Ball Joints, etc: OEM or not?

[AxtellZ]

Hi all-

For Christmas, my loving wife bought me the polyurethane hyperflex master bushing kit for my "late" 260Z. Just got the suspension video from Ztherapy too.

So, while its apart, i'll replace the balljoints and outer tie rod ends & whatever else i need/afford. Does anyone have an opinion (well, of course you do..) about using OEM Nissan, versus Moog or ACDelco aftermarket parts? The price differential is astounding!

May also grab a set of Eibach progressive springs- will relatively new KYB cheapo strut cartridges work okay with thos springs?

Thanks everyone- please send some warm air to western NY, its 12 degrees F in my garage at the moment...BRRR..

Jeremiah

[Bambikiller240]

Jeremiah:

I would stick with OEM or MOOG (so long as the MOOG have provision for grease fittings). I bought some balljoints and Tie-Rod ends that had a good price and they turned out to be "lifetime lubricated" and did not have a place for grease fittings, and appear less "beefy" than OEM. I wish I had spent the extra $$. Look before you buy, if you can.

[inline6]

I had a slight shimmy in my Z for a couple of years-- even after rebuilding the front end with everything. It was driving me nuts. From time to time, when I was in the mood, I would try to figure out what could be causing it.

One day, I placed the jack under the outboard end of the lower control arm (careful- don't bend anything) and jacked a front corner up so I could do some prying. I was shocked to see the amount of play in a relatively new set of ball joints that were on the car when I bought it. They were the only parts I hadn't replaced when I rebuilt the front. Anyway, OEM were expensive at around $90 each, but I went for them and the problem was finally resolved.

I have read that some people think that Z's front ends are just very sensitive and if you don't have everything (tires balanced well, tight tie rod ends, ball joints, tight rack, good rack bushings, etc.) they shimmy. At this point, I hypothesize that cheap after market ball joints could be the culprit on many Z's.

My car had the shimmy so long-- obviously the previous owner had it too, that it wore down the center in the steering rack. I had to get a replacement rack when I rebuilt the front.

Garrett