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Front End question

2K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Splattered 
#1 ·
Hey I know I maybe beating a dead horse, but I got (4) brand new tires today, and when the place went to align the car they said that they could not do too the upper and lower ball joints needing to be replaced. They wanted about $1100 to change the ball joints, and told me that realistically they could do it for $700-$800. I smiled and told them that I would bring it back for the alignment, but that I would be changing the said parts. I am looking, and I am wondering if I would be better off to change the entire front end parts using http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUSPENSION-THUNDERBIRD-MERCURY-COUGAR-93-94-95-97-NEW_W0QQitemZ140376775009QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item20af1b9961 This would allow me to go ahead and possibly head off any further front end related issues. I am looking for other thoughts before I do anything.

Thanks
 
#5 ·
rockauto.com or your local autoparts store

get TRW or MOOG parts.. TRW is the same as ford stuff and moog are good
 
#6 ·
Old English? Hahaha I am kidding! Thanks for the info I will avoid them like the plague. I thought it seemed to good to be true, and you know those things that seem to good to believe.....they probably are. May just run to NAPA, and pick up the parts. I will also check to see if I have any "friends" who work at a dealership.
 
#7 ·
Check out RockAuto.COM and give them the current discount code (search for "Rockauto Discount" and pick the most recent one - currently to 28 Feb 2010, but if you wait, there'll be another one).

Parts will be about $350 - $400 to do it right, with Moog or TRW parts. Or Raybestos premium parts (the "service grade" are the cheap POS from eBay).

I know, gotta work on Wife's 1991 Cougar - would like to get a full set for $175, but she's worth a HELLA lot more than the $175 or so savings would be ... she's WELL worth the money. But notice, I don't pay full retail at "Big Box Auto Parts where we RAISE the prices daily!" :diablo:

There's a thread ... lemme see if I can find it ... where someone took pics of the cheap "Made in China" crap that they sell on eBay as "OE Brand" (that's a brand name, not signifiying it's the original equipment brand ... ) ... Well, at least a thread on why not: http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=126409

Only things I'd not get there, according to notes from others, are the strut rod bushings - get them from your local Ford Dealer. And, again, you can search and get the part numbers, or let the Ford Dealer look up the bushing kits for you.

I'll be doing the upper control arms and tie rod ends in a couple of weeks on my wife's car - then the lower control arm after I save up enough for the new Tohiko (?sp) shocks (The Couger has ARC, and I either need those, or to disable the automatic ride control. Not too wild about the disable, and unless I buy cheap POS shocks, not that much cheaper either ... )

Luckily for my pocketbook, the rear end is still OK. It's on the list, but probably after the paint job.

Addendum while posting: Some more threads to check:

http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=100212
http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=104443

And - found SuperGordo's pics of the cheap MiC crap and a Spicer Pro upper control arm: http://forums.tccoa.com/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=176

RwP
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
Im going to rebuild my front suspension next week and I am going with Moog parts from Rockauto, at about $420 total. :)
 
#11 ·
Thats awesome, Im replacing my stabilizer bar links, and my stabilizer bar bushings as well making my price a bit more, I am going with Moog uppers and lowers along with all the bushings. Im going all Moog except for the tierod ends that I could get half price from TRW...
 
#13 ·
well since the car is originally from the windy city...it had quite a bit of rust on all of the nuts and bolts. So it has taken me about 8 hrs or so, and all I was able to get finished thus far was the passenger side. I even had to get a torch and heat up the tension nut, and the use a 2' breaker bar along with about a half of a can of PB Blaster and I finally got the passenger side done. I still have the drivers side to do, but that will have to wait until Thursday, or maybe even next week.
 
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