Technical Better? I am confused

Okay , I am getting ready to order all new parts to rebuild my front suspension from wheel bearing to wheel bearing. I want the best quality in ball joints and bearings I can buy. Pretty much decided on National wheel bearings but you look at parts web sites and reviews on suspension parts and it anywhere a mixed bag from AC Delco to MOOG and TRW. Some articles state MOOG are not the quality they used to be and are made in China although you are still paying a premium price. What do you Hambers use and more recently if products are made anywhere but here. I feel like I am beating my head against a brick wall just trying to move one foot forward.

 

I maybe too fussy but I want the quality first rate and do it once and enjoy the truck for awhile. “Effie “ is just going to a cruiser and tow once in awhile . I have had new racing parts with poly this and poly that and sat on the shelf and cracked and chunked out so not much faith in that material either.

 

You can never be too fussy on parts, period!

 

Moog ain’t what it used to be but it’s still good. I always get moog because my parts house stands behind it. If something screws up and it does for sure, I have a safety net.
I can put a great warranty on the moog parts, but since I don’t make those or any purchased parts, I can’t , don’t, won’t, stopped any warranty the labor.

I buy moog for my own stuff.
They used to be far superior in every way and without quest the best money could by at any price. Their stuff isn’t as over the top fantastic as it used to be and probably still the best that I can buy for other reasons.

 

My only recent experience with Moog was on some lower ball joints for my kids pu project. I thought I was getting the premium parts by buying Moog. They fell right in the hole that they were supposed to press into. I bought cheaper ones and they fit like a champ...

 

Somewhere on the HAMB a member told how to tell the high quality Moog from the discount Moog by the part number code. I guess I shoulda written it down.

 

I hate to say it but not the best is better than none at all. HRP

 

For my '57 Chev last fall as a friend and I were putting front suspension stuff together, I found the factory part numbers for stuff I needed and then searched eBay for old stock part in the box (not factory GM stuff, but pieces manufactured 40+ years ago). Old Made in USA bearings and races, wheel seals, ect. Anything rubber is probably useless, but a lot of stuff was packed in wax paper and is as good today as it was when it was made. Even salvaged a few original used pieces from the stash of parts.

Long story short, you can still get the good old stuff you used to get over the counter, you've just got to seek out old stock of it.

 

I think if the part number starts with a K.... it is the “problem solver “ and is their best materials .

 

That may be the best way. It should be with today’s technology it should be better than it was , but manufactures are in the money game.

 

Anyone have any experience with Napa best?

 

That’s not confidence inspiring.

 

My first choice at work is moog, then napa gold.

Something I'm keeping and driving it also gets moog, then napa gold.

Moog is still better than 90% of what's out there.

 

I’ve had great luck with amazon stuff.
Can’t beat the prices

 

What’s the 10% ?

 

I have been told ! (disclaimer) That there's 2 different quality of Moog. Good Moog and Chinese Moog. go to Rock auto and price em out. I too, like to buy better quality.

 

Well I see O’Reillys used the same part number for their store brand as MOOG part #. I guess I need to get off the pot and get to asking .

 

It's been a long time since I built anything with IFS....over ten years, I think....I have no idea what to use these days.

But I like the idea about old stuff on ebay. I have been doing that as I can for engines.

 

I have not had good luck with Moog the past few years, their U-joints cost me a couple of front axles after they failed prematurely; insisted on Dan Spicer and haven't had an issue since.
I was never a NAPA fan, but I have switched to their Gold ball joints after MOOG became junk and have had zero complaints.

Just my $0.02

 

Sadly Federal Mogal, (Moog’s owner), cares more about the almighty dollar than their reputation or quality. Moog’s part numbers are also used on the cheap line called Quick Steer. Anymore, just because you pay for quality, doesn’t mean that is what is in the box. Lately I’ve seen a bunch of Moog stuff made in China. It burns my ass to pay $30.00 for a Moog ball joint and open the box to find a $5 Mevotech brand. The only way to prevent this like Jim and someone else mentioned is to buy NOS stuff on the bay of E. Hell, old TRW or McQuay Norris stuff would be better than the junk today. Just buying on brand name alone is kind of a fool’s paradise today. At least go to the parts house and examine what you are getting. I love Rock Auto, but you can’t see what is actually in the box until it lands at your place.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

There Not just about selling you this part right now.
They are also banking on you buying the replacement parts prematurely.
It’s called
Planned Obsolescence
That ensures they are likely to keep selling you parts later.
Just like tie rod ends and ball joints on pretty much any newer vehicle. They don’t have grease fittings. Because the manufacturer wants you to have them replaced at their dealership in 30-40 thousand miles.


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Liked a lot of other things nowadays. You're not supposed to repair and keep things. You're supposed to junk and replace ...

 

That was the case with the ball joints I mentioned above as well. I have pretty much always used Moog or Napa suspension parts until this last experience. I did go ahead with the Moog upper ball joints though.

 

What's been said - if you can - shop for new old stock on the bay. You can price shop a part there as well - compare price and shipping. Some folks find stuff at an estate sale and will list it cheaper than my a resale guy making a living at it. There's one guy on here that needs to get of his ass and start listing some of that stuff !

 

I saw lot of front end parts for my car at Rock Auto identified by a legacy Ford part number. Brake parts too. The number was on everyone's box, no matter who made them. Napa, they used to be top notch, almost any part of theirs I put on my Ford, I had to replace it.

 

See that makes me feel better about being confused .

 

The question is are you less confused now?

 

I have to go with the NOS eBay stuff if I can find it. While replacing a tie rod on a 68 ot car a few weeks ago I ordered a Moog piece from my local parts store. It came in the next day and I opened the box right in front of the counter dweeb, it was not threaded!! The guy asked me if should be threaded Then he wanted to charge me a restocking charge cause he had to send it back!! Guess where I told him to put his junk part and his restocking fee

 

Heck no !!!!

 

I buy NAPA parts for my daily.....ball joints, CV joints, tie rods and ends. Have had no problems.