Advanced Auto Parts for the win and MOOG blows!

[GrandpasDream]

Hey all just wanted to share my experiences. I needed to replace my UBJ's and watched endless videos on how to do so. I found this vid very useful!!

I walked into autozone- OReilly's after I discovered you do NEED the square socket mentioned on another thread. The fellas at both these locations looked at me as if I had 4 heads when I asked about it. HAVE I MENTIONED HOW AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOWADAYS!?? After researching and ALMOST second guessing myself- I found another video by ChrisFixx he mentioned a mackdaddy kit for UBJ removal then proceeded to show the almighty socket in that kit and that kit only! He then mentioned Advanced Auto Parts has this kit for rent- for a whopping $260.00! Good news is you get every dime back upon return and you get a 20% off coupon if you hang onto it for 3+ days. Advanced is the only place near me who has that kit!

After hearing all the hype about MOOG and knowing that will not have quite the opportunity to have this much access (removed fenders/wheel wells for restore) to the UBJ's, I wanted a good quality part because I don't want to do this again!! Sooo.. I bought the MOOG set and after trying to screw them into my control arm it became very apparent that it just was not going to go in. The MOOG UBJ's just would NOT grab. The "threads" were more like- lines that aspired to be threads! It was pathetic! The FA395's threads were prominent, proud and sharp!



Luckily I bought FA395
McQuay-Norris of which with very little effort screwed right in!

SEE THE DIFFERENCE??

 

[Big_John]

Moog's quality went south when they went south. South of the border to manufacture their product in Mexico.

 

[GrandpasDream]

Moog's quality went south when they went south. South of the border to manufacture their product in Mexico.

AGREED! The bottom line makes more sense now to most companies!

What is the next best up and coming parts manufacturer now?! Is there one? I am pleased with the FA395 fitment as I said the threads were actually there! The part looked new. You can see on the right ball joint in the picture, there seems to be left over paint etc.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

On another thread about BJ's (no not that kind) which I can't seem to find anymore, (prob another repair thread that went sideways) the debate breaker bar vs impact vs job it out.

What I used;

Proto J6133F Dial Torque Wrench 3/4" Drive

 

[Big_John]

From a guy that has pulled hundreds, if not thousands of torque wrenches, doing calibration for a living... Don't use a torque wrench, especially an indicating tw like that nice Proto as a breaker bar.

Here's a couple CYA pics from a customer's TW that I took some years ago. This is a smaller Snap-On TW, but the Proto TW are pretty much the same. Note the screw in the slotted arm. That arm is fastened down by the square drive. The arm should be centered in that opening, but if it's not, the TW has been over-torqued or shocked. It's pretty much junk at this point, although some places may be able to fix them. Getting them accurate again (IIRC, usually +/- 2% of reading in the upper 80% of scale) after repair is another story.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

aaaYup good to know John, but remember the last Mopar upper ball joint that I did, didn't have 30+ years of freezing corrosion. That wrench with the handle was the largest in the shop and was no strain breaking loose something that was only 10-15 years old. Only got the wrench to torque Harley crankpin nuts and it's been 30+ years since I've 'split the cases' so to say. Think I remember I got that wrench at a swap meet on the cheap. With the handle attached the wrench came up to my chest. heh

'ahem' These shady guys that used to stop by the 4x4 truck shop I worked at for awhile dropped off a impact wrench similar to this:

Ingersoll-Rand IR 295A 1 In Dr HD Air Impact Wrench

The other mechanic that worked there knew I was looking for a new 1/2 impact wrench an knew 'these guys'...
"Hell what am I going to put together with that? The Empire State Building?" I said.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

You can never have a impact that's too big.

Heat helps also.

 

[67Monaco]

Am I the only one that @ 04:45 was hoping the thing would fall off the jack just to teach him a lesson that jackstands have an actual purpose other than just to be placed under a vehicle?

And at 18:16 screaming if he hadthe van on the jackstands you could use the jack to raise the lower control arm up to the new ball joint?

