There was a post a while back where someone went with the B/A's and they looked almost identical to OEM. They were happy with them.

 

Hi John, what do you think about steel vs aluminum? 2005-07 oem lca were steel, right? 07 & up are aluminum. Honestly, I dont really like the idea of aftermarket aluminum arms made in China.. Long time ago I worked at tire shop selling chinese rims, they were weak to say the least, some even cracked after few days of use. That shop had a lot of problems with angry customers.
I have two kids to drive around with, if I go with aftermarket LCA's, steel probably is a better choice?

 

I've got 180K on mine and never changed them so don't have much of an opinion. I'm sure they were just changed to aluminum to save weight. Remember on a MacPherson strut type suspension system there really is no weight on a control arm. It merely holds everything in place. The weight and stress is on the strut, knuckle and wheel. There may be a bit of lateral stress on the arm but the full weight doesn't sit on them, like with a wheel. It's your call though.

 

Remember on a MacPherson strut type suspension system there really is no weight on a control arm. It merely holds everything in place.

Thats right, but in case of emergency stopping for example, LCA is stressed too, a lot. I will probably go with Moog steel LCA's, just to be safe. OEM parts would be the best of course, but I dont want to spend that kind of money on this old van..

 

You don't say why you are replacing the LCA's but they do sell the bushings if that's all you need. I don't know how good the quality is though. Nothing will last as long as the OEM ones.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4pcSet-Bus...:5X8AAOSwcB5ZGjED:sc:USPSPriorityMailPaddedFlatRateEnvelope!03051!US!-1&vxp=mtr

 

You don't say why you are replacing the LCA's

I bought my van used, and did not have much time to carefully look at it. After I already bought it, I discovered that passenger side front wheel is dislocated about half inch, and fender isnt original either. So, I bought van that was in accident, and there was no record in CARFAX. Anyhow, van drives fine, besides occasional clunking on the parking lot, but right front wheel is dislocated. Hopefully LCA is the problem, not the subframe. So, I am going to start with right side LCA, but if I do one side, it makes sense to change both, right?

 

I can't imaging those bushings are any decent quality at all. Made in China rubber products have always let me down. I used an aftermarket clutch cable from Napa on my Nissan about 6-7 years ago. It last all of 2 weeks before the rubber wore down to nothing where it attaches to the transmission. I bought an OEM one after that and it's been in there ever since. No way I'd use Chinese bushings in a control arm.

 

True but then any aftermarket one may have these same bushings in them. How do you know? Same goes for the balljoint, the cheap ones often fail early. Some parts are not worth going aftermarket on. It would be nice if Rockauto had a rating system similar to Amazon.

 

I put Moog brand on my 05 Ex, the best problem solver parts ever. I have put the ball joints, sway bar links, bushings, and soon installing the whole tie rods parts. Moog control arm bushings should have in stock on rockauto.com.

I have replaced other bushings and parts on customers car before, never failed me and no backs. I supposely that Moog is the best brand parts almost at the same level as the OEM.

 

Not sure about it the bushings are different quality, but I've heard from multiple people, including my trusted service advisor where I bring my cars, and read online, that the Moog parts that start with "RK" (not the problem solver) are the cheaper chinese parts and to avoid them. So far I've been happy with my Beck/Arnley (4,500 miles or since installed).

 

Not sure about it the bushings are different quality, but I've heard from multiple people, including my trusted service advisor where I bring my cars, and read online, that the Moog parts that start with "RK" (not the problem solver) are the cheaper chinese parts and to avoid them.

Chinese, is that right? Also, I just noticed that Moog RK control arms have the same part number as ULTRA POWER ( absolutely Chinese ) control arms - ULTRA-POWER RK620505.
More Information for ULTRA-POWER RK620505

I don't want any chinese ball joints or bushings.. Will go with B&A then. Thank you.

