Suspension Parts

[jjrbus]

I took the Toy for a suspension brake checkup and was surprised at how little it seems to need.

This is a 94 unit built on a 93 Toyota V6 with Auto, 97,000 miles. I did a search and not sure of the results.

#1. Shocks. Are any Toyota pickup shocks OK or should I be looking for Toyota RV specific shocks or a better shock for this application?

#2. Drag Link I was told I need a new drag link but a parts search does not return a drag link. Is there another name for this?

#3. IS there a better way to search for RV specific parts or is pickup parts sufficent?

JIm SW FL

[5Toyota]

maybe idler arm ?

[zero]

I took the Toy for a suspension brake checkup and was surprised at how little it seems to need.

This is a 94 unit built on a 93 Toyota V6 with Auto, 97,000 miles. I did a search and not sure of the results.

#2. Drag Link I was told I need a new drag link but a parts search does not return a drag link. Is there another name for this?

Moog "center link" part # DS1060 for $82. Or NAPA part # MRC DS1060 for $64.

[Skydancer2992]

For shocks, Bilstein are the best.

http://cart.bilsteinus.com/pdfs/motorhome.pdf

[WME]

lots of parts here. Try looking at suspension and steering

https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1277995,parttype,7276

[jjrbus]

I had taken the toy to Tuffy a chain place. I was surprised at how little it needed, the control arm bushings were not even mentioned. They gave me an estimate of about $1000 and several things were not on the list.

I took it to an area independent today and whole different story. He said control arm bushings are bad, I agree. Steering damper, bad shape, not mentioned at Tuffy.

He will order parts tomorrow and I go pick them up and pay for them, except for shocks which I will order online. He is insistent that I use all Moog parts, but will install anything I buy. He will also let me clean and paint parts as he removes them. Will update as time permits.

JIm SW FL

[Totem]

Moog are nice; many of their parts have lifetime warranty. you may have to pay to replace them but never again for the part itself. I love moog stuff.

[jjrbus]

I'm 67 so lifetime replacement is not as enticing as it used to be JIm SW FL

[Totem]

Inferior chinese ball joints, control arms, track bars etc etc will go bad fast and these things cost a lot to have installed but hey if you are retired and have a huge pension to play with, go for it. let us know what parts you go with and how they hold up so that we may try them also if they last.

[jjrbus]

Money is always an issue. I am going to spend the $$ for the Moog parts as I do not want to do this twice, will save on easier to replace items. This list contains only 1 ball joint bushing and that is not a Moog, the bushings are not available locally. I will have to order them.

JIm SW FL

[zero]

In my opinion, you're just throwing money away looking at those prices. Many of the suspension and steering parts that come in MOOG boxes are from Asia. Often no difference in quality then parts with other names stuck on them for 1/4 the price. Even if you feel you must have the MOOG brand-name, those prices are still high. MOOG boxed ball-joint at Rock Auto is $23. Same # ball-joint from your guy is$82. That's ridiculous. The so-called MOOG center-link for $123 is $81 from Rock Auto. ES2376 Tie rod ends? You're being charged $60 each. TRW has them for $4 each.

I do understand how many people are at repair shops. They want to make a profit on the parts as well as the labor in many cases. When my Toyota broke down last year and I had no time or tools to fix I had to leave it at a shop. Even though I had a new engine gasket set and a new water-pump - both the same brand and part # as the shop wanted to use. They refused to use my parts and would only use parts they bought with a high price tag.

One thing I like about driving cars and trucks from the 70s-80s-90s is many of the parts are becoming considered "obsolete" and being sold dirt cheap on close-out IF you buy from the right sellers.

