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agon.parts Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010 Posts: 273 Location: Central Coast, CA
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 2:12 pm Post subject: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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Hello All,
I wanted to get a gauge on how long your upper ball joints have lasted, or are lasting?
I swapped the stock ones out approximately 5 years ago with some Moog ones. I went in today to get an alignment since I recently installed a new steering rack, and the Moog ball joints that I had installed were totally worn! I'm a bit surprised.
What are your thoughts?
I have GW 1.5" lift springs with GW ball joint spacers. _________________ Forrest Walker Whitmore
AGON
FREEBIES: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AkqzgREEtE9Aj7poRLxLuW-oGORuiQ?e=eSKThT |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9776 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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forrest.whitmore wrote: |
...I wanted to get a gauge on how long your upper ball joints have lasted, or are lasting?... |
84 Westy, front suspension is stock:
Uppers lasted about 25 years, 250K miles.
Lowers are originals. |
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candyman Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003 Posts: 2694 Location: Missoula MT
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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That is surprising to hear, unless you have a ton of hard miles on them in those 5years. I use lemfoerders and am happy. Never use Meyle, they will wear in short time. Ive had them wear in less then 5k miles before and almost destroy a new set of bfg tires |
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agon.parts Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010 Posts: 273 Location: Central Coast, CA
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 6:29 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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candyman wrote: |
That is surprising to hear, unless you have a ton of hard miles on them in those 5years. |
Some Baja and highways...not a whole lot of hard miles.
Ahwahnee wrote: |
...Uppers lasted about 25 years, 250K miles... |
My stock uppers lasted the same...that's why I'm a bit dumbfounded by the "new" ones wearing out so quickly. _________________ Forrest Walker Whitmore
AGON
FREEBIES: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AkqzgREEtE9Aj7poRLxLuW-oGORuiQ?e=eSKThT |
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Colorado Yeti Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2013 Posts: 356 Location: Ft. Collins, Colorado
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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Yep......used Meyle's when I fully rebuilt my suspension 4 years ago. Approximately 4000 miles later, one of the uppers was thrashed.....absolute utter crap. Just replaced it this last month. Never again. |
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rubbachicken Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2004 Posts: 3058 Location: socal
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:48 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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no matter what the brand, i pull the rubber boots off, and look to see how much.
i always add grease, no matter what the brand.
i'm not a fan of the lifted springs, and ball joint spacers, many are, for free i wouldn't have them.
i would think it's that that may have shortened the life of your ball joints.
my opinion, i'm sure others will disagree _________________ lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182 |
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candyman Samba Trout Slayer
Joined: December 20, 2003 Posts: 2694 Location: Missoula MT
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 7:01 am Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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rubbachicken wrote: |
no matter what the brand, i pull the rubber boots off, and look to see how much.
i always add grease, no matter what the brand.
i'm not a fan of the lifted springs, and ball joint spacers, many are, for free i wouldn't have them.
i would think it's that that may have shortened the life of your ball joints.
my opinion, i'm sure others will disagree |
Im not going to say whether the lift had anything to do with the OP bj problem. However I agree completely about the lift rubba. I've seen first hand too many suspension component problems from gowesty lift springs etc. usually its cv related, very short life due to the stressed angles, but its certainly possibly that lift could tax other components like BJ etc.,,
Good point on adding more grease, cheap insurance |
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agon.parts Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2010 Posts: 273 Location: Central Coast, CA
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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Colorado Yeti wrote: |
Yep......used Meyle's when I fully rebuilt my suspension 4 years ago. Approximately 4000 miles later, one of the uppers was thrashed.....absolute utter crap. Just replaced it this last month. Never again. |
Yea, I've known Meyle to be total crap, but I thought the Moog ones would at least have a long life.
rubbachicken wrote: |
no matter what the brand, i pull the rubber boots off, and look to see how much.
i always add grease, no matter what the brand.
i'm not a fan of the lifted springs, and ball joint spacers, many are, for free i wouldn't have them.
i would think it's that that may have shortened the life of your ball joints.
my opinion, i'm sure others will disagree |
Yea, that definitely may have contributed to the short life. Spot on. Adding more grease seems to be the best bet regardless of brand. _________________ Forrest Walker Whitmore
AGON
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Chainsaw Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2015 Posts: 249 Location: Issaquah Washington
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 5:29 pm Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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Moog has been off the cliff for years, they just dont last anymore. Like so many things they made a name then quality went to pot. _________________ 89 Westy. 2wd. Manual. |
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Yondermtn Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2007 Posts: 609 Location: Illinois
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Viva.Sabata Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2013 Posts: 170 Location: Alaska
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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Moog here. 20k miles and they are moving up and down. Just replaced them with Lemforder from T3. Hope they last longer.
GW 1.5” lift with Burley UCA. Incidentally the Burley heims are moving to and fro. Going back to my stock UCAs with GW ball joint spacers and power flex UCA bushings _________________ Sabata
1987 Westy Full Camper, Peloquin 5-Speed 2wd |
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Steve M. Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 6798 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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dgbeatty Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2006 Posts: 702 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Worn Upper Ball Joint | Moog |
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Some good examples of the tremendous added stresses from lifting the front end and the use of spacers. The only way spacers could be used is if the spacer was between the spindle and the joint, perhaps with a machined forging. _________________ Schau in das Buch |
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