[shonuff]

I have been looking at the front end kits, will go rubber, but the:

Moog is pricey.... $283 but part by part
Big Tony Chevelle has a kit for $150
PST has a kit for $369
CCP has a kit for $259
MPC Master Pro Oreilly House Brand

..................Moog... MPC ....CCP
2Uballjoint...... 30..... 9....... 19
2Lballjoint .......30.... 15 ......23
O tie rod .........46.... 20...... 39
I tie rod ..........25.... 11.......14
Tie Adjust .......32 ....11...... 18
CA Bushings..... 59.....59...... 59
Sway b end......28.....16...... 28
Idler Arm......... 33.....15...... 29
....................$283..$175 ..$229


Is the Moog better due to marketing or truly superior over these other manufactors?....When you line them up side by side, they damn near look the same. MCP is Orelliy's house brand. My buddy that works there says they use em all the time and Moog you are paying for advertisement. But I noticed that if you break down the parts in these kits from the restoration sites/shops, they are the same price as MCP's part for part.... The they are cheaper than the Moog....... So my question is can you live with the MCP stuff from Oreilly's?

I also talked to a guy from one of the resto sites and he claimed Moog out sources their componets anyway and often parts will not fit or look orig. He says their parts are better for retro.....

Any thoughts?

 

[novaderrik]

i like Moog parts. they just feel better than the cheap junk.

 

[Rizzi427]

Moog is a top quality part made in the USA and CANADA not "offshore" their products provide excellent fit and reliabilty and are made to last.We have never had a problem with a Moog unit in 35 years and their reputation speaks for itself. note the prices you list are they all for 2 and are they MOOG NEW STOCK the ball joints and the ends does not look correct Bob Rizzi/Rizzi's Auto Parts

 

[BillsCamino]

Compare Dana/Spicer suspension parts to the same Moog ones.
Spicer is better by far!!

 

[Notalent]

Good topic....I have been researching the following as well as I am ordering a front end rebuild kit this weekend as well. PST said they use some moog parts in there kit and also make there own....I wish moog had a kit rather than parting it out.

 

[Rizzi427]

Compare Dana/Spicer suspension parts to the same Moog ones.
Spicer is better by far!![


GOOD PRODUCT WHEN THEY ARE MADE IN THE USA AND CANADA BUT NOT "BETTER BY FAR" MOOG'S PROBLEM SOLVER LINE IS A " TOP NOTCH" REPLACEMENT FOR CLASSIC CARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOB RIZZI/RIZZI'S AUTO PARTS 66'427/68' 396/70'454

 

[Rizzi427]

good topic....i have been researching the following as well as i am ordering a front end rebuild kit this weekend as well. Pst said they use some moog parts in there kit and also make there own....i wish moog had a kit rather than parting it out.

moog kits can be made up very easily if done right / bob rizzi rizzi's auto parts

 

[sbvelleman]

Rizzi427: Moog is a top quality part made in the USA and CANADA not "offshore"

I just replaced lower control arm bushings on my friends '03 Ferd Escape. I told him to buy the quality Moog parts. Upon opening the boxes the bushings said "MADE IN CHINA"

 

[Rizzi427]

I just replaced lower control arm bushings on my friends '03 Ferd Escape. I told him to buy the quality Moog parts. Upon opening the boxes the bushings said "MADE IN CHINA"

if that product was made in china it should of been stamped on the box,


box should also state "problem solver" bob rizzi/ rizzi's auto parts

we are discussing moog parts for a chevelle ?

 

[bochnak]

Compare Dana/Spicer suspension parts to the same Moog ones.
Spicer is better by far!!

Yes, and add another column with pricing from www.rockauto.com

I bet it will be cheaper!

Let me know when you are ready for the 5% discount code:thumbsup:

 

[Rizzi427]

service grade ,professional grade etc, etc, know the product sell the product stand by the product>>>>>>>>> bob rizzi/rizzi's auto parts

 

[shonuff]

To add something to the gumbo...... I just left Oreilly's where my buddy works, the old timer there said Borg Wagner makes the Master Pro Oreilly house brand........He said sometimes they open up the boxes and they say moog on the parts of the Master Pro......The Master Pro looked exactly like the Moog..... He basically said its all a gumbo..... but I have used Moog on my 67 Deville I had, with no probs.......

The thing that was interesting to me was when I talked to one of the vendors here the tech said they do not use moog, their claim is that Moog outsources so many parts, and sometimes they do not mate completely OEM with our cars......

So that goes back to when I compare prices of some of these kits and part for part from the resto shops..... Are the resto vendors buying the cheap house brands, then packaging them up and selling them?

Tony's Chevelle $150
Ground UP $159 and $269
PST $179 and $369
CCP $149 and $259

These are suppose to be complete kits... How are they selling em so cheap, but the Moog's are $300 plus....

Just trying to figure this stuff out............I am a economist so I try to nail it down to the finite numbers.......Maybe I am helping myself as well as others put the numbers to the pad and figure out the quality.. I do not want to over pay for damn near the same parts and pay for one company's advertisement......

 

[shonuff]

service grade ,professional grade etc, etc, know the product sell the product stand by the product>>>>>>>>> bob rizzi/rizzi's auto parts

Rizzi do you see what I am saying? What gives, who do you trust? If I go Moog I will have to piece it together or use my buddy's shop discount at Oreilly's..... I have a shop account at XL Parts(don't ask any questions how) but wanted to give the vendors a chance before I ordered the Moog part by part.....

