So brand of ball joints are you guys using these days?
 

e: Oops, title should say "So what brand of ball joints are you guys using these days?"

In the past Moog was the universal answer, but now I'm not so sure since the redesign with the integrated boot. A while back (before the redesign) I swapped out my driver's side lower control arm, and also the lower ball joint on the passenger side (along with uppers on both sides). The only control arm that I could find was a Dorman, so I ended up with Moog uppers on both sides, and Moog lower on the passenger side and the crappy Dorman ball joint that came with the control arm on the driver's side. Needless to say the Dorman joint failed soon after, which was around 2016. The replacement that I got (from Amazon) was the redesigned Moog with a barely there boot.

Now, almost three years later the driver's side lower ball joint is loose. The passenger side is still okay. This is making me think that the new style is part of the reason why it failed, since there is a lot less protection there from the elements. I did grease it regularly.

You guys think I should stick with Moog, or try something else? Have any of you had the new style fail prematurely (in your opinion, since I guess it's normal for these trucks to eat lower ball joints)?

My opinion about ball joints with replaceable boots is, you have to go though almost as much work to just replace the boot as it takes to actually replace the entire ball joint, you might as well go ahead and replace the entire ball joint if it were to ever come to that point...

That being said

I've had Moog joints on my 04 for going on about 4 years now and have no issues at all, and I have about an inch and a half of crank on the torsion bars on them over factory speck to clear 31" mud terrains. I'm not super hard on them by any means, and they have done me well. I hit them periodically with a grease gun and ride on.

I've went cheap and they lasted about 2 months, and that's when I went with these Moogs, and haven't looked back.

Only other suggestion I can give is if you look at another brand, at least get something with a grease fitting.

I'm not talking about just replacing the boot, I'm talking about Moog's new style ball joints that have the integrated boot which is way smaller. This new style is the one that failed way quicker than the old style Moog ball joints that I'm used to. I've actually never had a Moog fail on me up until now. So I'm just wondering if I should get another Moog (and risk using their new style which might fail) or if anyone here had used any other brands that held up as well as Moog.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...58404b9ca9.jpg


As you can see, the boot is practically non existent now.

Oooooooh.... I honestly hadn't seen that style yet :/ not so sure I like that either