Moog vs OEM Hyundai lower control arms?

[Accent Abuser]

My front suspension has been creaking and popping for quite some time and I'm fairly certain it's worn control arm bushings/lower ball joints. No funny steering, tire wear, or handling issues so it's mostly been an annoyance. They seem fairly easy to replace, but my question is should I go OEM or aftermarket like Moog? The price is nearly identical but the OEM ones have been creaking and popping since about 60,000 miles (165,000 now) so I question their quality.

Vehicle is a 2016 Hyundai Accent for those who don't know. Front strut assemblies we're both replaced at ~90k so I know it's not the source of the noise.

 

[oilcandave]

Poke a bung hole in the ball joints boot and squirt in some spray grease or just oil and see if the noise changes.

I'd pick the one with a grease fitting

 

[Imp4]

I always pick OEM if they're price competitive. Looks like that's the case here.

Sure there may be a level of unknown with the quality but OEM is much better than Moog any day

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Hyundai OEM is actually cheaper than Moog on Rock Auto

Also, your new struts have 75k on them now, so even if they're not the problem now, that's something to be aware of
and when you do replace them, Rock Auto has Mando quick struts, which are the actual OE parts.

 

[Hyundai Respecter]

My old Elantra had an annoying creaking sound mostly heard when backing out of my driveway or going over speed bumps. I had to replace the struts, sway bar end links and ball joints anyway, but that didn’t take care of this particular creaking. I then decided on replacing the control arms. No difference. Then I replaced the sway bar bushings, and that solved my problem. It was also when I discovered my subframe was rotting away, but Hyundai on “good will” replaced that for free.

 

[atikovi]

The price is nearly identical but the OEM ones have been creaking and popping since about 60,000 miles (165,000 now) so I question their quality.

1) So why didn't you get them replaced under warranty?
2) If you're looking at anything Moog from China, it will go bad well before 60,000 miles.
3) OEM or Auto 7.

 

[The Critic]

The aftermarket ones are low quality. Bushing stiffness can differ from OE, the ball joints are poor quality, etc. You’d be lucky if the aftermarket stuff lasted 30K sometimes.

Buy dealer for this item if you can afford it.

 

[Accent Abuser]

Well I jacked up the car today because the noise all a sudden got worse and the drivers side ball joint is bad, boot is torn and grease leaking out, rubber bushings look cracked too. Ordered Duralast from AutoZone since I don't feel comfortable driving the car with a bad ball joint and shipping from rock auto is slow. At least if they fail they have a lifetime warranty.

For those asking why I didn't get the noise checked under warranty, the b2b warranty is only 36k, and everything else stops at 60k since I bought it used.

No rotting subframe, entire chassis looks brand new and rust free, it gets a daily undercarriage wash any time salt is put on the roads.

 

[Accent Abuser]

Hyundai OEM is actually cheaper than Moog on Rock Auto

Also, your new struts have 75k on them now, so even if they're not the problem now, that's something to be aware of
and when you do replace them, Rock Auto has Mando quick struts, which are the actual OE parts.

OEM struts sucked, they were fine on the highway but on the pothole ridden roads of Mass it was like driving on a trampoline. Even with 75k on the new struts (autopart international pro strut) I much prefer their ride quality and handling.

 

[atikovi]

For those asking why I didn't get the noise checked under warranty, the b2b warranty is only 36k, and everything else stops at 60k since I bought it used.

Unless it has changed for 2016, the powertrain warranty was 10yr/100k for the original owner, then 5yr/60k bumper to bumper for next owners.

 

[Accent Abuser]

Just wanted to update that both lower arms have been replaced. All noises are gone, car feels brand new going over bumps, and the drivers side ball joint was scary looking. All bushings cracked and coming away from the steel inserts. Can't even be mad at Hyundai, that's over 165,000 miles of some of the worst maintained roads in the country, wonder they even lasted this long.

Took me two days, a ride to AutoZone from my neighbor for a rental ball joint puller, and a whole bunch of muscle.

I attached pictures of the old ones. 'Scuze the pile of mail.

