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Not to go too far off topic OP, but I did a search and read a dozen threads that had "Mevotech" in them, and I didn't read a single first hand experience. The large majority of them were "oh I never heard of them before RA but they're some Chinese garbage, I wouldn't use them if I were you". Sam's comments above are the closest thing to actual experience with the parts that I could find.
Not saying they are good or that you're wrong (and obviously Sam has had a bad experience with them on a customers car), but am I missing something? First-hand experience with the parts, good or bad, is helpful feedback, but a bunch of threads of people who have never used the parts is just misleading people that are trying to do the research.
Simply look at the price of the Mevotech parts, and that should speak VOLUMES............
Simply look at the price of the Mevotech parts, and that should speak VOLUMES............
Does it though? RA has an "Ultra Power" econo version of the control arm for $75, and the Mevotech "supreme" for $90. Those are the only brands available. The Mevotech "supreme" lower ball joint is $18, and the Moog is $22. You can get an "economy" ball joint as cheap as $5.
I can also get a ball joint for $51 from my local NAPA. Does this mean that ball joint is more than twice as good as the Moog?
I agree that you usually get what you pay for, but that would generally apply to comparing a $5 economy part to a $22 premium part, not comparing an $18 part to a $22 part. Again I'm not saying the Mevotech must be good, but you also can't generalize that it's bad because it's a couple dollars cheaper and it's a less familiar name.
I love where this thread has evolved to. LOL. I, for one, would not want to be the person that had a ball joint prematurely fail and thus provide my personal experience. We are fortunate to have the freedom of choice, so choose and move on. Still banging my head against the wall for installing the vertical bushing incorrectly in the first place!
Sorry, not trying to thread jack, I just thought you had come to a conclusion with your questions and saw you brought up Mevotech, and was hoping to find some more conclusive info on them.
I guess everyone has their own idea of safety. I'm leaning away from rebuilding my rusty old arms because I question the safety of pressing bushings and ball joints out and new ones in. Yours felt solid and then came right out with a hammer. I'd rather start with a new assembly and not have to worry about whether the shop pressed the new parts in the correct amount, angle, etc.
Sorry, not trying to thread jack, I just thought you had come to a conclusion with your questions and saw you brought up Mevotech, and was hoping to find some more conclusive info on them.
I guess everyone has their own idea of safety. I'm leaning away from rebuilding my rusty old arms because I question the safety of pressing bushings and ball joints out and new ones in. Yours felt solid and then came right out with a hammer. I'd rather start with a new assembly and not have to worry about whether the shop pressed the new parts in the correct amount, angle, etc.
Not a problem, and I share your concern for rebuilding old parts. On the other hand, I've successfully rebuilt stock control arms for my son's 65 cutlass and my 72 GMC sprint (aka el camino), so this was an option I was comfortable with. In addition, I'm lucky in that I have the time, interest, capability (?) and resources to try new things.https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/sm...h/gr_judge.gif as well as a forum such as this to learn, share and commiserate.
Does it though? RA has an "Ultra Power" econo version of the control arm for $75, and the Mevotech "supreme" for $90. Those are the only brands available. The Mevotech "supreme" lower ball joint is $18, and the Moog is $22. You can get an "economy" ball joint as cheap as $5.
I can also get a ball joint for $51 from my local NAPA. Does this mean that ball joint is more than twice as good as the Moog?
I agree that you usually get what you pay for, but that would generally apply to comparing a $5 economy part to a $22 premium part, not comparing an $18 part to a $22 part. Again I'm not saying the Mevotech must be good, but you also can't generalize that it's bad because it's a couple dollars cheaper and it's a less familiar name.
The only thing that I can say is this.....After I retired from full-time work, I wound up working part-time for Advance Auto Parts, for several years. We had two levels of front end parts, Moog and "white box". Our opinion was this, if you're going to keep the car for any length of time, or expect your car to perform, buy the Moog part. If you just need to replace a totally worn out part, so you can sell off the car, get the white box part.
I think you mentioned that the car still has control arms installed? I would remove the arms and take them to a shop and have the old/new bushings installed. You could also go aftermarket if you wanted.
leadfoot, good idea. Both driver's side bushings installed, struggling with ball joint using ball joint press (oxymoron or irony?). Passenger side vertical bushing hole has been stretched. Yeah, still have my stock originals still on car - my intent was to swap the rebuilt arms with no delay to rebuild. Thus far, I've seen stock arm vendors with names Duralast, Dorman, Mevotech and Napa. The NAPA arms are pictured with blue ball joint sealswhich makes me think they're Mevotch. Duralast and Dorman have black ball joint seals, but don't know about their ball joint quality. And yes, I'm one of those exhausting people that likes to mull stuff around, just ask my wife!
OK, now at the "beating a dead horse" level. I've got a mig welder and have tried to fill in the small area of the mount with material to make it round again. Simple enough to determine this by putting the bushing in the hole and seeing the part where daylight shows (that's the part that was stretched when trying to press it in in the first place), filling it completely and then grinding it round. First time, I ground out a little too much. Will try again soon. Also bought a HF 12 ton press (it was $100) to get the ball joints in. Will see how this next chapter plays out. LOL
Got the job done! Could not have gotten the ball joints pressed in without the shop press. Lesson learned if you'e gonna do this yourself - make sure the ball joint/bushings are lined up perfectly or you're likely to have them press in incorrectly (that's how I stretched the hole in the first place).
02-23-2018, 07:10 AM
