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Fabricated front LCA's with BALL JOINTS?

BlueWaffle

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After reading on here a week or two ago about the factory front LCA's being a throw away item once the joints get loose... And how much money Lord Henry wants for ONE genuine Motorcraft replacement ($800+ 😒)... I find myself thinking that spending "a little extra" on (factory length) aftermarket fabricated lowers that have replaceable joints could/would be the smart money move over the long term.

My only problem is.. I haven't been able to find an aftermarket pair (fabricated) that has ball joints and NOT heims. This is my daily driver/weekend warrior wheeling rig.. and I live as deep in the salt belt as one can be. I don't NEED heims and I don't WANT heims. If the heims were sealed (I haven't found any that come sealed) I *might* be willing to change my mind on that.. but metal-on-metal heims are totally out of the question and id really rather not even deal with Teflon/nylon lined heims.

Aftermarket OEM-equivalent replacements ARE available from folks like Detroit axle and A- premium.. for around $350 a pair.. probably moog and mevotech as well I'd like to think... But every enthusiast knows that OE equivalent aftermarket replacement parts have become a TOTAL crap-shoot concerning their level of quality in the past decade or so.. and I'm not particularly a gambling man.


Anyone know or have seen something I don't/haven't? I'm coming up on 50k miles.. shitty Maine roads and plenty of time off-road.. it's time to start being proactive and figure out which route im gonna take when it's time.

Thanks.
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Red2000

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Actually did some ball joints on a foxbody this last weekend but have not even thought about the bronco to be honest.

Well that is not good about not being replaceable lowers. So I have to scrap an entire control arm when the ball joint goes! That does not seem cool.

I mean some of the aftermarket suppliers are the same ones that supply to Ford so it's not all junk but I agree there can be some.

Yeah would be great to find a lower with replaceable joints for when time to scrap the factory arms.
 
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BlueWaffle

BlueWaffle

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Actually did some ball joints on a foxbody this last weekend but have not even thought about the bronco to be honest.

Well that is not good about not being replaceable lowers. So I have to scrap an entire control arm when the ball joint goes! That does not seem cool.

I mean some of the aftermarket suppliers are the same ones that supply to Ford so it's not all junk but I agree there can be some.

Yeah would be great to find a lower with replaceable joints for when time to scrap the factory arms.
Yeah... Good example of the ever progressing phenomenon of 'enshittification'. I wasn't too excited when I heard the news lol.

Who's the forums "man at Ford" again?

@Ducati1098 perhaps?


Do you know who supplies Ford with their front LCA's?
 

Red2000

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I suspect that there is a North American supplier and one in China as those are the two bronco manufacturing locations. I see a moog option on rock auto as well as ones sold through eBay or other parts distributors that are about half the cost and could be from the Chinese manufacturer(s).

Just my guess.

News to me... these broncos have integrated lower balljoints that are non serviceable. I hope the factory ones have a long life!
 

Ducati1098

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Yeah... Good example of the ever progressing phenomenon of 'enshittification'. I wasn't too excited when I heard the news lol.

Who's the forums "man at Ford" again?

@Ducati1098 perhaps?


Do you know who supplies Ford with their front LCA's?
No I have absolutely no idea
 

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23OBX2.7

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Moog is a great quality part.

Low milage recycled.

Heims should be fine with dust boot.

Might be some take offs kicking around.

ALU alloy LCA is not cheap.
 

Fordified1

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Red2000

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If anyone has any lowers they are not using I would like to get my hands on a set to start measuring and mocking up a jig for some custom lowers. Would be willing to share information and progress.
 

Fordified1

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If anyone has any lowers they are not using I would like to get my hands on a set to start measuring and mocking up a jig for some custom lowers. Would be willing to share information and progress.
I have one broken one! 😂
 

Rkgzx9leftcoast

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Yeah, I would think you would be able to make them out of tube, similar to aftermarket control arms for muscle cars. I would believe the boxing - fabricated method is a bunch more time and welding. Polyurethane bushing at the cam mounts, ball joint at the spindle.
 

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TruckCamper

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ARB - OME control arms has ball joints and replaceable.

Same with Icon but with their in house joint.
 

IwannaGOfast

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ARB - OME control arms has ball joints and replaceable.

Same with Icon but with their in house joint.
He is looking for lower control arms, not uppers.
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