It's all just names coming out of the same plant.