AC DElco, Moog or Hotckis or...??? HELP!!

[Waldo617]

I put my 85 Cutlass 442 on the road yesterday. The front end is pretty loose so i want to replace everything. The car makes about 350HP the way its set up now, everything is stock except for the engine and transmission. The engine is a chevy 355 with a mild cam and the transmission is a rebuilt 200 4R. So i want to replace my tie rod ends, sleeves, center link, idler arm, and ball joints.

i dont know whether to go with AC Delco, Moog or Hotckis. Amazon has the tie rods, center link and idler arm from hotckis for $329. I could get everything Moog from Rock Auto for $233. Price isnt really an issue as long as im getting a good deal. Anyone had any experience with Hotchkis in a G body. I want to upgrade from stock.

 

[Waldo617]

so i ordered everything Hotchkis except for the ball joints for $420 from Amazon. I will get Moog ball joints from Rock Auto in a few weeks.

 

[85GPLef41]

sounds like you figured it out.... I always try to by the best parts for my g bodies... with a lifetime warranty!

 

['81 Grand Prix LJ]

DELCO!!! I always put NOTHING BUT Delco on GP....As the air clearner stickers always said, Keep Your GM Vehicle ALL GM!! LOL!

 

[CWPottenger]

If would only use Moog or Hotchkis parts... Moog is more for a quality upgrade from stock. Hotchkis is a performance/handling upgrade.

 

[seawolf18]

I used all moog for my front end rebuild. The moog lower ball joints were a major headache for me. I got the old ones out no problem, the new ones on the other hand.... The moog ball joints are splined, were as the factory ones were smooth. With my ball joint press, they kept wanting to go in sideways. I finally gave up after hours of cussing, and took them to my local machine shop to have them installed. He said he had the same problems with them. Finally got them in after making up a jig on his shop press. Other than that, all the other parts went in well. Moog makes quality stuff, and it worth the few extra bucks compared to the other brands parts stores have.