Non-OEM Replacement Lower Control Arms

The few times I've bought Beck Arnley the part that came out has actually several times been Aisin, Denso, 555 or OSK (OSK makes timing parts for Toyota in Japan), but there's no guarantee that it will be next time or that it's necessarily made to the same specification. Just because 555 makes it doesn't mean Beck Arnley paid them to make it exactly like Toyota did or that Toyota has replacement parts made the exact same as the original parts, even. I've gotten parts from Toyota made in Taiwan or Malaysia when the original part was probably Japan, Mexico or U.S.A.

 

yes some parts they buy directly from the Japanese manufacturer, like the Toyota oem semi metallic brake pads for the 2nd gen truck are made by ADVICS and BA buys directly from them for the model

$22 089-1678 OE Brake Pad

089-1678 are the exact same for $27 on AMAZON

 

ADVICS is interesting because they have production all over. They are based in Japan and have production there and I think 4 plants in the U.S. but they also have manufacturing in Mexico, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, South Africa, etc.. Since the Prado/4Runner is made in Japan, Hilux in South Africa & Thailand, Tacoma in North America I would think the source for each is the closest domestic plant in the region. So you buying Beck Arnley reboxed Japanese ADVICS is likely different than what you'd get from a dealer in the U.S. since the domestic supply chain probably got them from Ohio or Mexico. So what's better? I dunno how we'd determine that really. And like I say there are variants, like you can't always just use a 4Runner part on a Hilux or Tacoma.

 

I called ADVICS tech on those pads they are shipped to BA directly from JAPAN to them and are of the same pad composition as the OEM only way they get by selling them without copyright violations is they come with a different shim and are reboxed, I had high hopes that the LCAs were of the same but they aren't Japanese maker unfortunately

 

https://www.suspension.com/blog/where-are-moog-parts-made/

 

What's your point with this link? This shows a flawed Sankei 555 marked ball joint, which seems to indicate there's counterfeit parts out there or that Sankei quality is just as variable as any other supplier. Maybe Toyota isn't using them anymore for OEM parts?

Should also be pointed out that this link is to a lower ball joint used on a 3rd gen 4Runner as best as I can tell. This is the same design as a 1st gen Tacoma. The LCAs and LBJs in this thread here on TW are referring to 2nd gen Tacoma, which is a completely different design. The ball joint on a 05+ Tacoma (also 03+ 4Runner) is flipped and put into compression so

I completely agree on a 1st gen Taco that using OEM ball joints is the only choice since there is a fundamental design flaw that makes the LBJ singularly prone to failure and absolutely critical to stick with the mother ship. Even then replacing them periodically just to be safe.

 

a pretty interesting thread about even if BJ is stamped as a Sankei 555 don't assume its the real McCoy OEM Toyota because of the Asian counterfeit market, it has nothing at all to do with any GEN or model truck.

 

I agree, but how then can you even know Toyota doesn't have counterfeit parts? It's not impossible, even happens in aerospace and military, so there's no guarantee that someone along gets greedy.

https://www.theday.com/policefireco...unterfeit-components-to-military-contractors-

If you were to want to dupe Toyota (or even someone within Toyota or its qualified suppliers wanting to impress a supervisor perhaps) what would be the one way to make people think your chassis part is "quality"? Maybe to put three '5's in the casting?

The 1st vs 2nd gen thing is just about the consequences IMO. In a 2nd gen Taco the ball joint isn't stressed at all in the same way, so just saying that if I had a 1st gen Taco I would be especially vigilant in trusting the source.

 

Toyota sources out a lot of parts now, but I think they uphold high quality controls for their parts more so than aftermarket replicas who reverse engineer the Toyota oem part.

 

Hey, how are these control arms holding up for you? I'm in the exact same dilemma — looking at 400 bucks for the OEM stuff and these are looking pretty enticing...

 

from reading this thread and others it seems MOOG is the go to aftermarket a arm, but seem to last only 1 or 2 years before the BJ goes then your back to square one

 

Nowhere in this thread has anyone said Moog didn't last. Nor has anyone seemed to say they lasted as long as OEM either.

@Chuy mentioned his Dorman LBJs were shot after 20k and probably before that, which has been said several times not to use Dorman.

I personally have 25k on Moog UBJ in Camburg arms and they haven't gone bad yet. I only had 60k on the stock ones when I removed them but they were fine, just needed more clearance arms when I put on the suspension. Too soon to make any conclusions.

 

Anyone got TC stock length LCA's for sale?

 

Didn't find that post in this thread, my mistake.

@Larueminati said it in another thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/lower-control-arm-replacement-of-choice.591177/page-2#post-1978047

 

good read

 

hey I’m thinking of using non oem Lca’s. How were these regarding longevity and light off-roading? Thanks

 

How are these working to this day? Thinking about going with them

 

I actually ended up just using them during the time I was doing my ball joint replacement. At the time, it was my main transportation and I didn't have the ability to press the ball joint myself. I used them for about a week and then sold them to someone else.