12 best ball joint manufacturers

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The movable connection of the wheel hub with the lever is provided by a ball bearing. This assembly is a two-piece structure. There is a metal ball with a threaded pin inside the body. To eliminate backlashes in the unit, polymer inserts are used, and a special lubricant helps to reduce friction during turns. The service life of the ball joint can reach 100-150 thousand km of run; in case of play and knocking, for safety reasons, the critical unit should be replaced immediately. Recommendations of our experts will help you choose a reliable spare part.

How to choose a ball joint

Types of levers. Car manufacturers use several types of swivel joints.

1. Dismountable levers are characterized by inexpensive replacement of the ball joint. During the repair, the lever along with the support is removed from the suspension of the car, and then a new spare part is mounted in place of the worn unit. The only drawback of this design is the need to adjust the toe angle after repairs.
2. Non-separable levers are supplied to the commercial network together with a pressed-in ball joint. On the one hand, no additional adjustments are required, and the process of replacing the lever assembly looks simpler. But the cost of the unit often exceeds the entire cost of repair work.

The number of ball joints. A motorist after diagnosing a suspension in a service station may be unpleasantly surprised by the need to replace several ball joints.

1. The McPherson front suspension design is considered to be the simplest, which uses one ball joint on each side. It usually has a bottom location.
2. If the suspension is multi-link, then there is a lower and an upper ball joint on each side.
3. There are special rear suspension designs that also use ball-link arms. Most often they are installed from above.

Components. Some additional accessories are supplied with the ball joint.

1. Rubber bellows are used to protect the swivel joint from moisture and dust. The durability of the ball joint often depends on the quality of these elements. If the motorist misses the moment of cracking of the rubber, then the days of the hinge are numbered.
2. The retaining ring must securely fix the boot on the ball joint. Some manufacturers forget about this element, which leads to the boot jumping off the seat.
3. Fasteners are also required to mount the ball joint to the arm. These are bolts with nuts, as well as a special pin nut with a polymer stopper.

Wear symptoms. The safety of the driver and passengers depends on the timely detection of wear on the ball joint. Before the knot falls apart, the following warning points appear.

1. Most often, a knock occurs in the suspension, it is especially clearly audible when cornering, if there are bumps on the road.
2. In frosty weather, a strong squeak while driving can signal the wear of the unit.

We have selected 12 best ball joint manufacturers for our review. Their products are supplied to all regions of Russia. When allocating seats, the opinion of the expert community and feedback from domestic car owners were taken into account.

Rating of the best manufacturers of ball joints

Nomination	a place	manufacturer	rating
Rating of the best manufacturers of ball joints	1	Lemforder	5.0
	2	CTR	4.9
	3	MASUMA	4.8
	4	Delphi	4.7
	5	555	4.6
	6	MOOG	4.5
	7	RUVILLE	4.4
	8	Nipparts	4.3
	9	Mapco	4.2
	10	TRW	4.1
	11	TRACK	4.0
	12	Cedar	3.9

Lemforder

Rating: 5.0

The famous German company Lemforder was founded in 1947 in the north of Germany. A year later, suspension parts began to be supplied to car factories in the country. Today, products are supplied to the conveyors of such large concerns as GM, Ford, BMW, Fiat, Mitsubishi, Toyota, etc. The company produces a wide range of spare parts for heavy trucks MAN, Volvo, Iveco, DAF, Mercedes. The manufacturer's catalog contains a wide range of ball bearings, steering ends, rods, silent blocks, stabilizers, levers. Experts gave the brand first place in our ranking for the creation of the largest research center on the continent.

Many motorists consider Lemforder parts to be the best for undercarriage repair. But when buying, it is important not to fall for counterfeit products.

Advantages

• rich assortment;
• research work;
• reliability and durability;
• high quality.

disadvantages

• a lot of fakes.

CTR

Rating: 4.9

In recent years, domestic motorists have begun to give preference to the ball bearings of the South Korean manufacturer CTR. The company was founded in 1971, and after 2 years the production of undercarriage parts for the car factory began Hyundai. The brand boasts awards from the government of the Republic of Korea, a major R&D center, and partnerships with GM, Hyundai and Kia Motors. According to experts, the brand has found the optimal balance between affordable price and good quality. This allows the manufacturer to take second place in the ranking.

