XRF vs. MOOG Ball joints
Legend
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,914
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg, Virginia
For all 4 joints XRF is cheaper than Duracrap. Also seems to be made better.
Main thing that got me was the same part number thing. I researched a little last night and couldn't find a connection between the two except for the part number. Thats why I'm thinking its just universal.
Main thing that got me was the same part number thing. I researched a little last night and couldn't find a connection between the two except for the part number. Thats why I'm thinking its just universal.
And I'm willing to believe that XRF are better made then DuraCrap, but once the old riveted one's are gone in the event I have to replace them, all I gotta do is unbolt and replace. For $50 each with lifetime replacement, I'd be ok having to replace them in 2 or 3 years, provided they honor their replacement warranty.
Also I'm only running 2wd
so there isn't all that added stress of 4x4 use on them 
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Record Breaker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
Well, from what I have heard Duralast ball joints are made by Rabestos. True or not I dont know. Make you wonder, Rock Auto has Rabestos for $7. Does Autozone repackage $7 ball joints and sell them at $50?
Champion
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,416
Likes: 4
From: Bay Area, CA
The thing about "repackaging" is that it's not the same quality. Some people think that , for example, if raybestos is repackaged as duralast and it's half the price...well that's a no brainer. Buy it, it's raybestos quality. Nope, that's not the case. They outsource a lot of the ball joint making process out to india, china and other countries. Then it comes back to raybestos, they put a dust boot on or something insignificant and sell it to duralast under the raybestos name. Thats just the Ball joints that are sold to other companies. The raybestos Ball joints sold as raybestos are better quality.
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Record Breaker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
Exactly my point. With Moogs quality goin down, and XRF having the same part number, are they "lesser quality" Moogs? I cant find anything saying they're the same company or come from the same place.
I think XRF's will be the choice.
Thanks to all for info.
I think XRF's will be the choice.
Thanks to all for info.
Legend
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,914
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg, Virginia
As far as I'm concerned until something fails or gives you a reason to doubt it's capabilities there's no reason to assume it can't get the job done. And while some of ya'll may of had issue's with "cheaper" parts, so far I've been lucky and have not.
Whether DuraLast ball joints are just cheaper Chinese Reybestos's or not, until they fail I've got no problem with them.
If I had the available funds to spend $320 on ball joints I probably would, other's might be able to price a full set cheaper, I'm thinking the press in style vs. riveted on style has an impact on price too.
Anyways... Enjoy your XRF ball joints!!
Whether DuraLast ball joints are just cheaper Chinese Reybestos's or not, until they fail I've got no problem with them.
If I had the available funds to spend $320 on ball joints I probably would, other's might be able to price a full set cheaper, I'm thinking the press in style vs. riveted on style has an impact on price too.
Anyways... Enjoy your XRF ball joints!!
Champion
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,015
Likes: 8
From: Western NY,
I've always bought Moog and never had a problem, but I've also been reading about a lot of failures lately.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if they did come out of the same place though. Welcome to the age of China outsourcing where about everything is imported from China and a sticker is placed on it with the appropriate company logo.
I did some research for a local article I wrote about a year ago on how affordable winches have become lately and found that of thirteen brands I looked at, nine came from one of two factories in China. You'd also be amazed at how many different brands of shock absorbers are made in Tenneco factories in Asia and re-branded here. I've read posts where guys say how great this shock is and how terrible that one is and they are the same white-bodied, generic shock, made in the same factory with just a different sticker on it...
It wouldn't surprise me at all if they did come out of the same place though. Welcome to the age of China outsourcing where about everything is imported from China and a sticker is placed on it with the appropriate company logo.
I did some research for a local article I wrote about a year ago on how affordable winches have become lately and found that of thirteen brands I looked at, nine came from one of two factories in China. You'd also be amazed at how many different brands of shock absorbers are made in Tenneco factories in Asia and re-branded here. I've read posts where guys say how great this shock is and how terrible that one is and they are the same white-bodied, generic shock, made in the same factory with just a different sticker on it...
I recently thought about all this when I ordered a very heavy duty Xcr brand track bar from ebay for $56 and it had a moog part #
Legend
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 4
From: Austin, TX
Regardless of the brand of ball joints, I never buy the cheapest house brand of hard parts, and I always buy ball joints that can be greased. Now the average non gera head vehicle owner probably does not have their vehicle greased (or any other maintenance performed) on a regualr basis, so sealed joints have some value - for them. But in all the years and all the miles (can't really count the miles, but over 40 years of driving) and all the vechicles, I get longer life out of ball joints with grease zerks than the sealed one.
Moral to the story - get good joints that can be greased - and grease them properly and regularly.....
Moral to the story - get good joints that can be greased - and grease them properly and regularly.....
Legend
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,914
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Regardless of the brand of ball joints, I never buy the cheapest house brand of hard parts, and I always buy ball joints that can be greased. Now the average non gera head vehicle owner probably does not have their vehicle greased (or any other maintenance performed) on a regualr basis, so sealed joints have some value - for them. But in all the years and all the miles (can't really count the miles, but over 40 years of driving) and all the vechicles, I get longer life out of ball joints with grease zerks than the sealed one.
Moral to the story - get good joints that can be greased - and grease them properly and regularly.....
Moral to the story - get good joints that can be greased - and grease them properly and regularly.....