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landyacht318
Nomad
Posts: 247
Registered: 7-28-2007
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I went to Napa, Pepboys, Kragen, and Autozone, and made them pull out the ball joints and tie rod ends.
None had any Moog in stock, so I did not get a basis for visual comparison.
Napa did have their Premium Ball joint in stock. It was obviously a much higher quality part than what I was showed in every other store. The
prices they quoted me were more than what was listed online with some mumbo jumbo reason as to why.
Of all the cheap brands, the Autozone duralast looked the best, but what can I really tell without much experience in the matter. The boots on some
were so loose on the studs it was a joke. As Bajabass said, some had off center zerk fittings, some of them were unthreaded.
The ones at Pep boys looked like they were heat treated by some Asian tweeker with a bottle of Mapp gass, they were all discolored. Unevenly, and the
surfaces did not feel smooth, or round for that matter.
I've taken a chance and Ordered the XRF ball joints and tie rod ends. The prices were very good, and they have a supposed million mile warranty.
The Moog 7272 HD springs are on their way along with the Moog problem solver control arm bushings, and Moog coil spring isolators from Rockauto.
You can get coupon codes online and save an additional 5%.
I will report when parts arrive, how they install, and how they feel. Thanks for the input!
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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thanks for the update.. still laughing on the "Asian tweeker" .. good one.. and most likely spot on... 
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landyacht318
Nomad
Posts: 247
Registered: 7-28-2007
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The 2 9/64 ball joint socket
All the parts have arrived.
Autozone on the phone claimed to have the special 2 9/64 ball joint socket for the upper threaded ball joint, and 5 days later
when I went to get it they hadn't a clue to what I was talking about. Every permutation of part number, nothing.
No Autoparts, tool stores in all of San Diego know anything about this mysterious Ball joint socket.
Makes me wonder what would happen SOB.
I have had one suggestion to just press them out, that the BJ threads would strip, not the control arm threads. I'm leery of doing that.
So I tried with my limited fabrication skills to make a BJ socket, but it failed to loosen the BJ,
and bent before I even busted out the big breaker bar.
SO I had to order one online. 46 dollars with shipping. Cost more than the part it is designed to remove/ install.
Anyway here's a photo of the XRF Ball joints.
They seem to be very nicely made. They initially sent the wrong part, but 2 day shipped the right part.
A close up of the XRF Tie Rod End.
[IMG]http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss15/wrcsixeight/XRFpolishedballstud.jpg?t=1281081196[/IMG]
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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There are actually 2 different sizes of BJ sockets. A smaller one for passenger cars, and the larger for trucks/vans. You will always be able to find
lower prices online for parts. A lot less overhead.
Last Friday, I fired my chassis supplier. For the last time, I was sent mis-matched, poorly constructed parts. I was rebuilding a Dodge Ram 2500 4x4
front end. 3 of 4 BJ's, and 3 of 4 tie rod ends with zerks, 1 each, none. I lost 3 hours waiting for them to round up matching parts.  My sales rep showed up, I went beserk, told him to get these POS parts out of here,
and I'll never order chassis parts from them again. So far this week, I've spent over 1k with someone else for front end parts. I'll show him the
invoices for lost sales because of their crappolla parts. I'll see if that makes my point!
El Camote, the only things I've done to my wife's Element are 4 Yokohama Geolander HT/S tires, a pair of KYB rear shocks, and a Yakima roof rack
set-up. 16k on the stock Goodyear Wrangler HP tires, and they were shot. Baja destroys wimpy tires. Even with her car packed like a Conastoga wagon,
she said the handling was great on the drive to La Paz, and the tires work very well on the dirt roads in El Centenario.
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El Camote
Senior Nomad
Posts: 514
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Above the clouds
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Mood: y Blues
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Thanks bass. Just ordered a pair of the GR-2 for the rear online. $64 ea. no shipping or tax. Is there any reason to be replacing the fronts as
well? It has 76K miles on it.
Sorry about your parts supplier problems. Nothing more frustrating than the wrong part. 
Knowledge is good. - Emil Faber
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Want to fish!!!
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At 12.5 to 1, that is about 20-25% above the retail price here. Fair deal, good parts. Go for it! If you can get them up here, save $.  Just don't make a special trip!
I replaced the rears on the Element because 1 trip to La Paz, a dozen to Ensenada/La Mision, and the L/R was blown. At 76k you are ready for fronts as
well. These online prices are 1 reason I'm selling my shop. Customers, well some, expect me to match them, and I'm already broke!
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landyacht318
Nomad
Posts: 247
Registered: 7-28-2007
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The Napa Gold was easily the most impressive part I held when I did the local tour of Autoparts stores, but none had any Moog in stock to compare.
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landyacht318
Nomad
Posts: 247
Registered: 7-28-2007
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Just because they quoted you a price does not mean they have any in stock at a particular store. Call ahead. The Napa gold BJ I held was not for my
Van. Said they could get it within a few days maximum.
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landyacht318
Nomad
Posts: 247
Registered: 7-28-2007
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Tie Rod End comparison
Since XRF said they hoped to have the right hand threaded TRE's in stock in "a month or 2", I told the Tireclub to mail the Mcquay Norris TRE's
instead. They were the same price.
They are not the MN Global which are the Chinese equivalent, Nor the MN extreme(Napa gold), but the Mid grade, made in USA part.
They arrived today, and I got to inspect them closely.
You have seen my previous post of the polished ball stud on the XRF above.
The Mcquay Norris part is not made the same way. It appears to have a stud within a ball, within the Housing. It takes about 50% more effort to move
the stud by hand than the XRF, and when it does move it feels a little crusty. The XRF is buttery smooth. The MN ball seems a little bigger in the
housing than the XRF, but XRF claims almost twice the pull out strength of the competition.
The threads on the MN part are not very smooth, with a couple visible dings. The castle nut cannot be threaded to full depth by hand. The XRF part
came with a netting over the threads to protect them.
Here are some comparison photos XRF on the left.
Now I have all the parts, and the time to work on it, and am waiting on the damn BJ socket to arrive. Effing Autozone.
The TireClub did not give me the sticker to mail back the incorrect k7205t ball joints that were sent in the k7025t boxes. They fit 1994 to 1996
Dodge 2500 or 3500 Pick ups. I'm wondering if I get to keep them.
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landyacht318
Nomad
Posts: 247
Registered: 7-28-2007
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Got everything disassembled, rust treated, and back together.
Ready for some washboard, though the new firmer springs are sure to add a new element to that.
The McQuay Norris TRE's were not threaded for the Zerks. I really wish they had the XRF TRE's available as the quality difference is apparent.
Time for an alignment.
Thanks for the input.
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