 

I don't know that I would worry too much about where they are made (lots of parts come from China - some are good, some not so much) - I have Mevotech aluminum lower control arms on our van (a Canadian company, even!) that I got through rockauto. The 07+ aluminum arms fit the 05/06 vans (ours is an 05) just fine.

 

I just ordered B/A LCAs from Rockauto for my 2007 EX-L after reading and researching. I like the idea of the lower unsprung weight of the aluminum LCAs and ball joint quality was a concern of mine with some of the cheaper LCAs. I went with OEM strut assemblies and stabilizer end links. This will be an installation project for me later this month.

 

I like the idea of the lower unsprung weight of the aluminum LCAs and ball joint quality was a concern of mine with some of the cheaper LCAs.

I wouldn't worry about OEM aluminum LCA's, the only concern there is price.
But aftermarket aluminum casting scares me, because there is no way to check if this aluminum was or wasnt forged, was ( or wasnt ) its integrity compromised, and what kind of shortcuts some chinese manufacturer took to make a bit more money for his girlfriend's birthday next week... These control arms still get a lot of stress during van stopping.

No one on this forum recommends to buy chinese made motor mounts, even though failed motor mount will not create as much disaster as failed LCA can do.

So, I am still not sure what to get, I need at least one LCA, for a passenger side. Might just get OEM LCA from the U-pull yard..
IMO, used oem part could be better than new aftermarket.

 

Here is the thread about the B/A LCA's.

http://www.odyclub.com/forums/52-2005-2010-odyssey/325834-just-put-beck-arnley-lca.html

 

Yes, I spoke to Aviator1 via PM, his B&A LCA's are working fine.
The problem is, even if I buy same B&A LCA's, it is not the fact that they will be from the same manufacturer. B&A ships from all over the world, same as Moog.
And I am just scared to get in trouble somewhere between Canada and Florida, with two kids and wife in the van, and 500kg load of some household crap.
OEM part probably is the best thing I can do, will visit u-pull yard this weekend, will see what they got. If there is nothing, will get a new OEM.

OdyinNH, thank you, but ebay wont work for me, I want to see it before I buy it, otherwise I will have to deal with shopping it back to seller, explaining things, that already happened before.. Takes too much time.

 

I think you are over analyzing this. However, if you're this concerned then your only real option is to go OEM replacement. Even from a u-pull it yard you don't know whether the arms you're getting are original. The worst case scenario is you get a ball joint or bushing that doesn't last as long as an original. You're not going to break a control arm without some kind of impact with a very solid object. If you impact something that solid, enough to break a control arm, your concerns are going to be much more than the control arm.

 

I think you are over analyzing this.

You might be right, I am thinking too much.. Becoming a parent after 40 y.o could be the cause for my overanalyzing behaviour )
Still, no one on this forum wants to buy chinese motor mounts from ebay, but LCA's from same source are OK somehow.. I dont see logic here. To me, LCA is way more important part in regards of safety.
You are right, I should get new OEM.

 

I apologize if I sounded frustrated or long winded. Just tried to say why I thought B/As were fine in a straight forward and clear way. Nothing meant by it.

This forum is here to ask questions, so I don't think it's silly, but just one sharing with another.

Ultimately it's your call. You know what you have to work with, financially and options-wise, and what the positives and negatives are of each (or a good idea anyways). I'd say, do one based on your research and call it done.

 

I just had a thought while looking back at my thread about control arms. You're concerned about Chinese junk parts, the B/A I bought had "made in Taiwan" as well as the OEM part number on the package (see the pics in my thread). You could just order one from RockAuto, if you don't find what you like at the yard, and if it's the same, use it, if it looks alot different, return it. Rock Auto is awesome with returns, but you gotta pay shipping.

 

I ordered a set of B/A LCAs from Rockauto on Tuesday and they arrived yesterday (Thursday). They have both the B/A and OEM part numbers on the packaging and are made in Taiwan. They appear to be quality components, not that appearance proves anything.

