Replace Ball Joints, Links, Tie Rods? OEM, Moog, Proforged, Mevotech?

OEM "greased for life" ball joints might be OK if your truck is a street queen. If you go off road, through mud and water, the ball joint grease will get contaminated. And all ball joints need grease regardless of how good the liner is. It isn't a big deal to give each zerk fitting a couple of shots of fresh grease every other oil change. You need to do it with the driveshaft U-joints anyway.

BTW Toyota doesn't sell 2nd/3rd gen LBJ as a separate part. If you want an OEM LBJ, you'd spend almost $400 on a replacement LCA. A Moog LBJ on 2nd/3rd gen is more of an economic necessity. The fact it's greaseable and has a better designed boot is just a side benefit.

 

And the 'corrected' design that the 2nd/3rd gens have allow use of a lesser aftermarket component there. On first gen you really should use the OEM lower ball joint. There is some anecdotal evidence of the lesser quality LBJs doing okay. Somebody hacksawed down the middle the different makes of the 1st gen lbjs and it was very apparent what was going on. You couldn't get grease down into where it would need to go for our ball joint. This is why the innards have to be absolutely the best materials, and if course that was the OEM one by far. But 1st gen is just in a lil different spot regarding the LBJ and suspension. But I know what you're saying by having the grease fitting, just wouldn't get grease to where it would actually be needed.