Russian car owners consider CTR ball joints a good alternative to original spare parts. They mark the presence of the catalog on the official website. The disadvantages include weak threads and a limited range.

Advantages

• high quality;
• affordable prices;
• research work;
• good equipment.

disadvantages

• weak thread.

MASUMA

Rating: 4.8

MASUMA is a major global manufacturer of auto parts. The brand has a 17-year history, during which time a small enterprise has turned into a large manufacturing company. The catalog contains over 45 categories and 10 thousand titles. A highly qualified engineering base helps the company master the production of new parts. In 2016, the head office was moved from Japan to China, which is explained by the growth in sales of spare parts in the Middle Kingdom. A large volume of supplies remains on the markets of Russia and Malaysia. Experts gave the bronze of our rating to this brand due to unstable durability.

Some users are satisfied with the MASUMA ball joints, which maintain more than 30 thousand km. For some car owners, units wear out after six months.

Advantages

• modern Japanese equipment;
• affordable prices;
• rich assortment;
• full production cycle.

disadvantages

• unstable quality.

Delphi

Rating: 4.7

The combination of modern equipment and strict quality control allows the American company Delphi to maintain a leading position in the global spare parts market. Ball joints of this brand are characterized by high strength and long service life. The manufacturer is confident in the quality of his products, he gives a guarantee for a year or 50 thousand km. Experts confirm the high service life of ball joints, some of them have a service life of up to 100 thousand km. Despite this, the brand stops one step away from the top three in the ranking.

The final position was influenced by the reviews of Russian motorists. They signal the appearance of forgeries, which fail after 10 thousand kilometers. Among the advantages, users note reasonable prices and a rich assortment.

Advantages

• high strength;
• long warranty period;
• acceptable prices;
• rich assortment.

disadvantages

• counterfeits appeared on the Russian market.

555

Rating: 4.6

The largest auto component manufacturer in Japan is Sankei Industry Co., Ltd. It is she who owns the 555 brand. The manufacturer has successfully passed certification in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. The high quality of suspension and steering parts was appreciated by such well-known auto concerns as Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Honda. Experts draw the attention of Russian consumers to the fact that the company has no branches outside of Japan. Therefore, products under the brand name 555 from Malaysia or China are counterfeit.

Motorists have already had to deal with fake ball joints. Therefore, the brand is only on the 5th line of the rating. To ensure that car owners buy only original products, Sankei Industry applies a special hologram.

Advantages

• high quality;
• counterfeit protection;
• affordable price;
• durability.

disadvantages

• a lot of fakes.

MOOG

Rating: 4.5

For a long time, the American company MOOG worked only in the market of its country. The brand appeared back in 1919, and only in 2001 the manufacturer supplied auto parts to Europe. The MOOG Europe division was specially created to focus on the development of new technologies and engineering solutions. Thanks to this, it is possible to constantly expand the range of products. Experts found in the catalog even ball joints for VAZ cars. Only 10 years have passed since the brand appeared on the European market, as the manufacturer became the leaders in terms of sales.

Motorists appreciated the dimensional accuracy, quality workmanship and reliable protection against corrosion. But the brand failed to take a higher position in the rating due to its short service life.

Advantages

• own developments;
• exact dimensions;
• high-quality processing;
• a wide range of.

disadvantages

• fragility.

RUVILLE

Rating: 4.4

The German company RUVILLE has accumulated rich experience in the production of auto parts. Since its inception (1922), the company has been engaged in the production of parts for engines. Today the catalog contains ball joints, tension rollers, water pumps, hubs, anthers, belts, etc. Experts note the guaranteed quality and responsible approach of the manufacturer. The products have received an international quality certificate according to DIN EN ISO 9002. The brand deservedly gets into our rating.

According to Russian motorists, RUVILLE ball joints are distinguished by an affordable price, good quality and durability. Of the minuses, it should be noted that there is no retaining ring on the nut. During installation, care must be taken not to damage the part.

