Best aftermarket stock suspension parts?

[Recoil Rob]

Upper control arms (UCA) specifically. My reading here has informed me that the OEM UCA's are not conducive to replacing ball joints down the line but aftermarkets are. I'm looking into this because my original ball joints have torn boots and the OEM unit must be replaced as a whole (I know some others have gotten away with replacing just the ball joints from the OEM but that seems hit or miss and since the unit must be removed to do it I will just replace the whole thing)

I found replacements made by MOOG, Drivetrain and NAPA. Also Dorman and Duralast (AutoZone).

The MOOGs seem to be sold a lot of places and are reasonable, can I do better than that?


thanks,

Rob

 

[XploX]

Replacing upper ball joints is not hit or miss, with or without stock arms. They are easily changed and the arms do NOT need to be removed from the truck.

 

[swshawaii]

^ Stock 3rd Gen Forum's Best Threads

How To: Replacing Upper Ball Joints on a 3rd Gen 4x4

 

[Recoil Rob]

Yeah, I saw that. But I've seen differing opinions so, as I said ,I'm looking for a recommend for an after market assy, not whether or not I should replace it. Looking at $30 for a ball joint vs. $50-70 to do the entire thing with less work.

 

[XploX]

If you are looking for less work by changing the complete arm, don't count on it. The bolts are usually rusted pretty bad and they are difficult to remove. There are the shims to contend with and when the arm is changed, an alignment check is recommended. That's additional cost and even more so if it needs alignment.
Changing just the ball joint, is simple and shouldn't alter the alignment.
Also, if you're doing the uppers, you might as well do the lowers at the same time. Easier to do it while it's apart IMO.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Look at the link above, you need to remove the entire arm assembly just to change the ball joints anyway.

 

[XploX]

Look at the link above, you need to remove the entire arm assembly just to change the ball joints anyway.

NO you do not. I have done both uppers and lowers with them ON the truck. On a 4x4 to boot. It's not any different than any other vehicle. Who ever came up with the idea of removing the arm, must have liked to create additional work. If the bushings are bad, then change the arm or just the bushings if preferred, but if the bushings are good, a ball joint only change is much quicker and less expensive in the long run. Doing both upper and lower ball joints and both outer tie rod ends took less than 3 hours.
It's your truck and your cash, so the decision is yours.

 

[Recoil Rob]

OK, but my original request was asking for advice as to quality of aftermarket UCA's, not asking for advice as to whether or not to change them. If you have no opinion as to which aftermarket UCA is the best quality then give it a rest.

 

[XploX]

Like I stated in my last post... your truck and cash, your decision.
I couldn't care less, but don't pass bad information on something you haven't done.

After all...you want to change just the boots.
And in that post, you are still telling people that the OEM ball joints can't be changed.
I know, you read that on the internet... everything on the internet is true.

 

[Hugh Janus]

Upper control arms (UCA) specifically. My reading here has informed me that the OEM UCA's are not conducive to replacing ball joints down the line but aftermarkets are. I'm looking into this because my original ball joints have torn boots and the OEM unit must be replaced as a whole (I know some others have gotten away with replacing just the ball joints from the OEM but that seems hit or miss and since the unit must be removed to do it I will just replace the whole thing)

I found replacements made by MOOG, Drivetrain and NAPA. Also Dorman and Duralast (AutoZone).

The MOOGs seem to be sold a lot of places and are reasonable, can I do better than that?


thanks,

Rob

Not Moog.

 

[Recoil Rob]

What you are claiming is just something I read on the internet.

You say you changed the ball joints in situ, I believe you. But I have read that they weren't made to do that, they can loosen up. That's what the manufacturer states and that make sense to me since they are not made to do what you did. Just because you did it doesn't make it correct.

Like I said, give it rest.

 

[Number4]

I'd be willing to bet that ALL aftermarket UCA's are made by one or two manufactures. Regardless of the name they're sold under. NAPA used to be the only store with quality ones. But as they were also more expensive, they've gone away.

Don't buy the most expensive and don't buy the least expensive. In between, it won't matter. It's all China.

Just the BJ is a different story, those, I'd go NAPA's premium line only.

 

[XploX]

Explain how they will loosen. They are press fit and the brand I used, have a snap ring to retain it, just like the lowers. The lowers all have the snap ring, even the factory joints. The brand I used are also slightly oversized purposely and are splined.
After market arms are made the same way as OEM. Ford tells you that the arm needs to be changed because they are non-serviceable. That is just a money maker for the dealer.
There are thousands of people that have changed just the joint and you can even have it done at service centers. If it isn't correct, a business wouldn't do it and risk a law suit. The same goes for the manufacturers of the joints. They are advertised for the upper and they wouldn't risk a law suit either.
If you choose to change the whole arm, that's fine. I was just trying to save you a little work and provide you with the correct information.
They are serviceable and it's correct to change them.

 

[Number4]

@XploX for the longest time the joints alone were not available. The reason given was the steel that the joint fits in. It was believed that installing an oversized joint would weaken the typically old UCA's as the steel is a lot thinner than the cast ones in the past. There's just not a lot of material.

They're available now, right or wrong and people have been using them seemingly successfully.

Just like the rear hubs being reusable now. Perhaps we just give in to the whining of the penny conscious consumer. Let's hope it's truly safe.

 

[Recoil Rob]

New UCA w/ new replaceable ball joint, from Napa, $68
New Ball joint (MOOG)$33

Price of piece of mind and not having to get a press and take the time to press them out and in, $35, priceless.

 

[Recoil Rob]

I just started replacing mine with NAPA brand control arm assemblies.

One difference I noticed is the nut holding the ball joint to the knuckle. The OEM is a flanged Nylock nut that gets torqued to 90lbs.

The NAPA comes with a castle nut that has a smaller OD and is shorter. When tightening it down to 90lbs it was too far up the stud for the cotter pin to catch it. Also the fact it had less bearing area on the knuckle concerned me. I removed it and added a thick washer and then replaced the castle nut, torqued to 90lbs and put in the cotter pin.

Like most things the first one took a couple hours, the second one probably about half that.


thanks,

Rob