In my research into which LCAs to buy, I was less concerned about the arm itself compared to the quality of the bushings and ball joints as they are the parts that wear and fail. I found no reports complaining about the quality of the bushings or ball joints used on the B/A LCA assemblies. I did find complaints regarding some of the cheaper LCAs.

I will be installing these along with OEM strut assemblies later in the month.

 

If money needs to be watched why are you replacing this item without knowing it is bad? Have the pros here ever seen one of these bent enough to get the results you are seeing ("front wheel is dislocated")? I would measure all the angles against the other side unless you see actual damage.

When pressure was put on my daughter's Accord the vertical suspension piece broke in half instead of bending. Someone backed into the front wheel.

 

If money needs to be watched why are you replacing this item without knowing it is bad? Have the pros here ever seen one of these bent enough to get the results you are seeing ("front wheel is dislocated")? I would measure all the angles against the other side unless you see actual damage.

I know for sure that something is bent, hoping it is the LCA, not the subframe. Also, bushings look worn out on both LCA.
Money is tight, and long trip to FL will happen soon enough, so I just want this van to be safe and ready to go.

 

Realizing this is a thread from last year but wondering if the people who went with the Beck Arnleys then are still happy with that decision now

I was leaning to doing the steel Moogs for my 2010 based on perception of quality of bushings and ball joint however those are heavier steel and if BA is also good bushings and ball joint and it is aluminum then that seems overall better.

I did the 9-3 and 6-12 pushing on my wheels and don't get noticeable clicking or play. My almost 10yr old van has less than 75k miles so possible I am spending money to replace something that doesn't need replacing I guess. I do see cracks and tears in the rubber of the rear bushing where it is visible. And maybe I am just jonesing for a reason to get out my tools for a "project" haha

 

With 213K miles I'm getting ready to replace all my suspension, as well. Going to do OEM strut assemblies (I have a Branick wall-mounted spring compressor but I want the strut mounts, bearings, spring and bellows to be new,) rear shocks, rear springs, and upper/lower rear spring seats (one lower seat is blown out.) I was going to replace the rear springs as I can't imagine that after all those miles hauling a van full of kids and stuff, that they haven't sagged a bit. I also noticed some cracking in my front lower control arm rear bushings so might as well do those too. From Bernardi, it's nearly $2k for all of that. My van is still in excellent condition and I don't desire a newer vehicle so I will just replace it all.

I was looking at the B/A front LCA's on RockAuto and, while the price is tempting, I live by the motto that you get what you pay for. I'd be curious how Aviator's LCA's are holding up. With 213K on this van the ball joints are still tight as can be. The boots are beginning to show some signs of drying out but they aren't broken open. You can buy just the boots if your bushings are good. I'm leaning toward just biting the bullet and ordering everything from Bernardi.

 

First, I can't believe hundreds of manufacturers are lining up to make Honda Ody LCA's, as there can't be much profit in the whole business.

Over 10 years, Honda might have 6 manufacturers making OE parts, whatever they are. Will the real OEM manufacturer please stand up?

OP, it sounds like you're on a wild goose chase, and if you front end is 'off', whatever is off should be visible. A frame shop should be able to tell you what parts are bent.

 

I think OP is long gone

I just brought this thread back from the dead as it was dealing with my question about Moog vs Beck Arnley vs OEM.

To John Clark, I agree that OEM is likely best. I am just having an issue spending 349 each for OEM LCAs when I can get others for much less. I know you get what you pay for. But like was said above SOMEONE makes LCAs for Honda. They don't make them themselves.

 

Um, the OP hasn't posted in almost two years and his sig shows he has B/A control arms so he's already done them.
I think we're just curious how they're holding up.

 

They're only $325 on Bernardi...LOL.

Yeah, I'm having a hard time, as well. The strut assemblies are $303. Hard to believe they are less money than a chunk of aluminum with a bushing and a ball joint. I put some SPC adjustable rear control arms on the back of my van a few years back. A year or so ago, I had it up in the air and was checking for play. Both ball joints on those rear control arms were totally shot after 55K. I just ended up putting the originals back on (glad I saved them) and they are still good today.

