I have 300,000 miles on my truck and it looks like the ball joints are
going. What is the best aftermarket brand I should get? I don't want chinese aftermarket stuff unless there is no alternative.

Also, I just got new tires so I want to replace the shocks. What kind do you recommend? I have no problem with Monroe, but was looking at Bilstein shocks.

What do you recommend?

Regards,
Larry

 

Motorcraft (Ford's aftermarket brand) or Moog. Dana/Spicer is also excellent, but can be hard to find.

 

Looks like Moog and Dana Spicer make both shocks and ball joints.

Never heard of these guys before now.


Thanks,
Larry

 

Dana are the people that made your front axle (if you have a 4x4) - they don't get much better than that. Spicer is one of their more common alternate brands, as it were.

Moog is pretty much the top name for aftermarket suspension parts not from the OEM maker.

 

Another recommendation for Moog.

 

Moog's quality has dropped to the point they are not the best like they once were. I did steering and suspension almost exclusively the last 15 years I was a tech and watched them go from the best to "what the heck". They are now made in China.

Use Raybestos (Spicer), NAPA Gold (Spicer), or Motorcraft if you want them to last.
Lots of posts all over the web about how Moog has dropped the ball.

 

The Moogs I bought to redo my suspension this past year were all made in the US, Canada or Mexico. Not China. Perhaps they got the message.

Either way, reject any brand suspension part made in China. Also, Raybestos switched suppliers again, they're using Chinese stuff a lot more and what isn't Chinese certainly isn't Spicer.

 

Moods quality is CRAP in the last 15 years.

They went with the cheaper quality to be "competitive" yet still are expensive for what you are getting.

I would go with the Spicer parts or XRF

 

Dana/Spicer is extremely easy to find. All you have to do is go to any Napa store and ask for their Napa Chassis Parts (NCP) line.
I rebuilt my whole front suspension and steering system on my Bronco last year. They're really good quality.

 

Whatever you get make sure it's greasable. Maybe all the aftermarket ones are, maybe not, but I always look for a grease zerk on them since I don't like non-serviceable things.

 

at this point in time, youre wasting your money and effort by getting anything but spicer.


ive been down the moog road years ago and found it to be a waste of time. . .they were a solid viable option at one point but unfortunately, like many other U.S. manufacturing companies, they've succumb to the ole "cheapen up or close it down" disease thanks to the poor business environment we've allowed to fester for the last 30 years.


the sealed spicers are phenomenal in quality, and unless you push your parts through mud, are the best option in my experience.

 

So where are the Spicer joints made?

Edit: I just read from the messages: Spicer is made in the US.

Regards,
Larry

 

Yeah, great! I have a heavy duty Dana front end. So that's good news.

Are the Bilstein shocks going to be too much shock for my truck. I don't do much off-roading?

Thanks for all your replies people. I really appreciate it.

Regards,
Larry

 

I reject any parts made in China or Mexiho. I know there are real European/American companies that can easily top anything China makes. Why support these countries anyway.

That's our government's job

Regards,
Larry

 

Yeah, I don't know what I would do with all that extra time not crawling under my truck with grease gun in hand. Seriously, I like knowing there is grease in those fittings so I want a zirk.

Regards,
Larry