Ball Joint tips

[WEEZER]

Is it safe to "assume" that a more expensive ball joint will hold up better then a stock application BJ if caught up in a wreck. I had my LF wheel hit in my 75 monte, not terribly hard, but hard enough, to bend the shaft. It was a brand new bj but only a stock type not top dollar, my question is, are the more expensive bj's made of stronger steel and would they take it better or are they all the same, thanks!!

[Rich Johnson]

It's always good to use quality components...Moog is good. Roadside auto parts has them in stock. Freedom of movement is their strong point.
You want something to bend under impact. Is it not better to be a $20 part rather than a frame rail ?

RacinRich

[pitbull113]

I know a balljoint is not expensive but autozone has a lifetime warranty on most parts they sell and usually dont ask questions when you bring parts back for exchange.I had a van that ate idler arms and would exchange them every 6 months or so with no problems. And you don't have to keep reciepts they have everything on file.

[DAN D.]

as some know i am in the collision business and I see all the time what happens to suspension.. One that I stress to insurance companies is the replacement of ball joints and outer tie rods.. What happens sometimes is when a ball joint or outer tie rod shaft gets bent/ tweeked slightly, you can align the car into factory specs with a slightly bent shaft (not even seeing it bent) because it can be bent right at the base where the ball is. The only thing is that the customer will be driving a car with a fatigued, bent, stressed ball/ tie rod joint and even hitting a pot hole can cause the joint to let go..
Another reason is you think that the car might need a knuckle, so you change the knuckle and the wheel alignment is totally off after you change the knuckle, because the shaft in the ball joint/tierod spun or turned somewhat, causing a different reading on the wheel alignment. so I always change those items, even if the insurance company says, its not damaged.
1.
2.can cause the mechanic to pull out his hair. why is the wheel alignment changing.

yes, rather use a good moog that will bend rather than break welds in lower/ upper arm ball joint is ..