Control arms: What is one to do?

[dlundblad]

This is for my Jeep.. as if I don't have enough projects.

I can still get Mopar, but it's pricey. $550 for 4 lowers and I'd still have to buy front and rear upper bushings ($150). The lowers have special oval shaped bushings that as far as I can tell are only sold by Dorman hence why I don't just replace the bushings. Plus, pressing them in and out looks difficult for me.

There's also:

Moog R series
OMIX-ADA (sold by RA as well as Quadratec)
Crown (on Quadratec)

Any recommendations aside from biting the bullet and getting Mopar?

 

[CharBaby]

1) If you you're keeping the Jeep forever, use MOPAR. If they're too much money and out of your budget, cut monies from somewhere else. Then again, IDK what/where MOPAR replacement part are coming from or if they are even as good as OE.

2) The MOOG Problem Solver is/was their best line however, I am seeing these less & less. If you can get them, this is what I'd use(price & availability) as they are lifetime guaranteed.

3) The MOOG "R" Series(IIRC)is their economy line and also lifetime guaranteed I believe.

4) Use Dorman only if you are getting rid of the Jeep in a year or so. Although the are usually lifetime guaranteed, you'd be replacing them sooner than later.

 

[Trav]

Go with the OE, anything else (other than super expensive custom made tube or machined units) could be one of the most costly mistakes you ever make.
50% of the time they are not true and the vehicle wont align properly, now you have to exchange it and pay for another alignment, next time it wont align on a different angle, repeat possibly multiple times.
This is one merry go round you don't want a ride on, been there done that and have the T shirt. Sometimes you get lucky but its a real gamble.

 

[Thax]

Exactly what Trav said. Somethings almost have to be OEM , control arms on WJ are just one of those things. Short of OEM , maybe the Omix-ada would work. On my XJ , I used Dormans . Terrible mistake , alignment geometry was wacked. The thing tracked like [censored], wouldnt align at all. I must have tried to align it 5 times. Finally said screw it and got OEM , XJ was perfect after until a Range Rover killed it lol

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Are the OEM ones stamped sheet metal? I'd try to get something a bit better ... or if going with that style, get Omix-ADA or Moog.

I wouldn't bother replacing the bushings.

 

[mcrn]

Long arm kit!

 

[dlundblad]

I went with the Mopar.

4 lower arms since they include the oval bushing and bushings for the upper arms. Expensive for sure, but only about a $250 difference between that and aftermarket.

 

[Nick1994]

Time to put a lift kit on it

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Highly recommend OEM for this part, unless (as someone said) you are getting quality fabricated control arms (and which will cost more than OE anyway).

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Time to put a lift kit on it

It's been lifted for 9 years.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I went with the Mopar.

4 lower arms since they include the oval bushing and bushings for the upper arms. Expensive for sure, but only about a $250 difference between that and aftermarket.

The 3 or 4 alignments you may easily have wasted on aftermarket scrap metal (inc Moog) and all the aggravation is well worth the $250. You can etch that in stone.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I went with the Mopar.

4 lower arms since they include the oval bushing and bushings for the upper arms. Expensive for sure, but only about a $250 difference between that and aftermarket.

The 3 or 4 alignments you may easily have wasted on aftermarket scrap metal (inc Moog) and all the aggravation is well worth the $250. You can etch that in stone.


As soon as you said alignments may be difficult, the hassle flashed before my eyes. Lol.

I should have added that if I went the cheaper route, I was just going to buy the upper arms as opposed to just the bushings so that is a bit of an added hassle, but oh well. I was planning on doing the rear upper regardless. $120 or so for aftermarket and $500+ for Mopar. It's literally a giant steel wishbone with 2 bushings. It bolts to the top of the rear pumpkin and then onto the body at the bushings.

 

[nthach]

OEM only unless the aftermarket piece is made by an OEM supplier(like Lemforder).

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: nthach
OEM only unless the aftermarket piece is made by an OEM supplier(like Lemforder).


Sadly I haven't got the slightest idea who makes the OE Mopar arms. Wish I knew the same with brake rotors too. Perhaps Alto, but I am not sure. Anyone know how to find this out?

Her Volvo has Lemforder arms and ball joints as well as Sachs suspension. It's easier to find quality aftermarket or OE stuff at great prices for that thing than it is any of my domestics. LOL.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad

Her Volvo has Lemforder arms and ball joints as well as Sachs suspension. It's easier to find quality aftermarket or OE stuff at great prices for that thing than it is any of my domestics. LOL.

The funny part is that ZF(TRW and Lemforder) also supply the domestics but they don't have any persuasion to sell them for that market.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: dlundblad

Her Volvo has Lemforder arms and ball joints as well as Sachs suspension. It's easier to find quality aftermarket or OE stuff at great prices for that thing than it is any of my domestics. LOL.

The funny part is that ZF(TRW and Lemforder) also supply the domestics but they don't have any persuasion to sell them for that market.


Interesting to see TRW is also owned by ZF.. They also make control arms.. how does that work?

 

[Trav]

Just keep in mind these companies have a retail line and an OE line, they are not the same. There are lots of reports of bad corrosion on Lemforder VW retail LCA and the TRW are made in Taiwan, OE never had this issue and are made in Mexico but on original German stamping dies and that's the key.

 

[Olas]

I agree with the sentiment that Lemforder & Meyle are OE quality and a worthy purchase, but;

I also believe that fabricated tubular control arms are 10x better

 

[Trav]

Meyle? The only thing they supply to OE is probably some plastic clip from China for the fuel door but no real parts. Real rubbish parts like URO and a lot of others.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Just keep in mind these companies have a retail line and an OE line, they are not the same. There are lots of reports of bad corrosion on Lemforder VW retail LCA and the TRW are made in Taiwan, OE never had this issue and are made in Mexico but on original German stamping dies and that's the key.


Funny, I've read about corrosion too with the Lemforders.. Not an issue with me because I have a lifetime warranty on them and the P2 Volvo is known to eat bushings. They'll need replaced because of that well before corrosion is an issue LOL. These were made in Tiawan as well.

I just couldn't justify spending $200+ each for remanufactured Volvo OE. The more I think about it, I think the factory arms I took off said TRW. I ended up keeping them just in case, but the one bushing looks like a pain to press in and out correctly.