I need new upper ball joints... Do you guys have any recommendations on brand?

JW told me Pep Boys sells the same ball joints Calmini uses. I replaced what I had on the Pathfinder with ball joints from Napa. I used Autozone ones on the X.

I've heard Moog is a good brand for stronger than stock replacement parts. you can find them @ summitracing.com. altho I don't know if the calmini lift uses the same style ball joints on the lift

From our club board:

ordered from:
www.napaonline.com

upper control arm balljoint for calmini arms. the computer will read the part as a 1990 nissan hardbody.

part # MRC 10424 (greaseable)
$23.99

www.nissanparts.cc
nissan hardbody oem part #40110-01G25 (non-greaseable)
$45.30 + tax

The issue of who makes good steering parts has been discussed a few times in the past. Moog is usually good, but I don't know if they make any of their own parts. They, like many other companies, take products made by others and re-package them. The OEM TREs on my D21 had a circle with "555" in it. The Moog replacements were marked the same way. I also found the same parts wearing other brands boxes.

Napa oftens sells different grades of their parts, the better grades costing more of course. If you have a part number, Summit Racing usually has decent prices. I got struts from Summit for $40 cheaper (each) than through Napa.

Ok here's some info.

I order all my parts from www.rockauto.com. Really good wholesale parts site. When buying high price name brand parts they are usually half the cost of all the national part store chains. I usually double check their part prices at www.partsamerica.com

Vlsgmc is right. It's not the parts company your buy from. It's the brand of parts you are buying. Moog is the best in suspension. Here's a catch, Moog normally marks their steering parts on my HB with 555. However I've bought a cheap trw brand tie rod from advance auto parts with the same "555". At the time I needed a tre right then. When I got home I ordered a moog. I held both brands in my hand and it was very evident the advance auto's was a cheap copy of the well known moog brand.

As fore as parts store go here's the deal,

Napa is good- Napas low end cheap parts are repackaged higher priced low qualty crap. Same quality of parts you find at autozine of advance auto parts (partsamerica.com). Napas high price parts are the top quality professional grade parts.

Carquest- Have the best parts. Primarily dealing with shops, don't deal with many walk in customers. All of carquest parts are top of the line and high quality. They have the best warranty. IE: all their suspension parts are moog. Due to the high quality parts they are also most expensive, not very liked by the every day walk in customer just buying on price.

Autozone and advance auto parts (used to be discount auto parts). Almost all sales are from walk in customers where price is all that matters. Very good store when buying automotive consumables like tools and specialty stuff. The parts they stock are normally the cheap stuff since thats what sells. They do stock the better boog, bosch, beck/arnley, however the part would have to be ordered and received from the nearest major whorehouse.


On a positive note I have 2 3 month old moog upper ball joints I'll let go for $50.