[zero]

I'm 67 so lifetime replacement is not as enticing as it used to be JIm SW FL

Who offers lifetime replacement anyway? Not something I've seen in a long time. Any so-called "lifetime" warranty I've seen for car parts lately is only a warranty against defects. NOT normal wear. MOOG was bought out by Federal Mogul years ago. Present warranty for parts in the MOOG box is two years and only for defects. NOT for normal wear. Also not from damage from road salt. I had a recent run-around with my local Advance Auto for a muffer on my Subaru. They are known to rot off every two years. So I paid twice the price for one from Advance. Not because it was any better. Just because it had the "lifetime" warranty. When I went to replace it - they refused. Said it was "normal" rot from moisture and road salt and had no defects. NAPA did the same thing aorund 10 years ago with their so-called "lifetime" brake pads.

Every MOOG part installed on cars for private use are warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship, under normal use and service, for 2 years* from the date of purchase

What is Not Covered

• Failure due to: accident or collision; misuse, abuse or modification; chemical fallout; salt, hail, or other environmental conditions including natural disasters; marine use; improper installation; installation of an incorrect part; and damages caused by other faulty parts.
• Parts under manufacturer's recall for a related problem.
• Parts installed on vehicles used off-road or for racing purposes.
• Parts installed on a commercial-use vehicle after 90 days (see below).
• Normal wear and tear.

Used or salvage parts

[Derek up North]

That's what's called "Limited Lifetime". Very limited.

[Totem]

looks like you got a decent deal on that stuff. i did the same types of parts on my dodge by moog and it ran me a grand for parts and labor.

[Totem]

yeah, but when a chinese ball joint breaks on mile 3 and your truck goes in the ditch your limited lifetyime warranty from moog starts looking better by the minute, especially when the ambulance that drives you to the hopsital is sporting moogs.

[Totem]

also jde, you pick your poison when your parts are "home brew" (self sourced). if he is wanting to have the shop guarantee their work, good luck getting that out of them when he low balled them with his own sourced parts. Now that being said I agree with you, i too would home brew my parts anyway, because I'm cheap and risky; If I were retired though I would probably like the shop warranty to go along with the limited lifetime parts warranty.

[Totem]

Below is a guy that had a moog joint fail (the dust boot, which is a rubber membrane that will always fail with dry rot salt etc.)

Looks like this guy had no trouble getting warranty satisfaction from Moog. Verified piurchaser too. He only gave 3 stars but proves they honor their stuff; at least for him.

So to me at least, looks like your rant on warranties not being honored is debunked. They are honored even when sold by amazon.

BySteve S Hawaiion June 21, 2013

Verified Purchase

Moog Problem Solvers are often the preferred choice for aftermarket suspension and steering parts.
Unfortunately, Moog's "superior" rubber dust boots will often fail before the ball joints themselves.
Replacement boots are not available from Moog separately, and Energy Suspension, Prothane, or Daystar's
polyurethane boots are only covers that will not seal properly, and don't have Moog's "grease relief valve"
that directs flushed excess grease away from the inner brake rotors. I installed both K8695T's with a press
on 4/28/11 carefully filling with premium lithium grease and both boots have failed. Great product, but a PITA
to press out after the boots crack, split, or tear long before the actual ball joint is worn. However, Moog directly
honored their lifetime warranty after e-mailing a copy of Amazon's digital receipt and pictures of both torn boots.

[zero]

If you contact MOOG and ask about warranty - they'll tell you it's up to the reseller where you bought the parts. So someone with a "bad" or "good" experience will often be more about the place they bought it and not the company who made the part.

As far as inferior suspension or steering parts failing? Maybe so but cant say I've ever seen it happen. I've put countless ball joints, u-joints, tie-rod-ends, etc in many a car and truck over the years. Sometimes with the cheapest parts I could find. I never did any of them twice.

I recently bought some off-brand ball joints for my Kia Sportage from Rock Auto for $5 each. Opened the box, and found OEM Kia ball-joints inside still in the OEM parts bag.

As far as shops jacking up the prices on parts? My take is this. If a shop gets a good volume discount that you as an individual cannot get, then yeah. Seems fine he/she can make a little profit. But when a place charges make-believe list-prices that no one usually pays anyway - then I see it as a rip-off. If you are paying someone to fix your car - the price of the parts should be no more then what you'd pay if you got the same parts yourself.

