You know Gunny, I liked your earlier responses but now you've just become condescending. Why? I have already said I understand what you're saying. But I don't believe that higher cost means better. If you can show me facts, great, otherwise just keep to yourself. All I wanted here was a simple answer like "yes, I know how to tell you what's best" or "no".

And as far as cheap tie rod ends getting oneself killed, I think you've gone off the deep end. They may wear out and cause tires to wear and steering wheel wobble, but I'd be willing to be they won't fail and cause deaths. So again, if you have nothing of value to offer and think it necessary to talk down to me as though I were a kid, please don't try to help any further.

Thanks.

 

Good stuff and thanks.

 

It's looking more and more like nobody will really know.

volvo, as for your sig . . . my one chevy requires the least maintenance off all the rigs I own. My 4 Fords require constant maintenance. I don't think I'll be dabbling in Fords any longer.

 

Maybe it's all those AutoZone parts wreaking havoc on your Fords (Just kidding! Maybe you'd say it's those NAPA parts).

Last week I bought new brake pads for my '87. NAPA carries three or four grades of pads, starting with their True Stop line and working up to the Adaptive One ceramic pads. The OEM equivalent was about $20 cheaper than the ceramic pads, but was about $20 more than the True Stop pads. In that particular case, the most expensive line most likely wouldn't last any longer or perform any better (except for less brake dust) than the OEM equivalent, which to me wasn't worth the extra cost. I also figure that I got 75000 miles out of the last set of OEM equivalents and had very good performance.

Another example, the NAPA brake rotors/hubs for my 87 had two options. The less expensive option had a larger tolerance for axial runout of +/- .004", while the more expensive option had a axial runout tolerance of +/- .002". The quality of the casting and machining operations is another thing to consider in the overall cost of a part. It's not always the warranty that the higher cost pays for.

As for steering and suspension components, and most other parts for that matter, I would go with a reputable brand. I don't know about AutoZone parts, but most NAPA brand parts are manufactured by a big name company. The wheel bearings I bought last week were manufactured by SKF, a well known name in bearings. The last set of U-joints I got from NAPA were Dana pieces, best I can remember. Wix makes NAPA filters, and so on. Even the OEM pieces are outsourced from somewhere. The difference may be that the OEM holds the parts they sell to a tighter tolerance than the aftermarket would, I don't know.

You may be surprised that several parts stores carry the same parts manufactured by the same company under different names. I can't answer for sure whose part is better, stronger, more reliable, or longer lasting, but often paying slightly more for a brand with a good reputation will save money in the long run.

I hope you find what I've written to be helpful.

 

Thanks Eric. I was just hoping to find some data for the steering parts I need like the tolerance data you had there for your hubs. I don't mind paying the extra money if the part is better. But I've had my fair share of paying more and getting less. When it's only a couple bucks no big deal but in this instance I'm finding a huge disparity in prices.

This is actually for my GMC (not Chevy actually) Suburban. I've had a clunking noise in the front end that has been a bear to find. I've been checking the suspension parts over and over and couldn't find anything. Then I happen to stumble onto the fact that the Pitman arm and idler arm are boh shot and so was an outer tie rod end. All of these things are greasable and I always grease them and have always assumed they were fine which is probably why I couldn' find he problem. Anyway, I rolled over to the PC and hopped on AZ's, Rockauto's, and 1A's website only to find that parts range in price from $10-45 for a Pitman arm, $13-65 for an idler, $7-30 for a tie-rod end so you may understand why I'm sitting here saying "huh?" Seriously, is the $65 idler arm built 5 times better and gonna last 5 times longer than the $13 one? That's just absurd.

Now I've delved in a little further and found that Rockauto has a semi-method for labelling their parts. The cheapos are labeled "service grade", and as the price goes up there is a "professional grade" and at the top of the price food chain are Moog and AC Delco with no "grade" type label. So I called Rockauto and the person I spoke with had nothing to offer. I asked if it was a safe bet to say the more I spend the better the part and her answer was "no, not necessarily." That's why I came here. There's usually someone here who's got the answer. The one guy who said he's bought a lot of parts and has learned what's good and what isn't. I can appreciate that and use it.

So maybe you can appreciate my position. Most of what I got here was "you get what you pay for" or "spend more and don't die" and from Rockauto I get "not necessarily." I was hoping for actual engineering knowledge but if the best I get is lessons learned then I can live with that. I just can't stand condescending aholes that have nothing to offer.

Thanks again.

 

I definitely understand where you're coming from. It's too bad more of this kind of information is not published along with the part listings. I guess the stores figure that kind of information is over the average shopper's head and just try to peddle what earns them the most money, whether that be from an extended warranty or otherwise.

 

No doubt. I don't mind spending an extra couple bucks if the only difference is warranty. But five times the price. I wanna know why.

 

I understand the desire not to pay more for a part if the only difference is the name on the label. I personally hate having to pay for the right to have a particular manufacturer's name on a part that a generic piece would have sufficed, kind of the reason for the aftermarket in the first place. I have had luck with rock auto parts, advanced auto parts, oreilly's, napa, and AZ. I just hate going to AZ because the counter guy often gives some lame reason why I should buy the super iridium encrusted, triple platinum, quadruple electrode super-spark plug for a vehicle that came with regular copper plugs. I got tired of NAPA because I could buy the same manufacturer parts 5 bucks cheaper with alot less attitude at a knock off store that had far more stores than NAPA. I also stopped using the quick oil change shops after a guy tried to sell me an automatic transmission flush for a car that was a 5-spd, and then didnt believe me that the car was a 5-spd. Go with a manufacturer's name you know and trust is probably the best advice.

P.S.--It is only 50/50 on the saying "you get what you pay" as you can pay a billion dollars for a one off POS when a 15 dollar hammer would have done the job.

 

I hear you on the AZ guys being pushers. They didn't used to be that way and I'm getting tired of them to be honest with you. It beats the condescending uppity Napa guys though. I overheard one AZ guy tell another that every sale of his that particular day was a minimum of $20. He was really excited blurting that out. So I think AZ has gone to some sort of commission. Now when I walk up to the counter the young guys always ask if I would like some fuel injector (or other) junk that happens to be on sale that day. They're becoming junk pushers.

 

Newbie at Advance did that to me with some product of the month or whatever, when all I wanted was a pack of 3157 bulbs so I'd have turn signals for the rest of my trip home.

Really, each store is different. And it depends who's in the store on a given day. I like dealing with the New Holland dealership in the next county because the same guys are there every time I go. I think they sleep behind the counter.

There are some guys at the Advance who are great, and some I'd prefer to avoid. AutoZone in the next town is usually decent. A lot of times they'll push an aftermarket part, but only when it's cheaper than the OEM/equivalent, such as when I was shopping for a coil.

I'm partial to NAPA because they don't just do basic cars and trucks, and it's easier for me to find fleet and farm parts.

And, for what it's worth, I've had tie rod ends completely come apart before, with relatively little warning.

 

Thanks Gunny, I'll take that into consideration.

You know, the tie-rod end that I had to replace the other day is one I had to replace once before. I broke it 4-wheelin. Luckily I was with others who took off and brought me back another. It musta been a cheapo cuz it wore out and the other 3 are still OE parts.