Discrediting something made in Taiwan or China is a bit ignorant, IMHO. The problem isn't over there, it's HERE.

 

I vote for MOOG also. I don't think the stock ones are greaseable.

 

I got 182K out of the originals. I bought the Moog greasables a couple of months ago and put them in (both sides, upper and lower). They are broken in now (186K) and I love them. I grease them every oil change. My upper ball joints came with the 90* zerk in the box with the joint. I had to grind the slightest bit off for them to fit in the yoke so that they wouldn't rub, but other than that everything fit great. I considered XRF, but could find very little feedback so I went with Moog like so many others. I hope to match the originals and get 180K out of them...

 

I think that has to do with driving conditions. We have (4) 99-03 super duties at out shop. All of them diesels. Two of them with snow plows. Other then one of the trucks with a plow, all of outs went above 150k. Mine werent somewere untill around 175k. I put OEM ones back in mine and the early 99. Second choice. Moogs.

You may have noticed a plug that should have also came. What you do, is install the knuckle, grease the upper joint, and removed the grease fitting, and install the plug in its place. (Before you put the axleshaft back in place.) Unless your the religious greasing type. I never really grease mine, and they last long enough haha.

 

Thinking that far ahead didn't happen. I threw the zerks in there ASAP and installed everything. I looked for those plugs, but I could only find one. Definitely a bonehead move, but with the new stubbier zerks and minimal filing, no problems. I try to grease everything during oil changes.

 

I was just basing off my experience of 50k for a set of OEM ball joints. The last set of OEM's went 52k and I know of three others in my town that couldn't get more than 50-60k. This time I put in Napa's premium with lifetime warranty, so I am hoping to get better than OEM's.

 

Like I said, I think it has alot to do with how the truck is used. I know the one 02, had alot of ball joint trouble, that the dealer had been fixing under warrenty pretty early. But I think its because that truck had a bad set, and they would replace individual ball joints at a time. Not even both on one side.

 

That's why I waited until one of them was pretty much done, then I bought all 4 and spent a couple of days to do it only once!

 

At Napa, they don't specify premium or describe the construction of their ball joints Just say the Ore expensive ones are better

Any body have a part number or other way to identify the premium ball joints that have the Kevlar pad with grease grooves?

The ones they showed me are 260-1248 upper and 260-1395 lower. It does say made in Taiwan all over

Any tips? I know this is an old thread but it's a timeless topic.

 

 

 

 

If you don't want to worry about them ever again, and you have the extra cash, then the USA made Dynatracs. BTW- unlike China, Taiwan is actually known decent metallurgy.

 

 

Forget Moog their quality has gone downhill, I vote Spicer for ball joints, that's what OEM uses.