what about other brand stuff than motorcraft?

moog any good? anything else? I do also see ACdelco, which doesn't make bad parts... although, aren't they chevy parts?

they have some other brands listed on rock auto too

 

Moog appears to be the go to brand.

 

might just go ahead and replace all of these......

 

I was checking my Dodge Magnum before a vacation trip and found the tie rod ends needed replacement. I would have ordered Moog from rockauto if I had time but I didn't. I bought the O'reillys house brand because all the local parts stores charged 2 1/2 times as much as rockauto for the Moog tie rod ends. The house brand was about the same as rockauto moog parts. They are probably made in the same chinese factory.

 

you MAY look at the upper ball joints on the "new" upper control arm assemblies. I see NOW they make them replaceable....only on AFTERMAKET UCA's

 

So...... looking @ stuff, I think I want the greasable Moog Problem solvers, it's $50 an upper arm....

 

So what about mevotech? They look decent. Oe is more expensive, but the other stuff seems decent. Heck, even the cheapest options are better than the poop I have now, lol

What about mcquay-norris?

Upper and lower balljoints/control arms appear good. No boots torn, and passed the 12/6 o clock test with the wheel jacked off the ground via the lower control arm near the tire.

All tie rod boots [inner/outer & left/right] are torn, and appear to have some play, saw the most play in the pitman arm with also torn boots, and a little bit in the idler arm.

Truck does have 35" tires, a lift, and 176k miles. So even just changing them to cheap stuff has to be an improvement

 

ok, ordered... spent $215.67 from rockauto

all moog problem solver

left/right, innet/outer tie rods, and sleeves

pitman arm, and idler arm 2.5" holes

 

Have you checked the lower ball joints for slop....would be a damn shame to get it half way apart and discover they are toast....plus you really need everything together to determine if they are sloppy

 

Yeah. I did check. Checked the uppers and lowers first. I mentioned that at the beginning of that post.

 

ok, so........ right inner and outer tie rods are on......

idler arm is removed....

the joint on the pitman arm to drag link is floppy, definitely the main source of my play

pitman arm will not come off the shaft! tried to cut into it like some youtube vids, and I ground into my finger...... scared to use the grinder at this point..... my finger is pretty chewed up

loosened the box, tossed an arm puller on it, started bending the jaws...... been soaking it like crazy with wd40.....

not sure what to do now... I contacted a mobile mechanic, and he said if it is seized, I will need to remove the box to avoid damaging it (which is actually what the fsm shows)

ugh!!!!!!

 

Use a penetrating oil such as Liquid Wrench or Kroil. WD40 is not a penetrating oil.

 

Will try to pick up some of that up after work or pb blaster

 

I had another thought on this. After spraying it with penetrating oil, put the puller on it and leave it over night under tension. If that doesn't work, wipe off the penetrating oil and heat it with a propane torch. Propane torches are inexpensive.

 

Ok, I guess I can try that before I just give in and pull the dang box.....

I was reading though, and lots of people said not to use the torch as I could damage the seals.

I do have a nice torch, haha, it is connected to a camping propane bottle