I'm hoping to start an informative thread here for anyone to look at over time. I believe a lot of people on here have been burned by moog in recent years. I'm searching out for better suspension parts. I have recently done both my lower ball joints with Napas higher end chassis line. I will report back over time and mileage with my "luck" with these. I read online and found mixed reviews for 3/4 ton and larger but didn't really find complaints for smaller trucks (without the weight of a massive diesel riding on them). Now a question I do have is, to the rare few like Jeeperdon (sorry I don't know how to tag your name) that bought your trucks new. How long did your factory suspension parts last? I need to replace yet another Moog part and I called the stealership and OEM Mopar is cheaper than Napa by $4, but it is special order only. I'm taking a big trip in the Rango soon (other truck will be in the body shop) so I'm making sure the front end is tight.

So if you bought yours brand new, feel free to leave feedback on how many miles/how much time you got out of your Mopar front end.

Also, if you want to leave feedback, good or bad, on an aftermarket company, feel free to do so here on this thread.

I'm sure I'm not the only one frustrated with the never ending process of replacing cheap front end parts. I actually quit taking my truck in for alignments, for two reasons. One, they wouldn't take the time to do their job right, 2, 3,000 miles after an alignment another tie rod end would go and it wasn't worth the money anymore.

Anyway, feel free to post all you want!

 

my 02 had 120k miles on it with the only front end parts replaced being the upper ball joints under recall, they never actually wore out on my truck, but the recall was to replace them. everything else was still factory parts.

 

That's a pretty good testament to OEM parts. I think I'll get my tierod end OEM and see how well it does. Can't complain on the price, $61 OEM, $65 Napa high end. Just have to deal with the parts counter.

 

Me too. Also 120K with all original other than recall uppers after a couple years. After maybe 90K I started to hear some bushing creaking when going slow and twisting (like backing out of my sloped driveway onto flat street). I hit all the bushings with WD-40 and I'm good for another year.

 

afaik the only OEM part that was problematic was the upper ball joints. the rest seemed to be problem free for the expected life of the part.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies. My OEM inner tie rod will be in today or tomorrow. It should be the last time I replace it with IFS. I do plan to SAS the Rango in the future though. But that's so far down the line, I need some front end parts that last for now. I hope my Napa LBJ's last, if not, OEM it is.

Again, thanks to all. I have thoroughly made up my mind on suspension parts now

 

Original control arm bushings at 285K: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-bushings.html

OEM Ball joints replaced a few years ago. Used junkyard uppers and Napa basics lowers...crappy rubber but I had a solution: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-joints-2.html

I also installed Moog end links a few years back. They are greasable and beefier than oem, but I don't recommend them due to the grease nipples making contact with axle/crossmember and falling out. I tried straight vs angled nipple and it still made contact on driver's side when the link pivots (which it does). Better just to get sealed, I think.

 

Well maybe I'll be okay with the Napas. Especially since I got the high end ones. Maybe you got your Moogs right before they made their shift to china or something, not sure but I sure won't buy anything else Moog. I know they used to be good stuff, but I guess all good things have to die at some point. My control arm bushings didn't make it quite that far. Did mine at about 250K, I assume they were original, though I don't know for sure. I can't remember if my end links are greasable or not, will have to check when I get back under there. But I do know I've never replaced them so there's that.

 

Well I got my OEM tie rod in Thursday, haven't had time to even think about getting under the truck to replace it. Ordered it the previous Friday, took quite a while to get it but it's worth it if I don't need to replace it again. Wish I was rich, I'd just order everything new from Dodge and rebuild it then have it aligned.

 

My moog tie rods were ****. The moog ball joints are still ok though.

One thing I can't seem to find a good replacement for lately is CV axles. Ordered some new ones from advance and got 2 bad ones the first time. I put on of the two replacements they sent on the front and after a month I think it's starting to clunk again.