Moog vs toyota OEM ball joints

Just curious if anyone has actually done a comparison. Are the OEM's actually any better, and for that matter, are the OEM's any better than the originals that broke before I ever changed a timing belt?

I seriously lost a ton of respect for toyota over this. (Small T, not enough respect for a capitol T.) Ball joints should outlast a damned timing belt.

 

I installed Moog lower ball joints and no problems, although I have fewer than 10K miles on them thus far. I like them for the simple fact that they have grease zerks. I haven't heard any bad reports so hoping they last a while. So far... so good.

 

I’m a big fan of using Toyota parts but Moog is very good. They have a line specifically called Problem Solver that is all parts that “fix” problems with oem parts.

 

With aftermarket parts you don't always get the QC that you'd like to have. Most of the brands you buy from online stores are just branded by companies, not manufactured by them.

Moog seems to have good quality control. I run their problem solver line of ball joints on my Element, it is a much stronger design than the factory part. I run Toyota ball joints in my Tundra because I have comfort in the quality. I would run Moog without real concern. I previously ran Raybestos (rebranded Sankei 555) and they lasted a few years without a problem. When I replaced them they had no noticeable wear.

There is a lot of fear of aftermarket lower ball joints among the first gen community. To me it is safer to go Toyota than take a gamble on most aftermarket, but if you're going aftermarket then go Moog or Sankie 555 if you can find them.

 

I went with moog K series lower ball joints. They were made in Japan 555 ball joints with grease fittings.

I paid $140 for both the moog ones compared to $450 Toyota oem ball joints (Canadian gouge pricing)

I’ll report back on this forum IF they ever fail but the quality appears to be very good on the moogs.

 

I went with OEM LBJ’s and JBA Off-road UCA with their ball joints. Many people on the first Gen tundra FB group have had issues running Moog or any other brand ball joint. There is also a FB group called “Toyota LBJ Failure Support Group” that is bound to have some good info. I think I probably would have been fine with Moog’s but I opted for OEM so I did not have to worry about it. Paid $180 for the set from Mcgeorge Toyota.

 

Yeah, I’m all Toyota for my Ball joints. Tacoma’s Tundra and 4Runners.

Moog is crap in my book. No QC and made in many different factories.

 

I used OEM LBJs ($117/ea @ McGeorge. There's a better deal if you buy them both at once, but I did not). I felt perfectly fine using Moog for the inner and outer tie rod ends. I have an 04 AC, which had its original LBJs replaced under the recall.

 

Can’t go wrong with OEM. Most of the time, the cost is more. With Toyota Parts Programme, the parts costs are very reasonable. Pay a little more and not worry about it for a long time.

 

I’m on my 3rd set of OEM lower ball joints @ 235k miles. 1st set were replaced under the Toyota recall at 75k miles. 2nd set maybe 150k?? Third set…don’t remember without pulling out my invoices if I can find them.

 

I'm curious, what happened? Did your original ball joint snap and drop your truck?

How many miles on your truck? Is it lifted? Is it rusty?

 

Yeah, both right ones popped out right in front of my driveway (Thank God) 2000, 111,000 miles, rust free non lifted GA truck. Bought (4) upper and lower Moog off of Amazon for $165 and (2) lower OEM's off of ebay for around $175 w tax. Will most likely go with Moog tops and OEM bottoms. Hopefully the OEM's are a correction of a bad original design. BTW, tow truck operators all wanted $150 to move it 75ft. So I lifted it w a jack and drove it in quite carefully ;-)

 

@bmf4069

 

How does that happen?

I got 250k out of my 06’ granted the boots were gone and they where clunking horrible, but they didn’t break.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/drivers-side-left-ball-joint-failure.89256/

 

I got a lbj from oriley installed 2 weeks and, you guys got me thinking

 

Pretty sure they corrected it by 2006. I read earlier models were recalled, yet the 2000 was not. Doesn't make a damned bit of sense. Toto probably had deaths associated with them and they didn't want to admit fault? Maybe the emperor's son was the Toto engineer behind it? As Maverick says, "It's one of life's mysteries Sir."

 

Posted today:

 

Was it a cheap ball joint?

 

Owner wouldn’t specify, just said it wasn’t OEM per his comment.

 

I'm on Moogs. about 45k miles on them. The grease zerks on them wouldn't take grease when fully tightened down. Had to work them a little bit. They are quiet and work great now.

 

I ended up with OEM's on the bottom, Moog tops and tie rods. All for around $330 after the alignment. Slight fender damage was reworked enough that you barely notice it. Steers like a new truck, good for now. Thanks for the feedback

 

That's lame.