anyone use MAS Industries ball joints?

[FPGT24]

Has anyone had any MAS Industries parts on their Exploders or Rangers?

I need to replace the lower ball joints in my 98 Explorer that I tow auction cars with. I've been doing extensive research on ball joints for hours every night for 2 weeks. So far, the best "cheap" ball joints I can find are by MAS Industries. I have read tons of nightmare stories about ebay ball joints so I'm staying away from them and am narrowing my choices down to MevoTech and MAS which are both on RockAuto and Ebay. I've read about MevoTech ball joints failing so I'm skeptical about going with those, but have not seen any bad reviews about MAS Industries. I trust RockAuto, so usually if they carry a certiain brand name it's usually always reputable.

MAS supposedly manufacturers the economy line parts for MOOG, especially the cheap versions of MOOG ball joints. They are a company that operates out of Quebec, Canada. Parts are made in China though. MAS Industries sells parts under the MAS name and Pronto name. If anyone has used MAS ball joints or any MAS parts let me know.

 

[FPGT24]

The traffic to this forum isn't what it used to be ugh

 

[koda2000]

Hmmm... What do you think the quality of a ball joint that cost $6.20 will be when the least expensive Moog costs $30.89 and a Motorcraft replacement costs $40.79?

There's no way I'd go through the trouble to replace the lower ball joints and install $6 junk (and I'm pretty cheap!).

 

[FPGT24]

My explorer is not a daily driver. It is to tow auction cars only. I'm not looking to invest a ton of money into it considering the tons of other work it needs. I'm just interested in seeing if anyone else has used MAS Industries parts.

Moog lower ball joints are garbage, the last few years they have had a very high failure rate, i wouldn't go with those, hell they don't even have grease fittings on them anymore since they moved production to china.

 

[swshawaii]

Moog lower ball joints are garbage, the last few years they have had a very high failure rate, i wouldn't go with those, hell they don't even have grease fittings on them anymore since they moved production to china.

Where are you getting your info? Moog's entry level "Quick Steer" and premium "Problem Solver" lines have grease zerks.

1998 FORD EXPLORER 4.0L V6 SOHC Ball Joint | RockAuto

QUICK STEER K8695T
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5673621&cc=1304413

MOOG K8695T Problem Solver
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=203594&cc=1304413

 

[koda2000]

Well, like swhawaii said, where are you getting your info in Moog BJ's from? I have used Moog BJ's for years now and have had no problem with them at all (BTW, they've all come with grease fittings).

If your mind is made up that you want to use the $6 BJ's... good luck to you I guess.

 

[96eb96]

I'm cheaper that the next guy and couldn't see spending 6 bucks on a ball joint for a 2 ton truck, especially if you are towing such heavy loads.
China front end parts are hit and miss, companies just repackage them from various "high quality" manufacturers. What is good today may not be tomorrow.

First is the installation effort and second is safety, but I never heard of a LBJ separating on an EX so you may be safe there.
If you don't feel right about Moog use Motorcraft or Raybestos. If I had to really go cheap I would look into Mevotech. I think they have patents on ball joints and are a very established company.

I can go into the Ball Joint Business - I go on Alibaba and find a supplier of "quality" Ball Joints who will sell them to me for 75cents each. Then I put the initials LH on the box and write what great quality they are. That is exactly what happens when you buy an off brand, maybe some name brands too today.

 

[FPGT24]

Where are you getting your info? Moog's entry level "Quick Steer" and premium "Problem Solver" lines have grease zerks.

1998 FORD EXPLORER 4.0L V6 SOHC Ball Joint | RockAuto

QUICK STEER K8695T
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5673621&cc=1304413

MOOG K8695T Problem Solver
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=203594&cc=1304413

Quick Steer ball joints are made by MAS Industries, that is Moog's economy line. The ones pictured for the problem solver line must be old photos, because when I stopped at Advance a few weeks ago the ones they handed me by Moog didnt have grease fittings, they were sealed. Either that, or the morons handed me the wrong part, i didnt catch the part number so i guess that is possible (considering anytime I go to the local Advance they usually always F up what I ordered) A simple google search can find TONS of complaints about Moog's new ball joints being sealed since production was shipped to china.

 

[FPGT24]

I'm cheaper that the next guy and couldn't see spending 6 bucks on a ball joint for a 2 ton truck, especially if you are towing such heavy loads.
China front end parts are hit and miss, companies just repackage them from various "high quality" manufacturers. What is good today may not be tomorrow.

First is the installation effort and second is safety, but I never heard of a LBJ separating on an EX so you may be safe there.
If you don't feel right about Moog use Motorcraft or Raybestos. If I had to really go cheap I would look into Mevotech. I think they have patents on ball joints and are a very established company.

I can go into the Ball Joint Business - I go on Alibaba and find a supplier of "quality" Ball Joints who will sell them to me for 75cents each. Then I put the initials LH on the box and write what great quality they are. That is exactly what happens when you buy an off brand, maybe some name brands too today.

That's the thing, they are only 6 bucks on RockAuto, but on ebay and every other site they cost nothing less than $20 a pop. Ebay off-brand ball joints run less than that for 2 of them. MAS makes the cheap lower end ball joints for Moog, so i figure they can't be that bad, right? They are the best "cheaper" ones i could find and all the reviews ive read online are positive. I like to buy the "best" for "cheap", im one of those guys lol. I was looking to see if anyone on here had a personal experience with MAS parts on their Explorers or Rangers, because I know every part is different for every vehicle and quality/design can differ greatly.

 

[swshawaii]

Moog lower ball joints are garbage, the last few years they have had a very high failure rate, i wouldn't go with those, hell they don't even have grease fittings on them anymore since they moved production to china.

MAS makes the cheap lower end ball joints for Moog, so i figure they can't be that bad, right? They are the best "cheaper" ones i could find and all the reviews ive read online are positive. I like to buy the "best" for "cheap", im one of those guys lol.

Huh?

 

[FPGT24]

*facepalm*

1st post was about Moog problem solvers, they are now crap IMO. Moog USED to be great....recently not so much since production was shipped to china. I assume since Moog has been using MAS to manufacture their lower end line for many years that they are probably decent quality, or at least better than Ebay junk.

 

[aryork]

I had a coupon from Autozone and used what they gave me (did have fittings)...

 

[FPGT24]

I've decided to start using this auto parts place on ebay to replace parts on my Explorer. I messaged them and their parts are made in Taiwan, not China. I will let you guys know how they hold up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odk...xplorer.TRS2&_nkw=1998+ford+explorer&_sacat=0