Ball Joint Manufacturers and Prices

[91waggin]

I need to replace at least one lower ball joint and probably both sides fairly soon. Cash is pretty tight for me right now, but I'm looking to not put cheap garbage parts in, since I don't like doing things more than once.

Ordinarily, I buy Moog chassis parts. I've had good luck with them, etc etc. However, locally and on rockauto, Moog ball joints are quite expensive. However, upon perusing a number of catalogs from O'Reilly auto (who sells MasterPro chassis parts) and Baxter Auto parts (who sells Masterpro chassis parts), I noticed that many of the part numbers are similar. For an example:

O'Reilly Auto Parts
Moog lower ball joint--#K8259--$60.99--Limited Lifetime Warranty
MasterPro lower ball joint--#K8259--$35.99--Limited Lifetime Warranty

Baxter Auto Parts
Moog lower ball joint--#K8259--$62.99--No Warranty listed
PartsMaster/Moog lower ball joint--#K8259--$21.99--No Warranty listed

If you click on the manufacturer's link from Baxter's website for the Masterpro/Moog part it takes you to Federal-Mogul's website; they're the people who make Moog parts.

As you might guess, I'd much rather buy the cheaper one than the expensive one, especially if it turns out that Moog is the one supplying parts for the MasterPro and PartsMaster labels.


Anybody know anything about this?

[Lincolnmania]

have an autozone out there?
the duralast ball joints are moog.....$39.99 ea

[351m]

Buy the Moog branded stuff or better yet if you can find them buy Spicer. I just saw a post a few days ago on another forum where the poster got a whopping 40 miles out of her Duralast ball joints. This was on an Olds Ciera though. This isn't the only time I have heard of house brand components being crap either.

If they really are Moog then I'm left wondering if they aren't outsourcing the house brands instead of making them along side their own, or if Duralast lines are made by multiple manufacturers.

[gadget73]

I've had McQuay-Norris stuff on the Towncar for several years now without issue. The Spicer / Napa stuff on the Mark seems to be holding up OK as well.

[91waggin]

have an autozone out there?
the duralast ball joints are moog.....$39.99 ea

Yes we do....the part numbers (there are two) listed on autozone's website for the duralast ball joints are FA1015, which matches the McQuay Norris part number on Rockauto, and 10327, which matches the Motorcraft (?!) number on Rockauto. WTF?

[gadget73]

Motorcraft stuff is made by TRW, or at least all the Motorcraft suspension pieces I've seen had TRW stamps on it.

[ZombieTown94]

Old thread I know, but does anyone have any more input on this?

[Kodachrome Wolf]

I’ve got an upper ball joint that needs replacing because the boot is torn and despite keeping it greased, crap is going to get in there. I could try the MasterPro and see how it holds up, but I’d need a day where I have some time to actually do the work.

I work at O’Reilly and MasterPro chassis stuff makes up a good number of our commercial and retail sales. I don’t see many warranty returns for fresh parts. The ones I usually exchange are older, rather worn ones that people bring in with lifetime warranty.

But of course that’s all relative. It’s possible a joint goes bad and that person buys another else where, so YMMV. I figure worst case if the house brand don’t jive well, just warranty it out and pay the difference for the Moog component.

[ZombieTown94]

I’ve got an upper ball joint that needs replacing because the boot is torn and despite keeping it greased, crap is going to get in there. I could try the MasterPro and see how it holds up, but I’d need a day where I have some time to actually do the work.

I work at O’Reilly and MasterPro chassis stuff makes up a good number of our commercial and retail sales. I don’t see many warranty returns for fresh parts. The ones I usually exchange are older, rather worn ones that people bring in with lifetime warranty.

But of course that’s all relative. It’s possible a joint goes bad and that person buys another else where, so YMMV. I figure worst case if the house brand don’t jive well, just warranty it out and pay the difference for the Moog component.

Any experience with the brands on Rockauto? Seems like their prices vary significantly. Though the Moog uppers for my car are on sale, which I will be ordering. The lowers are my issue; not only do I not want to have to do the job twice, but ball joints breaking can become deadly if you're on the road. Thanks for the reply

[gadget73]

What does Rockauto have listed? They're pretty variable vehicle to vehicle.

[ZombieTown94]

[gadget73]

personally I'd be inclined to go Moog but mostly because I've not heard of most of the other brands. Mevotech I have heard of, no clue if they're any good. I don't see the need to pay a bunch extra for Motorcraft over the Moog though.

[DerekTheGreat]

Thought some members were saying recently that Moog quality has dropped off?

[kishy]

I tried to start this discussion once... Success rates with cheap parts

The fact is, some of the incredibly cheap parts are probably very good parts, but we'll never know which, on account of the buyers of said parts (generally shop customers who don't DIY) not even thinking to hop on here and give us a review. Some of those brands that nobody's ever heard of are the white box parts that make up a lot of installations at independent shops.

Someone with some spare cash, time, and cars should really demo a set of each super cheap brand and get back to us. I'd be a good candidate except I hate doing front end work, so...

"You get what you pay for" is not true, and has not been true for many years. Price does not dictate quality. Cost has something to do with it, for sure, but assuming the price you're paying is directly connected to the cost is not a fair assumption in 2018 anymore. Especially not on RockAuto where parts sell for pennies on the dollar due to RockAuto being a liquidator.

Remember these? Case in point:

[Elias]

What brand would y’all recommend for under $10-100 each for a big brake swap