 

[PoorMans180SX]

Just replaced some ball joints and tie rod ends on a 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe, and boy were the oem parts not impressive. One ball joint was totally gone and the other tie rod end had play. Screw having to get underneath my car and grease up stuff though, I buy whichever brand has the best warranty and is sealed up the best. The cheapo brands have plastic races. For the Sante Fe it was Mevotech, which I've installed on several cars with zero issues.

 

[Accent Abuser]

Just replaced some ball joints and tie rod ends on a 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe, and boy were the oem parts not impressive. One ball joint was totally gone and the other tie rod end had play. Screw having to get underneath my car and grease up stuff though, I buy whichever brand has the best warranty and is sealed up the best. The cheapo brands have plastic races. For the Sante Fe it was Mevotech, which I've installed on several cars with zero issues.

Yep, I think the actual ball joint is good and the steel/paint job is good (no rust or bent parts despite extreme salt/potholes) but the rubber is garbage, very obviously dry rotted. Drove around 200 miles today on the Duralast parts. They're quiet and ride/handle very well. No complaints so far. Lifetime warranty is definitely a plus since I plan on keeping the car forever, but I really hope I don't have to do that job again, it was a royal pain in the arse getting all those bushings lined up and bolted in.

Also, I may have damaged my driver's side CV boot with all the hammering and prying I did attempting to get the ball joint out before I realized it wasn't happening without a puller. Fender well and wheel is covered in greenish black moly grease

 

[Jetronic]

The wishbones are easy to do once you figure it out, near impossible when you do it wrong. But I think you figured it out now.

 

[Accent Abuser]

The wishbones are easy to do once you figure it out, near impossible when you do it wrong. But I think you figured it out now.

There's really no good way to do it you just have to wrestle it in.

 

[Kruse]

There's really no good way to do it you just have to wrestle it in.

I haven’t purchased any Autozone parts for ages, so I gotta ask. Did you catch the country of origin on what you installed?

 

[Pelican]

Well I jacked up the car today because the noise all a sudden got worse and the drivers side ball joint is bad, boot is torn and grease leaking out, rubber bushings look cracked too. Ordered Duralast from AutoZone since I don't feel comfortable driving the car with a bad ball joint and shipping from rock auto is slow. At least if they fail they have a lifetime warranty.

For those asking why I didn't get the noise checked under warranty, the b2b warranty is only 36k, and everything else stops at 60k since I bought it used.

No rotting subframe, entire chassis looks brand new and rust free, it gets a daily undercarriage wash any time salt is put on the roads.

It wouldn't have been covered under warranty anyway. Those boots are consumabe and problably someone drove over something that tore it apart. (happened to me) Once the boot is torn there is no easy fix, but a complete replacement of the boot and if caught "Early" no damage to the ball joint, but if not one gets what you have.

 

[Silver]

Is this supposed to be a funny meme?

 

[Rmay635703]

I have a 2001 2wd Dodge 1500 v8, my front end has started this at 83,000 both the OEM and MOOG are both ass for reliability, my whole front end is rusty and will need the works (control arms, inner/outer, wheel ends, discs and bearings ) and while being expensive I’m told I might only get a year out of them.
Mechanic says to ignore the problem until I start getting abnormal tire wear and keep an eye on it since the aftermarket parts are worse than my worn front end.

My father did a whole 2wd front end in the early 2k’s cost $150 and it was heavy duty parts (bigger, heavier, stronger) than OEM

*** Happened to HD replacement parts?

 

[PoorMans180SX]

I have a 2001 2wd Dodge 1500 v8, my front end has started this at 83,000 both the OEM and MOOG are both ass for reliability, my whole front end is rusty and will need the works (control arms, inner/outer, wheel ends, discs and bearings ) and while being expensive I’m told I might only get a year out of them.
Mechanic says to ignore the problem until I start getting abnormal tire wear and keep an eye on it since the aftermarket parts are worse than my worn front end.

My father did a whole 2wd front end in the early 2k’s cost $150 and it was heavy duty parts (bigger, heavier, stronger) than OEM

*** Happened to HD replacement parts?

rockauto.com my friend.