Ball joints and wheel hub discussion

CurtisF · Nov 15, 2011

I'm tired of replacing ball joints. The originals lasted quite a long time. The replacements since then have been terrible. I've been using the Moog grease-able ball joints, but they just keep giving me problems about every 15K-20K miles where I have to replace at least one or more.

So who is having good luck with replacements, and what are you using?

Also trying to find a good replacement other than OEM for a wheel hub assembly. I've got bad wheel bearings, and I'm trying to see if there's anything out there that is cheaper than OEM, but still good quality. If not, then I'll get one from Ford.

Atsah · Nov 15, 2011

I bought the Ford parts.. I hate doing things twice and that's what you do with most non OEM parts..

CurtisF · Nov 15, 2011

Atsah said:
I bought the Ford parts.. I hate doing things twice and that's what you do with most non OEM parts..

Yeah, I've thought about going back to Ford on the ball joints as well.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around why the Moogs are touted as being the best replacements, and I can't get them to last even half as long as the original OEM ones.

03_PSD · Nov 15, 2011

Happy so far with my XRF balljoints.

07_powerstroke · Nov 15, 2011

I have xrf also i am very pleased with them and they are only $99.99 for all 4!

GreenMachine · Nov 15, 2011

I put the xrf's in. And so far have 15k on them. Seem to be great. Wheel bearings, that's another story.

TANK'S 250 · Nov 15, 2011

I had my ball joints go out ...and my wheel bearings blew out soon after....

...so my choice was to either buy all Ford parts again and have them fail after 20k miles again....or....upgrade.

I ended up buying more stuff than I wanted, but I figured,...if I'm gonna do it,..mind as well do it all......

NEW Dynatrac Free Spin Kit for 2005 F250

NEW Dynatrac Dynaloc Pro 60 Manual hubs

And I figured ...screw it!....and I also got this too..

NEW Dynatrac ProSteer ball joints(serviceable)

07_powerstroke · Nov 15, 2011

Nice, looks expensive tho!

CurtisF · Nov 15, 2011

07_powerstroke said:
Nice, looks expensive tho!

My thoughts exactly.

Dmstrucks02 · Nov 15, 2011

The ball joints were $650 on the first site I looked at.....

TANK'S 250 · Nov 15, 2011

Expensive...yes....have to worry about it ever again?...no

wheels bearings were SHOT...and so were the ball joints,...squealing, popping, etc

Stock superduties have 1 tiny bearing per wheel,...the Dyntrac kit replaces them with 2 huge ones per wheel.

I'd rather drop the coin knowing that one of my 41" tires won't come off at 70mph on the highway, killing me and some innocent family...

.

RedSmokey · Nov 15, 2011

I have heard good things about XRF and plan to try them when I do my ball joints on my 2wd.

That said I would love to do the dynatrac stuff, and will one day when I do my axle swap on my 4wd truck.

Jeff@Spartan · Nov 16, 2011

I have Spicer ball joints. No problems so far and I've had them on for over 30,000 miles.

caladash · Nov 17, 2011

Where did you guys pick up the $99 xrf ball joints? Anybody a vendor for them here? The excursion is overdue!!

Zaairman · Nov 17, 2011

I've had Moogs in my truck for 50K now with 0 issues.... You've just gotta keep them greased.

For the wheel bearings, I purchased the Timken off Rockauto.com for $182. Did this a few months ago for my right front. But, it isn't hard to find coupons for RockAuto. Stocker lasted until 150K.

My left front went out about 4 years ago, around 105K. Replaced it with the cheapest thing O'Reilly had. It's doing well 45k later. I figure if the cheap parts last at least half as long as the factory parts (which costs twice as more), then I'm doing ok.

Layson · Nov 17, 2011

I went with the Dynatrac ball joints as well. I bet you would never have to mess with them again.

Atsah · Nov 17, 2011

I got 150K out of my OEM ball joints pushing a 9ft Fisher snowplow 30 hours a week for four months out of every year, and that is why I went OEM..

GreenMachine · Nov 18, 2011

I bought my xrf's through thetireclub.com i believe.

Atsah- i plow my truck heavy during the winter too, pushing a xblade fisher, my truck already had moogs in it when i got it and they didnt seem to hold up well. I'll report back after this winter how the xrf's do plowing.