Why does my Miata keep popping ball joints?

Timeormoney wrote:

Derick Freese wrote: RA has BJs for my Jeep ranging in price from $7 each to close to $100.

This made me giggle.

You've really got to pay to get good ones.

we went through this in the fiat community some years back. I remember breaking one ball joint into 4 pieces. The shaft, the ball, and the part that clamshelled around it (and was welded together) broke into two parts..

That was a VERY fun stop.

Six months later, the replacement went too

It appears some of you are confusing OEM with OES. One is the supplier who manufactured the part and sent it to the factory to be installed during the car-building process. The other is the company who either manufactures or buys (from another manufacturer) the part and sells it to the service organization who is your dealer. They're often different companies, and the quality of the parts can differ.

I realize this has nothing to do with getting quality BJ's, but don't always assume the parts your dealer parts department sells you are from the same manufacturer as what came OEM on your car.

Heck, don't even assume the parts your dealer parts department are new, not remanufactured.

All right, then. I need a good BJ. I am going to order it today. Tell me what BJ I want.

Ok nobody answered specifically... How about this Moog lbj from Rock?

Moog LBJ - RockAuto

$62.79

The ones that kept breaking were the Beck-Arnley ones above it in the list. Is this Moog piece reliable and equal in quality to the one I just bought at the dealer parts counter?

I just ordered two from my local Mazda dealer. I had a deal with the owner from when I was racing, so I get wholesale pricing. It was $55 for each joint. Make buddies with the parts counter guy and see if he can give you wholesale pricing on the joints.

(edit) I have to start reading through a thread before I reply. This was well covered. But I'll leave it here just as a "+1" or whatever.

Keith wrote: Yes, because that's how people choose. They go to RockAuto or some other discount parts store and, in the absence of any other information, selecting the part simply on price.

I totally get your point and agree, but to be fair, I like RockAuto exactly because I can select something other than the cheapest thing available. They have pretty good stuff too.

I'll order another OEM one from the parts counter in the morning. Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.