Best Brand Ball Joints??

What brand ball joints are you guys putting in? Moog seems to be a more quality brand over the rest or am I wrong?

 

OEM for ball joints.

 

OEM isn't sold in North America but you can get it from Megazip or Japan-based sellers on eBay. Moog would be 2nd choice, holding up well in my 4Runner.

 

I just put Moog lowers in my truck a couple of weeks ago. They seemed pretty well made and were like $16 on RockAuto.

 

Just a word of caution. Moog used to be one of the top aftermarket brands. They are no longer what they used to be. Basically, they were bought out and the new owners are milking the old brand name for all it's worth while continually seeking lower costs and putting up with lower quality. Oh, and I work in a Toyota Parts Department.

 

OEM is worth the extra cost and hassle. I was helping a friend put in some MOOG BJs a few weeks go in his truck and one of them was put together wrong (boot creased and not seated) new out of the box. Basic, basic QC fail.

 

I would tend to agree, Moog suspension parts used to be pretty good but now like many other aftermarket companies (and even some OEMs) that used to make quality parts alot of their stuff is china trash that doesn't last if it even works to begin with.

 

Mevotech TTX is my go to.

 

People have been saying that for the past 30 years. Which buyout are you referring to, by Federal Mogul, Tenneco, or Driv Group?

 

Federal Mogul appears to have done the most damage from where I sit. Just my personal opinion based on personal and professional experience though.

 

I'm old enough to remember when Moog was a respected brand, the go-to for quality suspension parts. And when aftermarket parts, from the respected names, were as good as OE- because most of them also made OE parts.

The race to the bottom for price over the last 20 years has turned Moog, and most aftermarket brands, into shit. I'd always had good luck with Dayco belts. The last Dayco (made in China) I installed on a friend's Outback had a million cracks in it after a few years and less than 50K miles. This isn't saving money vs buying the OE belt, if possible. If I don't need it "now", I just buy OE parts online and pay more vs shit aftermarket; IMO it's worth it.

 

I don't think I would trust a $16 ball joint from any brand.

 

I’m on the fence with those…..have had the boots pop off of their TTX sway bar links and tie rods. However , I did some ball joints on a Nissan Rogue back in April and I actually worked on that car yesterday and they seem fine so far. Still probably a better choice than Doorman or Moog.

 

I'll keep an eye on them and report back if they begin to wear prematurely. I know it's not a huge indicator of quality but 'out of the box' fit and finish looked good.

 

If we have to, overnight parts from Japan: https://www.ebay.com/itm/204810750516

 

So I've been ordering some components for a suspension refresh and here's my experience.

Beck Arnley used to be fairly solid as a re-boxer, but I feel is now hit or miss. People in the past have ordered BA and received OEM parts.

My BA sway bar bushings are OEM with OEM part numbers. Endlinks appear to be OEM or at least of similar quality, made in Taiwan. UCA's appear to be identical to OEM, made in Taiwan. One of my BA UCA's ordered from Amazon looked like junk and was inferior to OEM so I returned it and ordered it from a different supplier. The replacement matched the OEM like quality of my other UCA. BA outer tie rod ends were pictured as Senkei 555 (good rep), but what I received was NOT Senkei, but some other shit brand that I returned.

OEM outer tie rod ends aren't that expensive, so I'll go OEM Toyota Wholesale when the time comes.

Lower Control Arms, OEM from a Toyota Dealer wholesale website. Some folks have reported BA LCA's have been OEM Toyota but after my experiences lately, I'm not chancing it.

 

I would probably be putting a whole arm to replace a worn arm. Not putting a ball join on a worn arm to put a worn arm in the truck.

a bad LBJ clicks over bumps. If you put a new one it will probably stop clicking for a while regardless of what it is.

peoples concern is generally turning radius, strength of the arm, bushings of the arm. If it is bent or not. If it is quality fabricated steel. If the geometry is correct. If it is greasable and serviceable.
Not the ball joint.

a new ball joint is going to be better than a worn 200k mi one that is clicking.

 

Mevotech TTX is the only ball joint that holds up on my Duramax on 35s. The Moog and Duralast junk will make it maybe a year before developing play, I assume it has to do with how heavy the truck is combined with towing and off-roading.

 

I was digging through my garage trash yesterday (don't ask), and found the boxes my Moogs cam in. They said, "Made in USA" on them, for what it's worth.

 

the box was probably made in the USA