I just found out Summit has a Kit Right Stuff for $159...... Are these other kits inferrior to Moog?

 

[shonuff]

Yes, and add another column with pricing from www.rockauto.com

I bet it will be cheaper!

Let me know when you are ready for the 5% discount code:thumbsup:

I see Rockauto has the Raybesto and Mevotech for dirt cheap, who makes these parts?

 

[Rizzi427]

John,I have been in the auto parts business since 1975 owned one of the fastest chevelles in the ny area back in the 1960's and early 70's,Moog makes a great product as well as dana/spicer also there is different levels of parts today some parts are made in the USA and some offshore. Some of the kits sold are just that made to be used together because of their design and the grade of steel used, etc. As for a vendor stating problems with a Moog product thats called "knock the competitor buy my product" be assured the parts that Moog makes for your chevelle are "MADE IN THE USA" note they have hd rubber boots on the ball joints and tie rod ends and state" problem solver" when it comes to a classic car know your product!!!!!! Bob Rizzi/Rizzi's Auto Parts

 

[Tom Mobley]

What Bob said.

Not knowing of Bob's shop last year I bought a complete MOOG setup for my Chevelle. Upper and Lower ball joints and bushings, inner and out tie rods and sleeves, problem solver idler arm and drag link, sway bar stuff, it was like $500 before it was over. It was cheaper there than anywhere else for MOOG. When I see complete kits being advertised for $150 or $200 I think "cheap china junk".

I think some of these vendors have it figured out that most of these cars are weekenders or trailer queens, very low mileage. Cheap junk might last a long time, longer than any warranty. My car is a daily driver though, I wanted good stuff. Then I ended up with the polygraphite stuff from a forum sponsor on a trade deal. All that MOOG stuff is in a closet. I do have to say my car drives better than ever with the P-S-T stuff and I've put around 220K on it.

 

[novaderrik]

it's not that hard to piece together a Moog "kit".. it's not like there are a million parts in the front end of a car.
inner tie rod ends (2)
outer tie rod ends (2)
adjuster sleeves (2)
lower ball joints (2)
upper ball joints (2)
upper bushings (4)
lower front bushings (2)
lower rear bushings (2)
lower bump stops (2)
upper bump stops (2)
idler arm (1)
center link (1)

that's 12 part numbers on the front, with a total of 24 parts. any parts counter computer jockey should be able to easily figure out the parts and the total, or you can find the part numbers online and take the list into the store and tell them to order those.
i used to have a complete list of all the part numbers i ordered for my Nova- i found all the Moog part numbers online and took the list to my local Carquest. i got everything new for the front end of that car except for the steering arm and center link, and i think it was around $300 for everything. it was there the day after i ordered it with no shipping and everything fit like it was meant to be there.
i can't say the same for the PST kit that my cousin got for his 69 Camaro- the bushings all fit nicely, but the balljoints and tie rods (you know, the really important stuff) didn't fit right. the studs on them fit too far into the holes and i needed to put a washer under each nut just to get it so that the cotter pins would actually go thru the castle nuts to keep them from backing out. that was 3 years ago, and he hasn't got the car o nthe road yet. he is ordering all new Moog balljoints and tie rod ends before he finishes the car up.
one other thing that Moog has in it's favor is that DSE uses Moog parts in their control arms and such and sells Moog parts separately in their catalog.

 

[Notalent]

Shoot...I didnt know Federal Mogul owned Moog....I think I can get a good deal on all moog...time to source the part #'s and find out!

 

[shonuff]

What Bob said.

Not knowing of Bob's shop last year I bought a complete MOOG setup for my Chevelle. Upper and Lower ball joints and bushings, inner and out tie rods and sleeves, problem solver idler arm and drag link, sway bar stuff, it was like $500 before it was over. It was cheaper there than anywhere else for MOOG. When I see complete kits being advertised for $150 or $200 I think "cheap china junk".

I think some of these vendors have it figured out that most of these cars are weekenders or trailer queens, very low mileage. Cheap junk might last a long time, longer than any warranty. My car is a daily driver though, I wanted good stuff. Then I ended up with the polygraphite stuff from a forum sponsor on a trade deal. All that MOOG stuff is in a closet. I do have to say my car drives better than ever with the P-S-T stuff and I've put around 220K on it.

Tom: Daily driver here too, so I put 1000+ a month thats why the urgency... I have too do this soon.... Car is steering to the right, plus control arm bushings rotting, right inner tie rod, and left outer tie rod, upper ball and joint are through... I guess when the guy I bought it from restored, they did not touch the Front end.... Plus I have been really driving the heck out of it to see if something is wrong or pop up before I replace...

I read your sticky, good stuff....
How is the PST polygraphite working for you Tom? What are you going to do with the Moog? Save it for later?

Rizzi :
thanks for the info, Just wanted to do some Homework first... Thanks for the info.....

 

[Rizzi427]

ANY FORUM MEMBER WHO NEEDS PART #s , SPECS ,INFO ETC. ON MOOG PRODUCTS FOR THEIR CHEVELLE I WILL BE GLAD TO HELP OUT. AS STATED I CAN IDENTIFY CASTING NUMBERS ON THE UNITS TO VERIFY IF THEY ARE ACTUAL MOOG PIECES IN ANY AFTERMARKET COMPANIES BOX . BOB RIZZI/RIZZI'S AUTO PARTS