Another RockAuto Parts Question (Dorman)

I need to do a rehab on the front suspension on my 2000 Expedition

The list

Hubs. One is humming / loose the other is a while you are there replacement since the ball joint on the other side that is not humming or loose is bad so I may as well do the ball joint while I am there.

Lower ball joints. One is bad (on the opposite side from the bad hub) so the 2nd one becomes a while you are there thing while I am replacing the hub.

Upper ball joints. This is a tough one and what my question really is about. The upper ball joints can be replaced separation of the hub and the lower ball joint. Neither seems to be bad but if I am going to take the whole thing apart to do the hubs and the lower ball joints I was thinking of doing these as well. IT is just two more bolts and since I will need an alignment done I should do them. If the uppers fail I would have to get another alignment (about $70 at the dealer).

HOWEVER in fords attempt to piss off the shade tree mechanic they are not serviceable. This means replacement of the whole upper A arm. Not a hard job. In Fact probably easier for most people since many people don't like pressing ball joints in. And many people probably don't have a ball joint press in tool (I do)

The typical price for a complete A arm with the ball joint is in the 60-70 range (each). The rub is that had this been a simple ball joint replacement it should have been a less then $20 part! So I was looking around Rock Auto and find they sell a replacement A arm made by Dorman with the ball joint with a lifetime warranty for about $39 each shipped to my door.

Now I know that everyone is going to say don't be cheep. This is not a case of being cheep it is a case of I can save darn near half a tank of gas in the Expedition. Ok... . . Ya I am being a little cheep.

I was looking at upper A arms from Moog at RockAuto and they are about 65 each to my door.

I don't want to be cheep, but the reality is that if they go bad early there replacement is simple and does not require taking much of anything else apart. (unlike the lower ball joints or the hubs)

Anyone heard of Dorman? I have not.

I have had pretty good luck with dorman products. I don't know how much abuse they will take but for normal use they seem to generally be a fair replacement for original parts. I know them mostly as a source of odd fasteners and clips but have gotten other things from them as well. I have no memory of getting a bad part from them. Your mileage may very.

fwiw, moog parts are made in the USA

Kj

I wish rock auto would fix their shipping bs. I swear that's the only reason I don't use them.

You should be able to select a few parts that you need, and have it generate the cheapest cart taking shipping into consideration!

Sometimes there will be two parts that are $0.20 difference, but one generates $15 shipping and the other fits in with your order!

Kendall_Jones wrote: fwiw, moog parts are made in the USA Kj

Hummmmm Rockauto has shipping from Europ on the uppers. Weird

Taiden wrote: I wish rock auto would fix their shipping bs.

Ditto. Lining out your "A,B,C and D" warehouses takes forever. I wish there was a way the Rockauto website would autoselect to minimize shipping.

It is a frustrating way to try to save a few bucks. If I am only buying one part I'd look at RA every time. If I have a list, I sometimes don't even look there because of the shipping nonsense. If you want 5 or 6 parts it may take 10 permutations to find the lowest cost method to buy the things you want.

While RA is a PITA on shipping, I look at my list of parts and their total and compare to my local stores. I have a mess of parts for a potential $2012 Challenge Ranger V8 swap. RA has like 5 different locations with various shipping amounts. But the local Napa is close on price enough even after taxes to match RA. I just shop for the best parts at the cheapest prices regardless of shipping location with RA.

I've got my total list here, but haven't got it figured out completely yet..... Some things will definitely be RA, others will be local.

I've had good luck with the Dorman parts I've used. The regulator/window lift motor that I replaced on my Buick recently was hecho en Mexico, and the Dorman replacement was made in Taiwan. That said, I've heard of durability problems with made in Taiwan wheel bearings. Not sure if that would also apply to suspension parts though.

Dorman is generally the brand that places like Autozone and Advance will have.

the funny part is at auto-zone I found dorman upper a arms for almost 65 each as compared to $39 at rock auto (including shipping)

unless it's a "fix-n-flip" or must-be-the-cheapest-way-possible situation, I'd spend the extra on the Moog. If they have an improved design or heavy-duty, even better. I think Dorman bought Motormite/HELP a few years back. Some stuff is ok, but shop carefully.

