Best source for lower ball joint?

[69Z28-RS]

Has anyone purchased/installed lower ball joints recently, that could provide some information on whichever mfg ball joint they used?   I know there are at least 3 manufacturers:  Moog, TRW, and 'Rare Parts'?
Have any of you used any of these or others?   What were your experiences, and how closely do each of these match the appearance and performance of the original part?    I would prefer US manufactured parts if possible...
TRW ~ $30 each, Moog ~ $40 each, and Rare parts ~$50 each...

Gary / 69Z28-RS

[stovebolt]

When I rebuilt my front end many years ago, I used TRW ball joints. There were made in the U.S. and I didn't encounter any difficulties installing them. They have performed well so I would buy them again. I don't remember comparing appearances between the original and the TRWs so I can't comment on that. Hope this helps. Joe.

[69Z28-RS]

The TRW's and Moog's are supposedly US built.  Moog's a bit more expensive, so I ordered those thinking 'they must be a bit better'..   but that logic isn't always good....

Gary

[tmodel66]

I went with Moog all the way thru my front end.  I ain't puttin' cheap parts on my steering. 

[68rs327conv]

I recently discovered that Moog doesn't mean made in USA anymore, looks like they are being outsourced overseas. 

Also good luck finding made in USA wheel bearings, North America (Mexico) was best I could do.

Mike

[tmodel66]

Where are you shopping? I found Timkin bearings at NAPA and made in USA. I got wheel bearings and all my rear end bearings. I got my Moog parts from A local parts house and he ordered mine from somebody. They were made in USA though.

[69Z28-RS]

Were the ball joints installed in the A arms before the Aarms were painted? or after?   My question really is:   Should be ball joints be painted as the control arms, or were they 'unprotected natural metal' from the Camaro (Norwood)) plant in 1969?    One of my corvette buds told me that the ball joints would have been 'uncoated bare meta' in '63 Corvettes...  (he still has the FI convertible he purchased new!)..

Gary / 69Z28-RS

[tmodel66]

Gary look at reply #2 in this thread.
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=9086.0

[68rs327conv]

Where are you shopping? I found Timkin bearings at NAPA and made in USA. I got wheel bearings and all my rear end bearings. I got my Moog parts from A local parts house and he ordered mine from somebody. They were made in USA though.

Went to Napa, they carried SFK, which were made in Mexico, looked at Timkin elsewhere and the box stated the package is made in USA but did not indicate the country of origin for the bearing.  Steve's Camaro lists Timkin bearings as made in USA, when I called the company rep. pulled the bearing and it doesn't show where it was made so I didn't order it.  lI am now looking for US made jack stands and Hein Werner are made in USA but the company is foreign owned.  It is just frustrating when I am willing to pay a higher price for a US quality, but it is getting harder to find.  The CHQ front end items were made in Taiwan which I hope is better quality than China.


I will mention one other thing, to my surprise I have started ordering items from Amazon.com, (my wife has Amazon Prime which gets me free 2 day shipping), have ordered Raybestos brake shoes, AC Delco belts, PS Return Hose etc, sure beats running around to local supply houses and making telephone calls.

Mike

[CNorton]

When ordering bearings to set up my 12-bolt last spring, I went to a local bearing supplier and specified Timken bearings that were made in the USA.  The counterperson confirmed that she could find them but it took an extra couple of days.  The bearings and the boxes they were packed in both bore "Made in USA" markings.

Within the past year I've heard stories of wheel bearings of Asian origin had been identified as the weak link in instances of premature, catastrophic failure.

c

[tmodel66]

Mike now I did tell the NAPA guy I wanted Made in USA bearings and he had to get them but it was the next day when they came in and I assumed they were in the NAPA warehouse.  Good luck.

[z28z11]

Gentlemen,

Be careful no matter what the box or the bearing/part country-of-origin says - I have at least two major bearing plants in my area that I have called on for years - they are the first to tell you that some of their parts and operations go overseas, some of which may be sent back to the states to be assembled to qualify as "Made in the USA". I won't name names, but you can read between the lines.

I don't want to get myself in trouble, but the trouble is corporate greed - that and NAFTA. We'll all be working at fast food establishments if this "global labor" doesn't even up - we've lost too many plants, too many jobs to cheap (and shoddy) labor overseas or across the border. Maybe when gas gets to $6.00 a liter in China, we can have some parity - but then again, they've got so much of our money and production over there already, $6.00, $7.00 or $8.00 a liter may be cheap to them -

Just my opinion - sorry to digress.

[Mike S]

 What I see more and more of is 'Made in the USA from imported parts'
Interesting reading of how a product can be labeled "Made in USA" can be found at:

http://money.cnn.com/2012/09/18/smallbusiness/made-in-usa-label/index.html

Sorry for being off topic slightly.

Mike