Advantages

• low price;
• good quality;
• long service life;
• a wide range of.

disadvantages

• no retaining ring on the nut;
• neat installation is required.

Nipparts

Rating: 4.3

A group of Japanese auto parts manufacturers have formed Nipparts in the Netherlands. Initially, the range of parts was limited to Japanese cars, later the production of auto components for Korean cars was mastered. The company currently holds the first place in terms of sales of spare parts for Asian cars. And although the manufacturer cannot boast of its own research and development centers, product testing is carried out at partners' sites (Mitsubishi, 555, Kayaba, Asahi). Experts gave the brand eighth place for adequate prices and decent quality.

Users have a number of complaints about Nipparts products. There are cases of counterfeit products; the protective coating on the ball bearings quickly wears out.

Advantages

• a wide range of parts for Asian cars;
• good quality;
• low price;
• brilliant appearance.

disadvantages

• there are fakes on the market;
• short-lived coating.

Mapco

Rating: 4.2

Since 1977 the German company Mapco has been supplying auto parts to the European market. The head office is located near Berlin, and production sites operate in different countries of the world. The manufacturer began his activity with the manufacture of parts for the brake system. In 1985, the line of spare parts was replenished with auto components for the steering mechanism and suspension. Currently, Mapco's market share in Germany has reached 20% (steering parts). Experts note the presence of reinforced parts in the catalog that have long resisted Russian roads. The brand gets into our rating.

Motorists praise ball joints for quality workmanship, affordable prices, and resistance to bad roads. But before installation, you should remove the boot to add some grease.

Advantages

• affordable prices;
• good quality;
• a wide range of;
• wear resistance.

disadvantages

• no grease in ball joints.

TRW

Rating: 4.1

The German company TRW appeared in the United States through the merger of two companies Thompson and Ramo-Wooldridge (1958). For a long time, the American manufacturer conquered the European market by acquiring German companies. But in 2015 it was itself taken over by a large auto parts manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen. Thanks to German pedantry and strict discipline, the brand has improved its position in the auto parts market. Experts highly appreciated the wide range and decent quality of ball joints. The owners of domestic VAZ cars were especially delighted by installing TRW spare parts. The brand closes the TOP-10 of our rating.

As for the shortcomings, the main one is the large number of fakes on the Russian market. Therefore, the buyer needs to be careful when choosing spare parts.

Advantages

• rich assortment;
• high quality;
• reliability;
• durability.

disadvantages

• a large number of fakes in Russia.

TRACK

Rating: 4.0

For about 20 years, the domestic company TREC has been holding a leading position in the Russian market. Experts note the manufacturer's thorough approach to the manufacture of auto parts. The company boasts its own laboratory, where products are constantly tested. A young, ambitious team is actively introducing its own advanced developments. The dedicated work did not go unnoticed by specialists, the brand has many awards for high quality and long service life. The TRS series of ball joints deserves special praise, they are able to withstand about 100,000 km of run.

The low position in our rating is due to critical user reviews. The anthers are poorly made, due to which dirt gets into the hinge and quickly disables it.

Advantages

• own developments;
• scientific and technical laboratory;
• affordable prices;
• modern equipment.

disadvantages

• unreliable anthers.

Cedar

Rating: 3.9

The Russian company Kedr relies on the production of affordable and high-quality products. The manufacturer managed to achieve an optimal combination, as evidenced by the delivery of ball joints to the AvtoVAZ conveyor. The manufacturer managed to reduce the percentage of defects by checking the parts with ultrasound. Ball joints are equipped with imported bushings, corrugated anthers and reliable fasteners. The service life of ball joints of the Standard series is declared at around 70 thousand km, and the special versions of Trial and Trial-sport can withstand more than 100 thousand km of run on Russian roads.

The experts included the brand in our rating for affordability and good quality. The dissatisfaction of motorists is caused by primitive packaging and weak protection against counterfeiting.

Advantages

• delivery of parts to the AvtoVAZ conveyor;
• affordable price;
• modern control methods;
• the presence of various modifications.

disadvantages

• primitive packaging;
• weak protection against counterfeiting.

---

Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.