Hi all, my 1990 4Runner is at about 232,000 miles and I am looking to replace the upper and lower ball joints. No issues with the current ones that I can tell, but I figure at this mileage it wouldnt hurt to go ahead and get some new ones on. I am curious, would you go with OEM on these or is there a good aftermarket? Was looking at MOOG but have heard mixed things about them.

 

The consensus around here is that the OEM Toyota ball joints are the best quality, and I totally agree.

Moog used to be a good aftermarket alternative back in the day, but their designs and quality have changed, and their parts don't hold up like they used to.

 

Moog is the worst brand that I've tried, and I've tried quite a few. OEM is the best and nothing else even comes close. OEM ball joints can go over 300,000 miles if the truck isn't seeing water crossings or too much mud. If yours are tight, keep them. When the do go, buy OEM. Aftermarket stuff lasts months, OEM will last decades. OEM stuff from an online dealer is about double the price of cheap stuff from the parts store but there is absolutely no comparison.

No, 555 brand is not OEM.

 

Can you still get OEM Ball joints from Toyota for these older vehicles ?

Mine have all been replaced so I don`t need to be to concerned..

 

Yes, you still can!

While most of the cosmetic parts like interior parts and trim pieces have been discontinued, there are many mechanical Genuine Toyota parts that are still being made and available at your dealer (or online dealer parts websites).

 

Thanks guys. Pretty much confirms my suspicions that OEM is really the way to go here.