# Ball Joint's Controll Arm



## dlane (May 29, 2016)

So my truck needed new ball joints , a friend recommended a mechanic friend of his that is ase certified.
I went over to the shop and talked to him , asked what kind of ball joints he uses he said moog.
I told him I don't want any thing that said made in China on it , he stated he dosn't use Chinese parts .
So I let him do the replacements , two days later I pic up my truck as he was closing the shop he said he put a California alignment on it ?. And if I don't like it to bring it back tomorrow and he'll realign it.
All the truck wanted to do is turn left, went back the next day and noticed the boxs the control arms came in
They were precision brand not moog they were made in China !! , he said that's all he could get.
He got it aligned so it drives straight, but now I am afraid to drive it with Chinese control arms in it.
This costed 1000.00 to have done , truck is a 03 dodge 3500 srw cc 2wd Cummins 5.9' bought new 04 , upper control arms weren't ball joint serviceable, 
I don't want him touching my truck again , his shop is on his property.
Any recourse? 
Rant over


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## Ulma Doctor (May 29, 2016)

california alignment, huh.... Translation- it means he eyeballed it (poorly, after a couple beers or other )
if it's any consultation, the parts have to meet D.O.T. specifications, to be sold as replacement parts .
are they going to fail tomorrow ?,
not likely at all -they may not last as long as the OEM parts.
the alternative would be to got to dodge dealer and get raked over their coal$
it's a shame he told you one thing and did another without proper warning.
if you don't trust him or get a bad feel from them when they are explaining things- you are usually correct.

you may have limited recourse with the better business bureau 
you could always start a Facebook, Yelp, and Twitter Crusade, but something tells me that it won't really bring the satisfaction deserved. 

another recourse may be to find the OEM (or equivalent) parts from a guy who will do your work with integrity , but that's gonna cost you.


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## TOOLMASTER (May 29, 2016)

check your tire pressure first....


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## doug j (May 29, 2016)

Not defending the guy but as someone who's been in the repair business for nearly twenty years, U.S. made parts are nearly non existent. Moog also are made in China also,  with some being made in the states, if you go to the dealer there is no guarantee you eill get an American made part, I've seen mopar, motorcraft and ac parts with china printed on the box, sucks I know.


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## TOOLMASTER (May 29, 2016)

they sell wood made in Sweden at home depo..;-)


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## Andre (May 29, 2016)

The first mistake was the fact he lied to you about part origin, and the second was the price he charged you. Run!!!


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## dlane (May 29, 2016)

Thanks for the advice, Mike he stated the Ca alignment was to counteract the crown in Ca roads
Andre, all the shops around here came in about the same cost, should of ran but to late now.
The old OE control arms were aluminum with unserviceable ball joints without grease zerts
New Chinese ones at least have grease zerts and are steel, " Chinese steel" . 
Gona see if he has business license in this county for auto repair and go from there
Might Yelp his shop


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## RCWorks (May 29, 2016)

I am a retired ASE master Mechanic... I bought my own Moog parts (Upper and Lower ball joints for both sides) and had the local guy install them... $200 labor I paid about $113 for the parts. This was on a 1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty.

Truck drives great for $313. I had the front tires changed just before the alignment.


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## dlane (May 29, 2016)

Wanted to get new tires but now I don't trust truck with Chinese crap on it.! . Ied buy a new one but there all crap now. Mabey chi tires will make all good ?
 Beem me up Scotty I've had enough.


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## Firestopper (May 30, 2016)

You should be more upset you live in CA. 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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## RCWorks (May 30, 2016)

firestopper said:


> You should be more upset you live in CA. 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.



*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.


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## Superburban (May 30, 2016)

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.


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## doug j (May 31, 2016)

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.


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## RCWorks (May 31, 2016)

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...


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## dlane (May 31, 2016)

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.


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## 4GSR (Jun 9, 2016)

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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## dlane (Jun 9, 2016)

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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