Are all aftermarket LCAs garbage?

I think some of the issue is with Odysseys in general. From OdyClub, no one has had any real luck with anything other than OEM. Problem is that the OEM LCAs list for $750 each, and my favorite online retailer has them for the low, low price of $562 each (plus shipping): https://www.conicellihondaparts.com/oem-parts/honda-arm-l-front-lower-51360tk8a10  I remember when these were like a $300 part, now they're just ridiculous (and have gone up by $50-100 each of the times I've checked over the past 12 months).

einy (Forum Supporter) said:

I will say that I am hugely unimpressed with the KYB "loaded GR2 struts" that I put on my old Civic 10k miles ago.  The upper strut bearing are already clunking as bad as the OEM ones did at 160k miles over bumps.  Only alternative were Monroe loaded struts, and I am not confident those would have been any better.

I have not seen any loaded struts worth a damn.  The tops always knock, the springs can be wildly different in height side to side, etc.  It's to the point where I get pissed off at overzealous service writers who upsell them when I didn't rec them, because in a lot of cases they are worse than the old OE stuff coming out.

They're another item that looks like the same junk all coming from the same place with different labels on the boxes.

dj06482 (Forum Supporter) said:

I think some of the issue is with Odysseys in general. From OdyClub, no one has had any real luck with anything other than OEM. Problem is that the OEM LCAs list for $750 each, and my favorite online retailer has them for the low, low price of $562 each (plus shipping): https://www.conicellihondaparts.com/oem-parts/honda-arm-l-front-lower-51360tk8a10  I remember when these were like a $300 part, now they're just ridiculous (and have gone up by $50-100 each of the times I've checked over the past 12 months).

 

Yup.

Believe it or not, Autozone actually carries decent arms for this application.  They may be available for Odysseys, I know I've done quite a few in Pilots and Ridgelines.

dj06482 (Forum Supporter) said:

I think some of the issue is with Odysseys in general. From OdyClub, no one has had any real luck with anything other than OEM. Problem is that the OEM LCAs list for $750 each, and my favorite online retailer has them for the low, low price of $562 each (plus shipping): https://www.conicellihondaparts.com/oem-parts/honda-arm-l-front-lower-51360tk8a10  I remember when these were like a $300 part, now they're just ridiculous (and have gone up by $50-100 each of the times I've checked over the past 12 months).

 

What about looking for used ones from a local (or regional) scrapyard from a lower mileage Oddy?

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

 

They're another item that looks like the same junk all coming from the same place with different labels on the boxes.

Matches what I was thinking ...

einy (Forum Supporter) said:

I will say that I am hugely unimpressed with the KYB "loaded GR2 struts" that I put on my old Civic 10k miles ago.  The upper strut bearing are already clunking as bad as the OEM ones did at 160k miles over bumps.  Only alternative were Monroe loaded struts, and I am not confident those would have been any better.

I thought the front GR2s were fine on my brother's 02 Civic, but reused my old springs with Gabriel top hats and OEM bearings, so far they seem to be working good, but the rear KYBs jacked the rear end up like 2 inches higher and I have never figured out why, installation looks good too. 

I use cheap stuff on regular old dailys and have had little problems. I also see how inflation has gone up over the last 20 years and some of these parts are cheaper or the same price, so I realize price pressure is very high, and many people shop on price alone, so when I do get something thats bad out of the box or doesnt last, I dont sweat it to much. Its just were the industry is moving, but again its been rare for me.

I did the whole front end in Mevotech on my dodge and my dads Dodge, since I dont think Moog is really any better nowadays, and it went fine, and when I sold my truck at ~360K miles it was still tight. Probably had 80K on the mevotech stuff.

When I need something quick and not so price senstive I have had excellent luck with autozone the last few years. Seems like they have made a push to raise their quality and many times ive opened a duralast bearing box to find a FAG or timken inside. Employees have told me the Gold stuff is OE on many fitments. Plus if i ever do have a problem its down the street and they keep all the records for me.

pointofdeparture said:

...but of the aftermarket companies, the Germans seem to have their stuff down best (Lemforder, Meyle HD).

That probably because you're often able to buy the OE part in a different box with them.

I put Moog sway-bar end links on my Dodge truck to cure a rattle.  Six months later I had another rattle and I tracked it to worn out sway-bar bushings, so I replaced them.  Six months later I heard another rattle and it was the Moog end links. The ball joints didn't even have sealed rubber shields and were just cup shaped rubber umbrellas.  I replaced them with Mevotech end links 5 years ago and so far they've been quiet.   I do shop on RA for the truck.  I do look at the pictures closely and I don't automatically buy the cheapest thing they sell. 

For the S2k it depends on the parts.  I go OEM for things like throw out bearing or sensors, shop harder on wear items.  

For the wife's BMW, I've settled mostly on FCP Euro.  They offer lifetime warranty on everything they sell.  You can even return your old oil you bought from them and they'll send you new, but I haven't brought myself to do that yet.

I think our lunar-surface roads here in MI are a major contributor to short service life of aftermarket suspension bits.

I put a set of Mevotech Terrain Tough ball joints in my Legacy hoping they would hold up to my aggressive style of not caring about holes, bumps railroad tracks etc. They lasted about a year with 33,250 km. When I replaced them this time I actually bought Mevotech aluminum control arms that came pre-loaded with their "Supreme" version which is a step down, knowing the issues I had I also bought Moog "Problem Savers" ball joints to preemptively replace them and see how they held up.

I'm not sure what problem the Moog's were trying to solve but the one they created was that they actually would not fit into the knuckle, the design was a hair too tall preventing them from seating the last 1/16" which meant they would not work. The Mevotech "Supreme" joints went back in, I presume they will go in the garbage next year and be replaced with OEM joints as those lasted ten years and 232,000 km. First set of replacements did 65,500 km (and two seasons of rallycross, wish I knew what brand they were but they came out of my "stock"), Mevotech Terrain Tough lasted 33,250 km like I said above.