The pain of low quality lives on long after the thrill of a low price tag wears off.

 

They're only $325 on Bernardi...LOL.

Yeah, I'm having a hard time, as well. The strut assemblies are $303. Hard to believe they are less money than a chunk of aluminum with a bushing and a ball joint. I put some SPC adjustable rear control arms on the back of my van a few years back. A year or so ago, I had it up in the air and was checking for play. Both ball joints on those rear control arms were totally shot after 55K. I just ended up putting the originals back on (glad I saved them) and they are still good today.

The pain of low quality lives on long after the thrill of a low price tag wears off.

I'm pretty sure the OEMs used to be $249 or something when I looked at this a year or two ago. Maybe something happened, maybe it is something tariff-related - who knows.

I actually keep struggling with whether it is even the LCAs at all that is making the loose feel. As I drove the Odyssey tonight around some rough pavement, then an hour later I drove my 2014 Accord V6, I noticed that the steering wheel seems much more stable in the Accord. In the Odyssey part of what I think I am feeling is a shaking or vibration in the steering wheel as I am going over rough pavement. So is that loose LCAs that are allowing the knuckle to shake back and forth more, which subsequently shakes the steering wheel back and forth a little too and makes the "shake"? I would think that if it was loose tie rod ball joint then actually the steering wheel WOULDN'T shake like that, and would just feel a little dead while making small corrections from center or when initiating a turn. I would think a loose tie rod end would effectively "absorb" the knuckle movement from being transferred to the tie rods as the tie rod ball joint would just slip back and forth a little.

John you can likely opine on the above theory as true or false though

 

Hi John Clark,

FYI. The camber arms (SPC 67590 Alignment Rear Camber EZ Arm 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey) that we installed back in August 2012 were still good from a ball-joint perspective. We had 82K miles on those ball joints. We just had both camber arms replaced again last weekend due to the adjustable thread seized up so we could not get the camber right for the alignment. The Honda mechanic who did the work said that the ball-joints in those camber arms were still in good shape. I was thinking of putting anti seized lubricant on the thread to avoid rust.

Hi all,

FYI. The Moog LCAs (RK620505 & RK620504) still feel great after 16K and a year in by next week.

 

The only things that can go wrong with the LCA's are the bushings and/or the ball joints. Raise the front of the car up and try wiggling the wheel by grabbing it at 12 and 6 o'clock and see if there's any play in the ball joints. Then inspect the bushings for cracking or wear.

As for my SPC rear arms, I don't know what happened. They definitely failed prematurely. When I contacted SPC they told me to pound sand (buy new ball joints) so I dumped them and went back to original. OEM ball joints can't be beat.

 

The only things that can go wrong with the LCA's are the bushings and/or the ball joints. Raise the front of the car up and try wiggling the wheel by grabbing it at 12 and 6 o'clock and see if there's any play in the ball joints. Then inspect the bushings for cracking or wear.

As for my SPC rear arms, I don't know what happened. They definitely failed prematurely. When I contacted SPC they told me to pound sand (buy new ball joints) so I dumped them and went back to original. OEM ball joints can't be beat.

Yeah I tried the 12-6 and 9-3 shakes from underneath and couldnt really detect play in either the ball joint or the tie rod ends. My rear rubber LCA bushings are definitely cracked. I can't really see into the front bushings because they are positioned vertically and harder to see in. May be that everything is just starting to get old and loose and thus when driving over rough pavement it gets enough play to wiggle everything around. It doesn't feel excessively sloppy on smooth pavement or drive like a "hooptie" like in the other post nearby.

