Mevotech Supreme for front end rebuild?

[WhiteLX]

Is anyone using Mevotech Supreme front end components? I need to replace the upper arms, lower ball joints, and tie rod ends. The comparable Moog problem solver parts are 50% more expensive. I'm curious how well they hold up over time. I'm not doing any wheeling, it's just a daily driver 2wd and I don't really want to have to do this job again in a year or two. I drive about 10K per year. Mevotech's literature looks good, but how much of that can I really trust?

Obviously I could go cheaper, but the point is not to have to repeat this job and not have a failure. Failure of a ball joint can be catastrophic.

I have seen mentions of Mevotech in other threads, but they are pretty old and make no mention of longevity. I'm hoping by now, some of those users might have some meaningful input on longevity of the Mevotech Supreme.

 

[J_C]

Never tried them, but you might send a private message to those you found using them to ask how they held up, in case they don't see this topic.

 

[boominXplorer]

I have them in my F250 and they didn't last 40k with near stock size tires. I've got a set of moogs to swap them out with when I have time. I have to keep putting grease in one particular one and every time it shoots out water through the seat of the boot. They are just a better boxed cheap unit.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I have these in the front of my 2000, and using the best grease I can get my hands on, I get 25K miles tops before it's got camber again, the uppers aren't any better either, the tie rod ends are still going strong though.

 

[drdoom]

I put Mevotech UBJs on my 3G, the problem I have is the rubber boot turned rock hard and split. I have never seen a boot turn hard like this. I have of course seen rubber age, crack, etc., but this is different. So now I must replace at least the boots. Another brand I tried recently is DriveWorks, a low cost line at advance auto parts. I needed an outer tie rod end for my '97, and the boot split completely, from top to bottom in less than a week. So here are two examples where the manufacturers are not even using real rubber for their seals.

 

[koda2000]

To save a few bucks on replacing the lower bj's on my POS '01 ST I went with Quick Steer BJ's and I replaced the UCA's with the cheaper Moog's. So far so good. All have grease fittings (which I like) except one of the Moog UCA's (I don't recall which one didn't have the grease fitting L or R. I think the left). I got them from RA all for about $100. I usually use the Moog Problem Solver's, but sometimes good enough is good enough.

 

[CDW6212R]

I try to buy the best ball joints I can, but you can do fine with the lower cost TRE's and CA bushings etc. The BJ's are the weakest links, don't skimp on those.

Much of car repair is knowing or learning what parts should be replaced with the best available(maybe before they go bad), and which parts you can buy generic choices for. I say generic because I constantly see brands that I'd never heard of before the internet boom lately. Detroit Axle is one that sounds good, some old company etc, but that one is another crap brand that we should stay away from.

 

[WhiteLX]

I went ahead an ordered the Moog problem solver upper arms, lower ball joints, and tie rod ends. I already replaced the swaybar endlinks with Mevotech supreme a while back. I'll have to replace the swaybar bushings at a later date.

 

[koda2000]

I went ahead an ordered the Moog problem solver upper arms, lower ball joints, and tie rod ends. I already replaced the swaybar endlinks with Mevotech supreme a while back. I'll have to replace the swaybar bushings at a later date.

Good choices.

 

[swshawaii]

Agree. Moog premium "Problem Solver" chassis and steering parts have a HUGE following everywhere. My past failures have always been user error by overfilling dust boots that caused rupturing. When greasing, make sure the suspension is loaded with the tires on the ground, and only fill until you see the boot start to bulge. Learned the hard way with two blown out lower ball joint boots, one upper, and one outer tie rod. Wouldn't be so bad, but none of the major brands offer replacement boots, and the complete part must be replaced followed by an alignment check. Aftermarket polyurethane boots such as Energy Suspension, Prothane, or Daystar do not seal well, and are more like caps or covers.

 

[WhiteLX]

Suggestions on grease? In the past I have used Mobil 1 grease on just about everything. However I currently have Green Grease in the grease gun. How often do you regrease?

 

[CDW6212R]

Any good quality grease will do. If you off road much, then re-greasing should be done often, if not, maybe once a year.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Unless you live in South Carolina ATM, than every oil change, or at least here where the roads have holes big enough in them to drive through where I live

 

[CDW6212R]

Unless you live in South Carolina ATM, than every oil change, or at least here where the roads have holes big enough in them to drive through where I live

Those sound like big holes, I used to see some gravel roads with huge potholes in them. I change my oil about once a month or so.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I do about every three months, or of 5K miles on my white car, and yeah, we got some mean holes here, and they slap patch asphalt in them and that's worse than the original issue.