What Gearheadotaku said. Dorman stuff can be hit or miss, their hardware etc is pretty good but the window regulators etc are so Mickey Mouse they should have ears.

i'd bet that Moog upper control arm is actually made by Drrman..

Dorman makes damn near everything. they are responsible for the best section of every parts store- the "Help!" section. NAPA sells Dorman stuff under their own house brand, and i'm sure some other places do, too.

if you want to see what all they make, go to www.dormanproducts.com and look around.. they make almost everything for almost every vehicle ever made. need a wheel stud for your obscure European sports car? odds are pretty good that they make it.

Moog makes an upper arm with replaceable joint for next time it wears out. Have you priced OE Ford parts? Its a shock sometimes, from both sides- "Its how much???" or " wow, thats cheap."

Dorman scares me.

No I have not checked with Ford. I have seen motorcraft parts and they can be all over the map price wise

FWIW I put the Moog uppers on our '97 'Sploder about 3 years ago and haven't had any trouble yet. did the entire job you're discussing in a weekend, no sweat except a sore back. I don't have an opinion to offer on dorman, though.

I am aquiring tools as well as parts. The ball joint press is a must for this job. I think I have everyting else. I have to look and see if harbor freight as one otherwise I will borough one from a friend.

plug the dorman name, and the dorman part number into google and hit the "shopping" link. I recently purchased a Dorman exhaust manifold for my Corolla from Amazon of all places, it cost me $55.00, and shipping was FREE (yeah free shipping on an exhaust manifold!!!)

Taiden wrote: I wish rock auto would fix their shipping bs. I swear that's the only reason I don't use them. You should be able to select a few parts that you need, and have it generate the cheapest cart taking shipping into consideration! Sometimes there will be two parts that are $0.20 difference, but one generates $15 shipping and the other fits in with your order!

The little truck that appears next to items after you add an item to your shopping cart tells you those items ship from the same warehouse as the one in your cart. Put your must have item in the cart and then look for the truck for the rest of your items.

SupraWes wrote:

Taiden wrote: I wish rock auto would fix their shipping bs. I swear that's the only reason I don't use them. You should be able to select a few parts that you need, and have it generate the cheapest cart taking shipping into consideration! Sometimes there will be two parts that are $0.20 difference, but one generates $15 shipping and the other fits in with your order!

The little truck that appears next to items after you add an item to your shopping cart tells you those items ship from the same warehouse as the one in your cart. Put your must have item in the cart and then look for the truck for the rest of your items.

Yeah, that certainly helps a LOT, but sometimes a small part will add $15 shipping and you have to shuffle your cart to make it worth while.

Dorman has been around for ever. Those orange bins with wheel studs behind the counter guy are dorman.

Ya RA can be a pain with shipping but i normaly wait for the closeout parts e-mails. Just picked up rear axle bearings for the dwarf car (toyota S code rear) for $15.24 local guy is $60 and 3 day wait so i buy four and keep them in stock for less then one....sucks for my local guy but he shop at RA too he's told me once when i was looking for an odd ball oil filter to go to RA...

44

I worked at Dorman for a little bit. They try and provide replacement parts for those who don't want to spend OEM $.

In some cases the part you get from them is EXACTLY as OEM. In others it could be same as OEM or a lower quality copy. In still others it is definitely a copy (sometimes high quality and sometimes poor).

I don't want to "tell all" but it wouldn't bother me to buy CA's from them (if you are being cheep or cheap). Ford window regulators are also good bet and possibly the other domestics. Other stuff is going to be hit or miss. Their plastic hardware is for the most part inferior, but plenty good enough to do the job.

I think I am going to get the dorman upper ball joint / A arm assembly's from RA. Since they can be replaced independantly from the other suspension components that I am changing I am less concerend / troubbled if they go bad prematurly. They also have a lifetime waranty (not sure how good that really is) but worth a shot.

As for the hubs I am going Timkin. The lower balljoints are I am ordering Motorcraft. I would have gone Moog but with the shipping from England and it killed the deal. At this point I wanted to keep everything coming in the same package / truck.

This happened to me today

Taiden wrote: This happened to me today

Huston we have a problem LOL.