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Recently had my front lower ball joints replaced on my 98 Saturn, and went with Duralast brand control arm / ball joints for $40 per side. This has fixed the issues and knocking sounds from the front suspension.
However, everything I see online says that Duralast ball joints are terrible and typically don't last too long. I could have picked up some Moog ones for just $8 more per side.... but what's done is done for now. What's the consensus on these Duralast parts?
Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to do research ahead of time, but next time I'd go with the moogs without hesitation.
I've also seen some pages which say the Duralast ball joints are actually made by Moog. Anybody know if this has credibility? If so... this might make me feel a little better.
I've also seen some pages which say the Duralast ball joints are actually made by Moog. Anybody know if this has credibility? If so... this might make me feel a little better.
Some are, but depends on the application.
Duralast suspension parts aren't really known for their longevity. If the ball joints came with grease fittings, make sure to give 'em a squirt of fresh stuff every other oil change or so.
I did a search for the Duralast control arm/ball joint assembly part numbers (FA1760 and FA1761) and it looks like McQuay-Norris control arm/ball joint assemblies have the exact same part number. Compared images of them side by side and they look identical. Could it be possible that these Autozone parts are McQuay-Norris parts in a Duralast box??
Duralast is kind of like Sears. They do not make anything. They just market their brand. To know whether anything is any good, you have to figure out who made them and whether their products are any good. With many things, you need to find out whether the particular model is known for having problems. Most companies make some good things and some bad things (Moog included).
My personal perception with such parts is if they fit properly, they are usually good. If you are going to have a problem, it is in
These parts are not complex devices, there are only so many ways they can be made. One company might use cheaper steel, but that would be hard to do because they all use really poor quality steel.
Moog doesn't make Duralast parts. But then, Moog also doesn't make Moog parts.
Moog designs parts. Once they design a part, they reach out to manufacturers around the world to find out who can make the part to their specs and meet their delivery needs for the best price. Sometimes they'll source the same part from multiple places just to make sure they have a backup plan in place in case their primary supplier can't deliver. When you buy a Moog part, you are buying a part that has been specifically made for Moog to their specifications.
Duralast is just a name that Autozone puts on their second-tier parts. They don't design anything, they just copy the designs of first-tier companies and, like Moog, send them out to multiple manufacturers around the world for quotes. Actually, most of the time Autozone/Duralast is dealing with an importer rather than the factories themselves. Typically the specs are relaxed in order to cut costs, which makes buying the product a little bit of a crap shoot. They don't check as many pieces coming off the line so you are more likely to get a part that can't even be installed because some process was missed, or a piece that fails due to a bad casting because an inferior grade of steel was used. On the other hand, you might end up getting a part that was actually made to Moog specs if the factory ran more pieces than Moog was willing to buy and was willing to sell them at a discount.
it all comes down to what are your expectations for the vehicle.
if you plan on keeping it another couple hundred thousand miles, then higher quality parts may have been a better choice.
if you're looking at a modest number of years and miles, the parts may be more than sufficient.
if the overall cost/mile is your primary consideration, it may work out that the parts ... even if they have to be replaced sooner than other parts ... may yet prove to be less expensive in the long run. Or maybe not, depending upon the labor cost and shorter service life.
at this point, only time will tell. The parts are installed and you get to drive it for now.
PS: I've installed a number of duralast suspension parts through the years and have never had a premature failure from them. The only failure I had was the "dogbone" link on a Subaru front sway bar where the end of the plastic link broke off a few weeks after being installed. My initial reaction was that the part was faulty and took the pieces back to the store where they cheerfully replaced it at no charge. Subsequently, after a conversation with a Subie dealer tech about potential damage to the sway bar from hitting parking lot dividers, I discovered that the sway bar was slightly bent. That was causing excessive stress on the part that it wasn't designed to take. I replaced the sway bar and the duralast links were fine for the next 150,000 miles at which point we sold the car.
it all comes down to what are your expectations for the vehicle.
if you plan on keeping it another couple hundred thousand miles, then higher quality parts may have been a better choice.
if you're looking at a modest number of years and miles, the parts may be more than sufficient.
if the overall cost/mile is your primary consideration, it may work out that the parts ... even if they have to be replaced sooner than other parts ... may yet prove to be less expensive in the long run. Or maybe not, depending upon the labor cost and shorter service life.
at this point, only time will tell. The parts are installed and you get to drive it for now.
PS: I've installed a number of duralast suspension parts through the years and have never had a premature failure from them. The only failure I had was the "dogbone" link on a Subaru front sway bar where the end of the plastic link broke off a few weeks after being installed. My initial reaction was that the part was faulty and took the pieces back to the store where they cheerfully replaced it at no charge. Subsequently, after a conversation with a Subie dealer tech about potential damage to the sway bar from hitting parking lot dividers, I discovered that the sway bar was slightly bent. That was causing excessive stress on the part that it wasn't designed to take. I replaced the sway bar and the duralast links were fine for the next 150,000 miles at which point we sold the car.
Interestingly, I needed a ball joint for my 92 Subie Legacy, it was a Sunday (I can't remember what the rush was, but I wanted to get rolling with the job) so I got a Duralast ball joint at Autozone. It's been on the car for about 150K as well, no issues. I think anymore most ball joints go out from people "bashing" the curb with the right front wheel.
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