[linda s]

Isn't this kind of repair unusual for these Toyota's? I don't seem to remember anyone talking about all this before

Linda S

[zero]

Isn't this kind of repair unusual for these Toyota's? I don't seem to remember anyone talking about all this before

Linda S

I thought it was fairly common. Well, as common as it can be for a mini-truck this old.

When I got my 1978 Toyota Chinook home I put it in my shop to check over. Note it did not drive or handle bad. When I checked out the front end - just about everything was loose. Tie-rod ends, upper and lower ball joints, idler arm, pitman arm, . . even the control-arm bushings.

When I jacked up my 1988 Minicruiser - the bottom ball joints were bad but the rest was fine.

[Totem]

i havent replaced mine but am sure they need it; the bushings are older than most of today's top actors/actresses

[jjrbus]

I am all for saving a few dollars and sometimes shoot myself in the foot doing so. I have copper wire in garage I made by squeezing penny's! Some comparisons are wrong, ball joints are not $82 each they are 36.75 each. But I am a bit afraid of driving a 7000lb vehicle on $7 ball joints made in China. I do not care what the part number is! Yes I bought Chinese made tires, they are made with Hankook technology and are traceable in the US.I find no input on unknown parts suppliers.

A web search comparing apples to apples parts shows little difference in prices from what I paid, then add shipping. If I end up with a wrong part it is now several days waiting for proper part to be delivered. Doing in driveway I would not care and might order. On mechanics lift I may get charged storage

This is neighborhood wrench, he orders parts and we pick up and pay. He makes no money off parts. Verified by friends who have used him and know people at parts store.

All parts are made in USA or Japan. These 20 year old parts being replaced were made in Japan!

Also wrench has his truck up on lift redoing his F150 front end that he claims he redid 3 years ago with discount parts. That is his story, I am just relaying what he told me.

Some of the parts may have not needed replacing, but it is up on a lift and taken apart so might as well. Bushings and such are in bad shape even for a 20 year old vehicle. Would really tick me off to have to take apart in a year to replace something.

And now control arm bushings are not available locally and will have to be ordered. So I am going to order the poly replacement bushings. I am looking at Prothane, anyone have a part number or supplier, they favor?

Any and all input, advice, judgements, opinions, thoughts or wisecracks always greatly appreciated. JIm SW FL

[Totem]

i used prothane in my rears, no issues.

[jjrbus]

I have a call into http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=8307 trying to verify their kit Toyota Pickup 2WD 89-94 Bushings Pack is the right one, can't find part # at the moment? http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/proddetail.asp?prod=PackageDeal047. They are checking with Prothane and will return call in AM.

JIm SW FL

[jjrbus]

A vehicle redo is like Xmas, packages always showing up to be opened!

Here is the kit as it looks right out of the box. Everything appears to be here.

Jim SW FL

[Skydancer2992]

Your parts are enough to do one sway bar. The motorhome has two, front and rear.

[jjrbus]

Good catch. The "Total kit" only contains the front bushings?

Includes:

• Rear Spring Eye and Shackle Bushing Kit - 18-1005
• Front Sway Bar Bushings - 18-1107
• Front Strut Rod Bushings - 18-1201
• Front Control Arm Bushings - 18-205
• Tie Rod Dust Boots x2 - 19-1712

[Skydancer2992]

My kit was the same. I replaced the front sway bar bushings because the rear looked OK.

The Bilstein shocks came with their own bushings.

My rear spring bushings were completely worn through, metal on metal contact. However, my motorhome had over 200K miles when I replaced the bushings.

All three of the rear spring bushings were identical on my rig. The fat ones with the steel inserts were not used. The kit came with four sets of the smaller bushings. I used three of them and called Prothane. They sent me two more sets of the smaller bushings. No charge, no shipping cost, not even proof of purchase - just my word.

