Moog PS End Link Bushings Downgraded?

[J_C]

I was just noting that the lifetime warranty came at a ~ $60 premium.

 

[Jim Faulkner]

I believe Moog has had some QC issues lately as well. I ordered some Moog LBJs for a '97 CR-V and was appalled by what I received. I returned them and went OEM as I was terrified to put those Moogs on the CR-V as it was my daughter's ride and all I could envision was tragedy.

 

[swshawaii]

If I had to guess, Moog's premium "Problem Solver" line of suspension and steering parts are the brand of choice for AT LEAST least half the members here, probably more. Not a fan of their dust boots or thermoplastic rubber bushings though, and like other brands, dust boots are not sold separately. May be the reason Moog revised their ever so popular K8695T lowers with a "bootless" design.

Moog k8695t lower ball joint redesign | Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations

http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=203594&cc=1362462&jsn=470

 

[Zagnut]

I was going to buy these for the rear links because they claim to be poly. But those look like a cheap, Chinese, toy my kids would get in a Happy meal!

 

[J_C]

To clarify something, these bushings are not thermoplastic rubber like the type Moog has had problems with in the past, rather more like hard thermoplastic, and mine started squeaking which made me wonder if those empty cavities in them should've been filled with silicone grease so when the bottom wore away, the grease would flow out a bit.

I'm kidding (though that might help)... It's just a bad design and should be avoided.

At least Rock Auto now has one correct picture of the design change (but still has one of the old polyurethane design too).

 

[koda2000]

@J_C - Are you talking about the second design that Moog switched to for their higher quality end-links with the white bushing and the hex sleeve? I had the first design on one Explorer and they were/are fine. I currently have the second design on 2 of my Ex's with no issues to date, though the white bushings on the first design looked like better quality.

 

[koda2000]

@J_C - Are you talking about the second design that Moog switched to for their higher quality end-links with the white bushing and the hex sleeve? I had the first design on one Explorer and they were/are fine. I currently have the second design on 2 of my Ex's with no issues to date, though the white bushings on the first design looked like better quality.

BTW, have you tried looking at the second set of pics I copied from Imgur?

 

[J_C]

@J_C - Are you talking about the second design that Moog switched to for their higher quality end-links with the white bushing and the hex sleeve? I had the first design on one Explorer and they were/are fine. I currently have the second design on 2 of my Ex's with no issues to date, though the white bushings on the first design looked like better quality.

Yes, the 2nd design that I pictured previously and put on my '98 in August '17.

There is no question the prior design using polyurethane bushings was better.

 

[masospaghetti]

+1 to avoid these new end link bushings. Got home from a trip (admittedly, it was a bunch of driving on dirt roads so hard on the end link bushings) to find one bushing missing. It was less than six months old.

Even for dirt roads, there's no excuse for a bushing to fracture and be completely missing.

Moog seems to be milking the goodwill their brand name has built up over the years, which is unfortunate, since they are typically my go-to for good quality aftermarket suspension parts.

I replaced both links with AC Delco "professional" links, which used traditional polyurethane bushings. These were marked as "Made in the USA", unlike the cheap new Moog parts.

 

[410Fortune]

I was loving the moog sway bar links for our trucks, I have been having good luck with these newer style links for the last couple of years.
It is about the only moog part I would buy anymore
Now I am not so sure I want to use them!!