Honestly could prob live with it like it is but it is annoying enough, and I am curious to see if replacing LCAs will make it tight again. And it will only continue to get worse over time

John, is it possible for a DIYer to buy just the bushings and ball joint and press them into the existing LCA? I certainly wouldn't think it is worth it vs spending 100-125 per side for brand new aftermarket LCA, BUT if it meant spending 75 bucks in parts could we get OEM Honda ball joint or bushings and then that would be much better than 325 each for OEM LCAs? Guessing Honda doesnt sell the bushings and ball joints separately though

 

LCA does not have bushing OEM part numbers... Gotta get whole thing which has bushing and joint. Old style LCA had a bushing/joint that could be pressed but not these 3rd gen OEM ones. Aftermarket ones might... Wonder which other LCAs are same dimensions as this that would fit 3rd gen.

Ref to poly bushings here.

Front lower control arm bushing replacement

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I've done a couple searches but I haven't found any information on replacing the bushings on the front lower control arm. I've found one source for them online. Has anybody pressed the bushings out and replaced them? Orielly's told me that you can't replace the...

www.odyclub.com

 

Thanks. I don't want poly bushings. I don't race my minivan at the track. Just trying to figure out which of the various aftermarket brands is "best" for the price

 

So I just noticed that the Ultra Power LCAs for our Odyssey on RockAuto that are like 50 bucks each (!) have the same exact part numbers as the Moog "RK Series" that are the only Moogs available. Looking at the pictures they appear to be the same with the same smooth metal below the ball joint.

This now has me more confused and concerned. I know some have said that the Moog RK is the same Chinese cheap stuff and not the same as the beloved Moog Problem Solver. So if that is the case then maybe these UltraPowers are reboxed same stuff as the Moog RK. Since at least one person on here has had good experience with the Moog then maybe if I was going to go that direction then just pay less for the UltraPowers if they are the same thing. Or still pay up for the aluminum Beck Arnley.

I just don't want to take an OEM that is still okay if just a little sloppy and put on something that sux or is unsafe. The apparent sameness of the UltraPowers has me seriously questioning whether the Moog in this case is anything other than junk, unless the UltraPower is just a great deal which I guess could also be the case. I think it has the "favorites" heart beside it on RockAuto for what it's worth.

Anyone else use the UltraPower?

 

So I just noticed that the Ultra Power LCAs for our Odyssey on RockAuto that are like 50 bucks each (!) have the same exact part numbers as the Moog "RK Series" that are the only Moogs available. Looking at the pictures they appear to be the same with the same smooth metal below the ball joint.

This now has me more confused and concerned. I know some have said that the Moog RK is the same Chinese cheap stuff and not the same as the beloved Moog Problem Solver. So if that is the case then maybe these UltraPowers are reboxed same stuff as the Moog RK. Since at least one person on here has had good experience with the Moog then maybe if I was going to go that direction then just pay less for the UltraPowers if they are the same thing. Or still pay up for the aluminum Beck Arnley.

I just don't want to take an OEM that is still okay if just a little sloppy and put on something that sux or is unsafe. The apparent sameness of the UltraPowers has me seriously questioning whether the Moog in this case is anything other than junk, unless the UltraPower is just a great deal which I guess could also be the case. I think it has the "favorites" heart beside it on RockAuto for what it's worth.

Anyone else use the UltraPower?

Funny thing is Advance Auto has the same Moog LCA for $231.

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

 

Ugh the more I read, the more I see various horror stories of aftermarket LCAs breaking at the ball joint and the knuckle falls off, or wearing out quickly at the least.

Makes me really question whether I should leave current well enough alone with my OEM even if the steering wheel is a little jiggly over rough pavement. I'm having real trouble rationalizing spending almost 800 bucks just for 2 OEM LCAs as I probably will only be owning this van another couple years I'm thinking. So I guess I can always spend a couple hundred and see if the aftermarkets get it tight, and just keep the OEMs that I could put back in if the aftermarkets get toasted quickly before I sell the van.

If I use one of the ball removal tools will I preserve the current OEM ball joint so that LCA could be reinstalled later need be?

If I could get OEMs for around 200-225 I would bite. 325-350 just seems crazy. Especially since everyone seems to think that at 71k miles my LCAs are probably not "shot" even though it has been 10 yrs. Just starting to get sloppy.