Best Aftermarket Steering/Suspension Component Brand???

[AdmiralYoda]

Replacing the steering and suspension components in the front end of my 1987 Toyota 4Runner with IFS suspension. All of it. New upper and lower control arms (ball joints pre-installed), inner/outer tie rod ends, pitman arm, idler arm, etc.

Toyota still makes a couple parts but they are stupid expensive. I'll be going aftermarket but don't want trash, I want the good stuff. Problem is...who makes the good stuff these days?

Not too long ago I would have gone with Moog but I've had some issues with parts in the past few years and the internet seems to agree. Not sure if it is still a problem.

Moog
Dorman
Mevotech Supreme (not the standard line)
Centric
ACDelco

Thoughts?

 

[Nukeman7]

Although they only offer a limited selection of Toyota suspension parts, if they have what you need, SANKEI 555 are higher quality than all of the brands you listed. Only Toyota OEM is better than SANKEI 555. While their website looks like something from the '90's, the best selection will be through PartsGeek.com.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Replacing the steering and suspension components in the front end of my 1987 Toyota 4Runner with IFS suspension. All of it. New upper and lower control arms (ball joints pre-installed), inner/outer tie rod ends, pitman arm, idler arm, etc.

Toyota still makes a couple parts but they are stupid expensive. I'll be going aftermarket but don't want trash, I want the good stuff. Problem is...who makes the good stuff these days?

Not too long ago I would have gone with Moog but I've had some issues with parts in the past few years and the internet seems to agree. Not sure if it is still a problem.

Moog
Dorman
Mevotech Supreme (not the standard line)
Centric
ACDelco

Thoughts?

Stay away from all of those

 

[kschachn]

I have the same issues for my old Toyota. The only brand I trust without question is Sankei 555 but they don’t make everything as Nukeman7 notes above. For the rest I just pick what seems reasonable on RA.

 

[crashz]

I have been severely disappointed in Moog when I did the same for my old CRV. Replaced all front end components in one shot. 6 months later it wouldn't pass inspection due to a failed ball joint. A year later, tie rod ends, even with regular greasing.

I hope Mevotech is better (ball joints are in one of my trucks). But yeah, its hard to find quality parts that you can trust your life with.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

Although they only offer a limited selection of Toyota suspension parts, but if they have what you need, SANKEI 555 are higher quality than all of the brands you listed. Only Toyota OEM is better than SANKEI 555. While their website looks like something from the '90's, the best selection will be through PartsGeek.com.

Thanks man, I'll check partsgeek out. I've always been a RockAuto fanboy.

So partsgeek doesn't have any Sankei 555 parts listed for my application, but if I go to Partsouq.com I have plenty. Prices are comparable to Rockauto/Partsgeek prices.

Partsouq.com is a weird name for a website but you can enter your VIN and look at exploded OEM views of the parts diagrams. Click on the part and it will show you the Toyota OEM part number, price and where stock is available. They also list OEM alternatives, Sankei 555 being one of them.

I'll probably buy Sankei 555 where I can, and go with Moog or Mevotech Supreme where I can't.

 

[D60]

I put some Beck Arnleys in a '93 4Runner that impressed me solely because the boot had a purge nipple for grease to escape when servicing. But B/A is questionable now, although you might be able to find old stock that wasn't made in China? Maybe?

AFAIK the vehicle died a few mos later so can't speak to actual quality of the joint. Helpful, eh? But seriously, the boot design was killer -- assuming you want greaseable at all.

 

[LazyDog]

Sankei 555, I just install their ball joints in the Honda CRV: They look nice

 

[VolvoZ]

Partsouq.com is a weird name for a website

Roughly translated, the name means “Parts Market”. “Souk” or Souq/Suq and other similar spellings refer typically to Middle Eastern markets or bazaars. Like an outdoor flea market.

An example of such a market is the Sukiennice, located in the Main Market Square in Krakow, Poland. It is a significant historic shopping destination in Kraków, and considered one of the world's oldest shopping malls.

History and etymology aside, this is a good discussion about the latest in suspension parts quality that needs to be refreshed frequently due to the accelerating pace of (often negative) change in the marketplace.

As a data point, my last Honda suspension upgrade was to replace a front LCA with a Metrix Premium Brand (Turkish made). It included the bushings and ball joint. Looked very well built and has served well for the last 18 months/13K miles.

 

[Chris142]

The American made lower ball joints I put in our FJ and greased often didn't last long at all.. maybe 30k.

 

[nthach]

They all aren’t great compared to OE. I’d gamble with Delphi, 555, or even play the Moog lottery. But in this case, it might be better to hit up the FLAPS(not the parts house) and get whatever has a “lifetime warranty”.

 

[John105]

I’ve used all of the products listed except Dorman. And when suspension comes to mind I always think Bilstein. Only had 1 set of B6’s and they were awesome.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Thanks man, I'll check partsgeek out. I've always been a RockAuto fanboy.

So partsgeek doesn't have any Sankei 555 parts listed for my application, but if I go to Partsouq.com I have plenty. Prices are comparable to Rockauto/Partsgeek prices.

Partsouq.com is a weird name for a website but you can enter your VIN and look at exploded OEM views of the parts diagrams. Click on the part and it will show you the Toyota OEM part number, price and where stock is available. They also list OEM alternatives, Sankei 555 being one of them.

I'll probably buy Sankei 555 where I can, and go with Moog or Mevotech Supreme where I can't.

Napa carries Sankei 555 if there's one near you. You may have to special order.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Sankei 555, I just install their ball joints in the Honda CRV: They look nice

Same here

 

[SC Maintenance]

At that age my guess is all the cheap parts - Dorman, SKP, Moog, mevotech etc are likely all made at the same factory in China.

Your kind of at their mercy at this point. Probably whatever is cheapest. If there all the same I would likely attempt Mevotech. I haven't used anything AC Delco since I owned a GM - but if there not made in China that would be worth an attempt.

 

[lbhsbz]

If you can get the "good" moog stuff, it works well IF you grease it periodically. Moog has gotten a bad name lately not because the parts are trash, but because they have sintered metal bearings in their rod ends/ball joints/etc that require periodic service, while the OE parts in many cases are sealed and use delrin bearings, so nobody even bothers looking for things to grease on a Toyota because there usually aren't any. Sankei 555 is OK, not great. They tend to use metal on metal without a sintered bearing (ball stud directly bearing on the forged housing) in parts that see a significant load (lower ball joints in this case) that also require periodic servicing.