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

I found this vid very useful!!

HA HA what a dumbass, GREASE MONKEY makes easy job hard! Least I could throw some popcorn in the microwave and have it done before he got the boot clip on! He'll never beat flatrate!

 

[67Monaco]

Oh yeah, sockets $15.

https://www.toolbarn.com/sunex-1021...=cpc&msclkid=803fc9d915cc19f812fb931f9ed7611f

 

[commando1]

Oh yeah, sockets $15.

https://www.toolbarn.com/sunex-10214.html/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping(BSC)&utm_keyword=sunex-10214&utm_content=fbWnJ5Dd_pcrid_11075488888_pkw_product_pmt_b_pdv_m&utm_source=bing&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping(BSC)&utm_medium=cpc&msclkid=803fc9d915cc19f812fb931f9ed7611f

LOL... That's where I got my socket. Afterwards I sold it for 10.

 

[67Monaco]

LOL... That's where I got my socket. Afterwards I sold it for 10.

Who'd you sell it to? Maybe I can get it for 8.

 

[67-Fury]

I bought a snap on Ball joint socket used. Never use it but a man can't have too many tools. When I changed ball joints, I took my control arms to a Garage with my socket and they used a 3/4 impact. Saved me from mauling myself and only cost 5 Dollar.

As far as MOOG products go.

DANGEROUS PRODUCT = Moog Ball Joints

 

[polara71]

I keep 3 lengths of black pipe with my tools short, medium and extra long . Leverage works great for breaking them loose.

 

[cantflip]

Am I the only one that @ 04:45 was hoping the thing would fall off the jack just to teach him a lesson that jackstands have an actual purpose other than just to be placed under a vehicle?

And at 18:16 screaming if he hadthe van on the jackstands you could use the jack to raise the lower control arm up to the new ball joint?

Thank You!!!

IMO the first trick to master here is the lifting equipment and how not to hurt(kill) yourself or the vehicle.

Another useful tip, use a second set of stands for the rear back by the bumper... then when you're using the jack to do the heavy lifting the rear springs are out of the equation.

BTW, I was going to skip the video until you posted.

 

[78Brougham]

but the Proto TW are pretty much the same

They may look the same but there is a huge difference in quality. I've had pipe line mechanics complain over and over about the crappy quality of the proto torque wrenches. If your pulling 4-500 ft. Lbs. on a wrench, the last thing you want is to have a head shear or a tooth let go. You will go flying!
As John mentioned, just because it's long doesn't make it a breaker bar. And always return the micrometer adjuster back to the lowest setting when you put it away. (Click style.) It will help keep it in calibration longer.

 

[Big_John]

They may look the same but there is a huge difference in quality. I've had pipe line mechanics complain over and over about the crappy quality of the proto torque wrenches. If your pulling 4-500 ft. Lbs. on a wrench, the last thing you want is to have a head shear or a tooth let go. You will go flying!
As John mentioned, just because it's long doesn't make it a breaker bar. And always return the micrometer adjuster back to the lowest setting when you put it away. (Click style.) It will help keep it in calibration longer.

OK, I should have said "same style" wrench. I won't get into debate over which brand is better.. LOL...

True about returning the click type wrenches to a low setting to maintain accuracy. If you forget to, go tighten some lug nuts or something like that before doing anything critical.

You need to look at torque wrenches as a precision tool.. Just like not using a micrometer as a C-clamp.

BTW, IMHO, best bang for the buck for the home garage is a bending beam type. Usually around 3% accuracy compared to 4% for click type, and unless they are really beat up, they maintain that accuracy. For the guy that's gonna use one every once in a while, not have it calibrated regularly etc., it's a good choice. I just checked the Craftsman price and there are down to $15... Must be closing them out. I'd prefer a Craftsman beam over a $20 Harbor Fright click wrench any day of the week... but folks look at the clicker and say "that's the best". My 40+ year old S-K bending beam wrenches are still as good as when I bought them brand new.