Hi all,

Well, my 2003 F-250 4WD has a squeaky ball joint at 51,000 miles, and that surprises me. I do plow my own driveway and my shop's parking lot, but it's light plowing.

I have been investigating ball joints, and have decided on either Moog or Raybestos (formerly Spicer). The Raybestos joints have a permanently affixed grease boot--the Moogs have a slip on boot. The Raybestos joints have no spring in them to hold tension--the Moogs do. The Raybestos joints come with a lifetime parts & LABOR warranty--the Moogs only have a parts warranty.

I know that people here swear by Moog, but has anyone here used either Spicer or Raybestos ball joints ??? I would like to hear your experience with them. They are both within $1 of each other, so price is no concern.

Check the ball joint video at

http://www.raybestoschassis.com/wps/...l/ball+joints/


RON

 

I just put a bunch of Moog gear on my wife's car today, very good stuff. Some say it's the only way to go for chassis bits, you can't go wrong with Moog.

 

I've always used Moog equipment, the price is worth it for the piece of mind and I've never had any fail. Thats not to say that there isn't comparable parts out there other than Moog. Let us know what you find, I would be curious to know.

 

I've had two moog ball joints fail in a row in the past two years. They are machined with too tight of tolerances and create an issue with the steering. I have switched to raybestos and noticed they were much better quality than the moog joints, and have better "hardware" included with them

. People will claim that moog is made in the USA, they aren't. The box has china printed on it everywhere. If you research the replacement part company "OE" and use the moog lower ball joint part number, you'll find the exact part relabled as an "OE" ball joint for much cheaper. The part number stamping on the base is even in the same exact location.

 

i was talke dout of moog and went with ford parts.

 

I used Motorcraft for the ball joints, tie rod ends, and drag link. The truck feels great now.

 

I was under the impression that Moog had two lines of parts which amounted to foreign and domestic line of parts but maybe I'm mistaken.

 

I have Moog ball joints on for about 16K miles and 3 1/2 years and I'm going to replace them. Why? Because I am having a memory steer issue that I can trace back to the ball joints. They are simply too stiff and never "broke in" properly. I hate the idea of spending $350 on ball joints and seals (again) but the memory steer is significant enough that I have to do something about it.
The replacement ball joints will not be Moog. I thought about using Raybestos but I am going with the Motorcraft ball joints and seals kit from PartsGuyEd.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will go with the Raybestos (Spicer) ball joints. I would normally go with OEM Motorcraft, but they

ARE NOT GREASABLE !!!

That's why they wear out so early.




RON

 

Look at the link I provided. They are indeed Motorcraft and greaseable.

 

Memory steer could also be frozen axle u-joints!

 

I already replaced the drive axle u-joints. Plus I pulled them recently to make sure and they still operate freely and they do. The memory steer is with the ball joints unfortunately.

 

Bummer, a lot of extra work for ya.

 

I'm not a big fan of Moog either I think the Napa Golds are spicer as well and I have had great success with the Napa Gold parts

 

I think my ball joints may be squeeking also. Thought it was the suspension but don't think it is anymore. My truck is an 04' with 49k on it with the original BJ. If there are no slop in the joints I think I'm going to try to add grease fittings to them. No grease fittings pisses me off, if they had grease fittings they would probably last twice as long. If that don't work the better greasable Raybestos from Rock Auto will go on.