Parts Brands

[blazinlow89]

I will first say that I chose the lifted forum only because I will be installing the lift during my front end rebuild.

So far on my list:

Front and Rear Sway bar endlinks (Mevotech w/ zerk fittings)
Front sway bar bushings (Prothane)
Upper and Lower ball Joints (either Mevotech or similar w/ Zerks)
Upper control are bushings (will also do the UTA flip)
Lower control arm bushings
New strut mounts (KYB)
New Tie rod ends inner and outer (Delco or similar, not cheap brand)
Front Hub Assembly (timken)

Bilstein HD front struts and still debating on the rear shocks.

I will also be installing Marks 2.5" lift

Now for the actual question, I have seen posts in the past about Mevotech. The only real complaint I have seen is that the boots can move around. Now For the LCA I am debating between either buying the entire assembly, or overhauling the individual components. Now for this I am looking at 2 options either the Mevotech ones which run about $119, or the Dorman ones which run for about $93. Can anyone comment on either? I have used Dorman in the past for other vehicles, but not for anything like ball joints/LCA.

Thanks for input.

 

[Sparky]

If you're doing ball joints and bushings it would be a heck of a lot easier to just get an entire lower arm. Possibly upper too. Personally I think the cost would be worth it if you're not on too tight of a budget.

I've always been happy with my Moog stuff (ball joints, bushings, etc). Not had any issue with Dorman but I've not had any experience with their ball joints. Or maybe they use another brand joint on their arms? Not sure.

Personally I'm not too keen on Mevotech from some reports so I'd tend to shy away from them myself.

Are your inner tie rods worn? If not, I wouldn't bother with them. I still have stock inners and I'm at 183k. Outers I have replaced (Moog again).

 

[c0a8l0v6i8n9]

Mevotech is garbage stay away

 

[blazinlow89]

If you're doing ball joints and bushings it would be a heck of a lot easier to just get an entire lower arm. Possibly upper too. Personally I think the cost would be worth it if you're not on too tight of a budget.

I've always been happy with my Moog stuff (ball joints, bushings, etc). Not had any issue with Dorman but I've not had any experience with their ball joints. Or maybe they use another brand joint on their arms? Not sure.

Personally I'm not too keen on Mevotech from some reports so I'd tend to shy away from them myself.

Are your inner tie rods worn? If not, I wouldn't bother with them. I still have stock inners and I'm at 183k. Outers I have replaced (Moog again).

My budget is about $750 total, I can stretch if need be. So far I am at $232 with both front wheel hubs (MOOG, bought local).

I seem to remember Roadie using the Mevotech LCA's, but I am also looking to see if anyone has used/had issue with the Dorman ones. Like you I have used them for some things but nothing of this extent.

Cheap grease boots I can deal with, as long as I can replace the grease then I will be happy. The Mevotechs are a lot less than the MOOGs, but only about $1-2 less than the OE Delco's. I would think that the joint would last longer being serviceable. Hell I got 130k out of the set so far, just have the clunking noise right now. I am not so worried about the end links, as they are cheap and fairly simple to replace. My passenger side one is bent, most likely from the guy pushing me into the curb.

Mevotech is garbage stay away

Based on, personal experience or word of mouth? Or just straight up parts bashing?

Edit: Scratch the Dorman's, looking at some reviews from other vehicles has swayed my mind. Might go into Autozone and compare the Mevotech ones to the MOOG and Raybestos to see if I notice any huge differences.

 

[Mooseman]

Here's my personal experience with Mevotech. They are made in China and it shows. Had a new tie rod that was cracked in a critical area and I had lower balljoints that after they were installed, the boots would not stay on the balljoint itself. Tried pushing them back down and they just wouldn't stay put. Called Mevotech and they didn't care about the lack of quality, especially the tie rod. A real company would have been all over this to catch the defect and rectify the problem but not Mevotech. They just said to return it to the retailer (in my case, Rockauto) but that would have cost me more than a new one locally. Even though it is a Canadian company, I have yet to find a local retailer that carries them.

YMMV but I stay clear of them. What you should look for is how the joint is sealed. This is where Moog fails in that it's just a rubber cup over the joint where some of it can open at the extreme range of motion or at a link point. Others have a positive sealing ring or completely sealed to keep contaminants out.

View attachment 30156

 

[Sparky]

Yeah I don't particularly care for the non-captive boot on the Moog links but it hasn't been an issue yet. The links never flex to the extreme enough to open the boot that I've noticed.

 

[Mooseman]

It's not just links but tie rods as well, although not on our platform.

 

[blazinlow89]

It's not just links but tie rods as well, although not on our platform.

Thanks Mooseman that was the type of info I was looking for. Based on what I have been reading and other input I might just buy the ball joints and bushings and rebuild the stock ones. It may be more time consuming but will save me money in the long run.

Like I said the end links are not a huge deal to me as they can easily be replaced and are cheap. Being serviceable is one thing I do want however. Im more worried about the ball joints being of sound design, as well as serviceable. I will be getting Deeza or Moog end links however.

So far for the LCA's need 3 bushings, and the ball joint from the parts I have found. Total price for parts about $65 each.

