Ball Joint's Controll Arm

firestopper said:
You should be more upset you live in CA:D. Kidding aside, the guy should have told you most after market parts are made in China as are a lot of OEM. I would not be concerned driving your truck if everything appears to be installed correctly and she's feels tight. I feel the guy overcharged you for Chi-com parts and labor though. Like RC mentioned, buy your own parts in advance and save, but don't expect the mechanic to work for free if a part you provided fails requiring replacement ( you already know this).

I needed tires for both trailers last year as they where original, I shopped around and really didn't want to spend 1K per tailer as they dry-rott way sooner than balding . Anyway, the originals where made in China and had plenty of meat, but had began to separate. I remember the horror stories some 10-15 back about chi-com rubber so I was not going to put them back on. Long story short, Discount tire sells Chinese load range E trailer tires with certificates for around $450 (set of four), and honors against dry-rott for 10 years. Guess whats tires I run on trailers. I don't regularly run these trailers state to state or haul for a living but for the money and warrantee its hard to beat. Would I prefer non Chinese rubber? hells ya, but everything, I mean everything seems to be coming out of China.
You guys remember back in the 70's "made in Japan"= junk. Now fast forward = Quality.
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Discount tire... I get them online from them. My car takes 12 inch tires and no one stocks them, but Discount has them an in under a week so do I.. My trucks front tires are from Discount as well. Here in Oklahoma trucks will see 300,000 miles on the original motor as we get to drive them, not sit in traffic admiring the new pine tree air freshener.:D:D:D
 
Not only are most replacement parts made overseas somewhere, but most name brands now carry an economy line, a daily driver line, and many also have a premium line, for the same part. So anymore, you cannot go by brand names.

It used to be that when I bought a used truck, I would replace the ball joints, brake lines, cylinders, calipers, u-joints, bearings, seals, and any other wear part, so that I had a fresh start on everything. Now, I just check, and relube everything, afraid to replace parts, unless they are needed.
 
Just FYI, if I'm not mistaken Moog part numbers with RK prefix are Asian made, Precision is also a once good 'ol USA part that is now farmed out to Asia.
 
I had a Ford Escape come in from the dealer to fix the check engine light to seal the deal on a sale...

The code was for the EGR system. I know Fords like the back of my hand and do a quick look at the DPFE sensor, sure enough it's bad... I order a new on and install it...
Before I can get this car to the door the light is back on... I check it is the same code.
Change the part again the code is still there...
Order the part from Ford and the job is done...
 
Guess I should of found a dodge mechanic at a reputable shop and bought my own parts for install. That's the first person that worked on my truck other than me or the dodge stealer.
 
One thing to remember, if the parts are Chinese made and are branded from a USA company, not talking about the economy ones, They will be of quality materials and manufactured well. I know this from my own personal experience dealing with with stuff built in China I deal with. I consult for two companies that get equipment built over there. And everything is built to our specifications, drawings, material specifications, etc. Been working with the two companies for almost 10 years now. We have not had any mechanical failures from inferior steels used or anything out of specifications since I've been involved. I've have visited several facilities over in China that do work for my clients also. They will show you the stuff they scrap as being inferior and not meeting specifications. I will say, steel being produced over there today is much better than it was 10 years ago or even 20 years ago. Remember, Americans are the one's that put the Chinese in business making stuff for us today. And not to drag in the Australians into the picture, they have a pretty strong presents there, too.

I'm like you guys too, I will shop for name brand parts for my cars, too. Even if it means buying from a car dealer. We run Toyota's in my family. My son has found a couple of Toyota parts dealers on line where we can get genuine Toyota parts from for about 30-40% less if bought from the local dealer. One thing to keep in mind, most USA car manufactures, Chevy, Ford, and Dodge, are getting a lot of their parts made next door in Mexico, too! I see those trains coming thru my town daily carrying cars, parts, etc., going to port of Houston to be shipped to other parts of the USA and other countries.
 
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Thanks Ken that almost set my mind at ease, but if my front end falls off I'm sueing China if I make it.
 
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