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I ordered a set from ZIP and frankly, the quality doesn’t look that great.
there is a gap between the ball joint rivet arm and the A arm frame.
I keep hearing that the import bj rubber boots are cracking and splitting with low usage.
I do have a set of USA made MOOG ball joints on the way but don’t know if they are NCRS correct.
Any suggestions for a correct lower ball joint for judging that are high quality?
thanks
The reproduction “looks like original” ball joints are junk.
Moog is good quality at a reasonable cost, but differs in configuration from the original and is easily spotted by a knowledgeable chassis judge.
NOS GM ball joints (part number 3886422 for the lower) are high quality and proper configuration, but have been out of service for decades. Putting a set of four together will run around $1,000 to $1,200 last I checked.
As with anything in this hobby, the degree of accuracy has a cost.
what year is your car? I have found these guys to be a good supplier for things. Zip has to much chinese cheap stuff at times. not to say that these may not be made there but there are quality differences even from there.
I put all Moog ball joints in mine.
Its far from being factory or NCRS correct, but I think the quality of the parts you use says more about the car than having a factory correct appearing part.
When you get the Moog parts, double check that the boxes are labeled with “Made In The USA”.
If not Moog also produces cheaper less quality rubber parts that are labeled as made in Mexico or made in other foreign countries.
If I remember correctly the Moogs made in the USA are sold as their ”Premium” line.
Here is a collection of lower ball joints I’ve recently bought.
The ones from ZIP were really poorly made. Fit was poor in the A arm and the rubber grease boot was poor quality. Overall fit and finish were very poor. Avoid these.
The MOOG were very nice, but if you are getting your car judged they aren’t correct. Very high quality, you just know they will work. I didn’t like the push on rubber grease boot though.
The BJ from Americas Finest were very very nice. I will be using these in my cars. Mike said they are imported, but he is a picky guy with the things he manufactures.
The rubber boot is high quality and the fit and finish is excellent. They fit my lower control arm just like the OEM originals I took out.
His F41 shocks are exceptional too.
MEVOTECH Supreme
I've used this line in other cars and the quality is as good or better than MOOG.
MEVOTECH Supreme Are Imported (as are many MOOG).
Price about same.
For certain, they won't pass muster w/ NCRS.
Here is a collection of lower ball joints I’ve recently bought.
The ones from ZIP were really poorly made. Fit was poor in the A arm and the rubber grease boot was poor quality. Overall fit and finish were very poor. Avoid these.
The MOOG were very nice, but if you are getting your car judged they aren’t correct. Very high quality, you just know they will work. I didn’t like the push on rubber grease boot though.
The BJ from Americas Finest were very very nice. I will be using these in my cars. Mike said they are imported, but he is a picky guy with the things he manufactures.
The rubber boot is high quality and the fit and finish is excellent. They fit my lower control arm just like the OEM originals I took out.
His F41 shocks are exceptional too.
Hi Joe,
I agree with you on the shocks and ball joints from Mike. I'm running them on our '68 L71 and everything works great - in fact I'm running his complete a-arms too. They look and fit great. Best with your fun project! Paul
If NCRS were not a concern, which ball joint would you put on the car?
USA made MOOG. Only because I’m always skeptical off offshore made rubber products. The concern is the rubber grease boot will eventually crack and deteriorate
Hello Joe,
What are you going to do about installing them?
Do you have the equipment to set such large rivets?
Regards,
Funny you should ask Alan.
I went to install the lower A arm ball joint rivets and my plan was to heat up the rivet with my propane/oxygen torch and then set it with my pneumatic gun. I cobbled in a heavy piece of steel pipe that fit inside the arm up against the inside of the rivet.
for 40 minutes I pounded away on that rivet to no avail. It did start to mushroom, but no way was it going to mash down all the way.
I will take a day and drive to Ramona CA and Mike at Americas Finest Corvettes will set them for me with his heavy equipment at a small cost.
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Originally Posted by Tuna Joe
USA made MOOG. Only because I’m always skeptical off offshore made rubber products. The concern is the rubber grease boot will eventually crack and deteriorate
Hi Joe, are you an NCRS member ? Did you post on their board ? I'm curious what NON GM BRAND they all use that pass ? Some of the members & judges should know as well as the better NCRS & Bloomington restoration shops. " AMERICA'S FINEST" & "IMPORTED" shouldn't be in the same sentence...............how sad is that ? I'm sure Kevin Mackay @ Corvette Repair Inc. would know.
Hi Joe, are you an NCRS member ? Did you post on their board ? I'm curious what NON GM BRAND they all use that pass ? Some of the members & judges should know as well as the better NCRS & Bloomington restoration shops. " AMERICA'S FINEST" & "IMPORTED" shouldn't be in the same sentence...............how sad is that ? I'm sure Kevin Mackay @ Corvette Repair Inc. would know.
I am a member of NCRS. I don’t think I posted over there. I do plan on posting the pics of the different ball joints on the NCRS forum just to see what input they may have.
In Mikes defense, he does make or manufacture almost all of his other stuff in house.
Im sure in today’s world it’s difficult to find places that will manufacture stuff like ball joints. The market is small.
The picture Alan posted of one of Kevin’s car looks like a ZIP Chinese BJ.
Im going to use the AFC because they really appear to be very high quality. Outwardly, they are on par with the MOOG.
In regards to what Mike manufactures level of quality, I found a new single front F41 shock that he makes at a swap meet and the quality and detail was amazing. So good that I bought another single shock from AFC to make a pair in case I ever need them.
On a side note, my NCRS mentor is restoring a1970 LT1 and he put Paragon ball joints in about 10 years ago. Has never even driven the car and the rubber boot has already cracked open. In my mind, after going thru all the trouble of riveting these things in, the last thing I want to have happen is the rubber boot crack.
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Best quality NCRS correct lower ball joint