[Totem]

my rigs bushings were severely dry rotted in the leaf springs. used the same red prothanes but my mech only did back half or maybe it was the front half because the bolts were rusted solid and he didnt want to risk torch melting black tank and starting a fire etc. Not sure why he didnt angle grinder cut them but i didnt bother just left them as they still had some meat. I will tackle it some day.

[jjrbus]

2 mechanics 6 hours, so far. About which 3 1/2 hours were actual work. I am paying a flat rate so they can do what they want. So far have found that the Protane tie rod dust boots 19-1712 do not fit the Moog tie rod's. I brought parts home last night cleaned and painted and returned them this morning.

Some of the bushings are junk, some are OK, steering stabilizer was junk and front shock absorbers were useless. Most parts appear to be original equipment and due for replacement.

Brake pads NAPA UP-7205A $26.43 are not readily available and will be in Monday afternoon. The front pads for dual rear wheels are different # then regular pickup and not a stocked item?

Any and all input, advice, judgements, opinions, criticism, thoughts or wisecracks always greatly appreciated. JIm SW FL

[jjrbus]

Glad I did not try this in the driveway!

I am surprised by how many swear words the mechanic knows ! Entire job is harder than I expected it to be. I read nowhere that the steering box had to be loosened and moved to get the upper control arm out. Old bushings with heat popped right out. New bushings even with press were difficult to put in. Tried to liberally coat bushings with special grease, but mostly squeezed out as bushings were pressed in, hope I do not get squeaks!

Upper control arm bushings were in surprisingly good condition, lowers did not look good. Ball joints were a mixed bag, one good , one so so, others in poor shape. Bushings for strut bar and stabilizer bar looked newer, must have been replaced at some time.

Should be back together today if the brake pads arrive.

We negotiated on doing the rear spring bushings, he wants $100. I happily agreed as I suspect he is taking a beating on the fronts. The Dorfman lug / studs for the rear wheels arrived so need to see what we can do price wise on those.

[jjrbus]

The front end is finally done, all bushings, joints, connections, dohicky's shocks and brakes. Only took a week! It is the neighborhood wrench so we roll with the punch's.

When I hang around the shop I notice some of the people at the local car shows show up to chat or have work done. I never thought to ask for references at the car shows, might be a good idea.

They have also referred me to what is suppose to be the best alignment shop in the area. I suspect the first alignment will be pricy?

So now the toy is up in the air awaiting the rear end treatment, I am going away next week and hope it is done before I leave.

JIm SW FL

[Ctgriffi]

I'd like to hear how that alignment process goes for you. I'm in bad need of a front end alignment, too, once I get a new set of tires mounted this Spring. I probably will jack up the front first and get a good look at the condition of my balljoints, tie-rods, etc.

[jjrbus]

It's done, it's done, only 10 days!! Well there is still the alignment Monday 10am.

Had another Protane set back, the bushings for the front of the rear springs did not fit. Called http://www.aftermarketsuspensionparts.com/ They acted like I screwed up and wanted to sell me new rear bushings ! I am out of time and did not want to play games so I bought replacement bushings from NAPA #HB-6750 or I would have been tied up another week!

Parts for the front including new brake pads and shocks came to $745 + $350 labor That is every bushing and replaceable steering part on the front.

New bushings for rear included in kit, plus $95 for shocks, bushings from NAPA $10.56, 6 new lug/studs on one side (bought 10) $28.07 another 133.63 total. He also did a bit of welding for me and the labor cost for the rear was $140

BIG difference when driving, and handles great! I no longer feel like the Toy is going to roll over when I go around corners! Can't wait to drive it when it is windy.

Gathering up parts for AC changeover, new radiator and such. But will not be able to work on it for a bit.

Wallet is starting to smell of burning plastic from charge card melting, and I am on a first name basis with the UPS driver. JIm SW FL

[WME]

You will find that it handles better and rides smoother and is quieter