 

[blazinlow89]

This is more for reference than anything.

Found urethane bushings for the front, same link in the "Prothane Bushing" thread that ieatglue posted, but they changed the part number.

Prothane 7242 - Front Control Arm Bushings. 7242

Adding these to my list of parts.

So far ordered

MOOG front wheel hubs, BDS 5500 rear shocks, Bilstein HD front struts (4600 series I believe), smaller washers for the MarkMC 2.5 lift, and I already had the MarkMC lift kit.

Buying this kit settles in my mind that I will just replace the LCS components. I might also take the set to my uncle to see what he thinks can be done about the alignment issues involved with lifting. He may be able to fabricate sets with longer slot for adjustment (maybe). He would use 7071 T-6 grade aluminum (USA made).

Still have a list of crap to order though.

 

[navigator]

just to add to this, I have seen a few comments recently on offroadtb about the mevotech ball joints not lasting very long.

 

[blazinlow89]

just to add to this, I have seen a few comments recently on offroadtb about the mevotech ball joints not lasting very long.

Thanks, I was skimming through a few threads over there last night and seen some comments about them. I think since I am saving money on the LCA and just replacing the bushings, I will just pay the extra money for better ball joints.

Funny thing is back in my younger days just some random stuff off the shelf was fine, want to say the last balljoints for my s10 blazer cost me like $15-$20 each. Oh I will not miss grinding those rivets down to get the damn things off.

 

[navigator]

Thanks, I was skimming through a few threads over there last night and seen some comments about them. I think since I am saving money on the LCA and just replacing the bushings, I will just pay the extra money for better ball joints.

Funny thing is back in my younger days just some random stuff off the shelf was fine, want to say the last balljoints for my s10 blazer cost me like $15-$20 each. Oh I will not miss grinding those rivets down to get the damn things off.

back then I guess more stuff was made either here in the USA or Japan to better quality standards. I think you can get some good quality out of China but it is a hit or miss.

I remember as a teenager replacing my ball joints and tie rod ends and it running a little over $200 for my nissan pickup from the local NAPA.

 

[blazinlow89]

back then I guess more stuff was made either here in the USA or Japan to better quality standards. I think you can get some good quality out of China but it is a hit or miss.

I remember as a teenager replacing my ball joints and tie rod ends and it running a little over $200 for my nissan pickup from the local NAPA.

I think I was just being a cheap ass, want to say Autozone specials or something.

Question for anyone. Looking at parts on Rockauto and under control arm bushings there are 2 parts one by Raybestos, the other by MOOG. Raybestos says front lower outer part #5651387, MOOG says front lower, at shock part #K200270. Now are these the same parts, or are they different?

Edit: Nevermind, just different wording for the lower strut mount.

 

[jpimp]

The last mevotech I bought was a control arm for a 99 chev blazer.
When the part came in I went to pick it up and the bushings were not pressed into the arm all the way.
I told the parts guy this he said...well...take it home and try it.
So I did, but as you would expect with the bushings not pushed in, they were no where near fitting.
The parts store called mevothech, they said there was no problem.
The parts store ordered three mevotech control arms in for me and they all had bushings not pressed in all the way.
He told me that in the back where they do work they would just hammer the ears on the frame out to fit the new arm.
I said NO WAY am i hammering on the ears.
Bring me in the more expensive dorman\moog,
that one came in perfect and fit right in place.

I will never trust mevotech again.

 

[seanpooh]

I think when it comes do different types of parts, different brands are better than others. For example, Timkens would be the best for wheels hubs, ACdelco for plugs since it's recommended.

I wouldn't choose Moog sway bar links but as for bushings for the upper and lower control arms, can't go wrong. Tie rods... ACdelco or Moog.

Raybestos I wouldn't recommend at all since both their brakes suck and wheel bearings just fail. I had one Mevotech inner ball joint and it already failed.

You really can't go wrong with the ACdelco chassis parts that have grease fittings on them.

I did buy Dorman LCA support brackets instead of pressing out the old bushings. They are still going good and are cheaper as opposed to buying the whole arm. When you go this route, you still have bushings at the lower strut mount.

Also from what I've seen in pictures, if you buy the whole lower control arm with the lower ball joint, there is no grease nipple even on the Moogs. Don't know what happened there.

Those Prothane Front Control Arm Bushings look pretty impressive. Page is bookmarked.

 

[blazinlow89]

Well just bit the bullet and ordered everything. On the list is

Moog Upper and lower ball joints
Deeza sway bar end links front and rear (greaseable stronger version)
Deeza tie rod ends
Moog Lower strut mount bushings
Prothane control arm bushings front upper and lower
BDS 5500 rear shocks
Bilstein HD front struts
KYB strut mounts mounts
MARK MC 1.5" wheel spacers
MARK MC 2.5" lift kit

Next on the list will be all fluids.

 

[jes1888]

So, i'm kinda in the same situation, I need to replace my lower CA's, i prefer the complete set, i mean bracket and ball joints and bushings, however, at amazon i see moog or dorman, which one?

Vehicle is 101,000 miles now, daily driver, basic use, no mountains, rocky terrain, just a lot of highway and few holes in the streets. Waiting for reply, thanks in advance!