so i need all new balljoints. i was pricing stuff out, and found the stuff online. $70 a piece for control arms, $60 a piece for the lower ball joints. dont remember the uppers, but the lowers were Moog. called autozone, they had duralast uppers and lowers for $50 for upper, $30 for lowers. are the duralast good?

 

Nope, they are junk. Don't waste your money on anything other than Moog on your balljoints, unless you enjoy replacing balljoints, in which case I would say you are wierd and that you should go ahead and get the Duralast.

This is not a job you want to do twice. Moog is known in the industry because they research their designs, finding out why the originals failed, and doing it better than OE. I made the mistake of using cheaper ball joints on my van. I ended up replacing them again the following year.

 

thanks! i guess ill stay away from them. what am i suppossed to do about the uppers? moog dosent make a whole upper control arm lol.

 

Yes, they do. I have them on my 97.

Look up application here: Federal-Mogul Resource Center - Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

 

ya right after i posted that i went and looked at rockauto and found them. im a little worried. one website had the moog lowers for $60. is it possible that they have the same ones at rockauto for $30?

 

get the part numbert to compare. I agree with the others moog "problem sover" ball joints are the only way to go........i will use duralast stuff if it is an easy swap.......stuff like BJ get a good part so you dont have to deal with it..........if you have a snapring on the uca you might be able to just swap out the bj.........that would save you from an immediate wheel alignment,........

 

we've been adding a ton of MOOG parts to our site. Here's a link to them for the 97 F150 if you would like to check on pricing.

F150 Ball Joint

 

OO! forgot all about you tony! ill be buying them there!

 

I would do some more research before deciding firmly on Moog parts. I think they used to be a premium products but have slipped under the Federal Mogul umbrella. I found enough compliants out there that I passed on them. I bought Dana/Spicer HD joints from Napa. I think they are the same as Raybestos Professional Grade.

Uppers do not take the beating lowers do. The lowers carry the wieght of the truck, the uppers just locate the spindle. The uppers do not generally wear out as quickly.

I have recently done shocks and lower ball joints. I still have a little noise down there, though it is hugely improved. Seems the idler arm is next, that is where my current, and hopefully last clunk is coming from.

 

even though i recomended the moog parts. I have heard exactly what you just said and i have heard tha tthe spicer products and raybestos are good..as well as trw....

 

Yes, but the Moogs are better than OEM. The Spicers are ok, better than most, but they are not as good as OEM. Trust me, Moogs are the only way to go. You get what you pay for. You pay for less, you get less.