Im looking to put in my bj spacers HOPEFULLY in the next week, and in dong so am going to get new upper and lower ball joints. Are the yota bj's THAT much superior to the 'zones? They are like 3x as much....... so if i can save a little scratch itd be nice but I obviously want a part that will last.
Balljoints: oem vs. autozone
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yeah, though against logic, im just gonna go with the az ones for the next 40k (or however many mi, ill keep track) miles and at that point i **should** have more funds on tap. I dont plan on getting rid of this truck EVER, but I WOULD like to pick up a smoother DD (subie sti wagon) possibly in the next 45k mi (3 yrs +-, a LONG TIME) so, when the time and funds are right ill def opt for oem parts, which i would have already done if i werent strapped.
$300 could land me in central america.....
$300 could land me in central america.....
KidVermicious
New member
They'd have to be. I went cheap and bought Duralast when I did mine, and they lasted a year. Autozone replaced them on warranty, but still, I won't make that mistake again.
It doesn't hold true for everything, but with our rigs, go OEM unless you know for sure otherwise.
KidVermicious
New member
The boots are crap, for starters. One of them actually fell off, I don't know when. The other was just cracked and torn is all. I found out when my suspension started creaking and grunting every time it flexed - the joint with the missing boot was dry, and the other was filthy with road dirt and sand.
I'm running OEM from the dealer now.
I'm running OEM from the dealer now.
the_dingman
New member
<= Autozoner now (No more RadioShack)
Duralast parts aren't bad, but Toyota uses some very high quality parts, and as many have said above, looking at how long the parts last vs. how much they cost, it's a simple math comparison.
Now, AutoZone's warranty program is pretty good, so when they fail, you can replace them for free.
Duralast parts aren't bad, but Toyota uses some very high quality parts, and as many have said above, looking at how long the parts last vs. how much they cost, it's a simple math comparison.
Now, AutoZone's warranty program is pretty good, so when they fail, you can replace them for free.
I'd be wary of the Autozone ones. I don't have an Autozone around me, but we do have Oreillys. I bought some lower ball joints for $40 a piece there a couple months back and installed them. Seemed sort of cheap quality, but the price was okay. Brought my truck into my mechanic (independent Toyota only) the next day and they said the ball joints were not to spec. You could see light through where they attached to the control arm. They said to get them off right away because I'd regret it when one failed. I bought Saneki (555) ones from them for $60 a pop and took the others right back to Oreillys.
Also, I am pretty sure Saneki is the manufacturer of Toyota's suspension and steering parts, just without the brand name. Thats what I've been told anyways.
Also, I am pretty sure Saneki is the manufacturer of Toyota's suspension and steering parts, just without the brand name. Thats what I've been told anyways.
