This is a contentious area...but the market is being flooded with cheap crap.

I haven't bought ball joints for about 20 years (and they were Holden)....I have learned over the years to survey the market, get the average price then avoid the ten dollar cheaper versions from Swaziland....but

Is there one brand people consistently recommend as guaranteed quality...TRW

Thanks in advance

[I suppose this same question could be asked for all replacement Mini parts..maybe a sticky one day?]

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"Show me the Mini!"

i have only bought one set and i got them from minisport (thanks andrew) to put in the moke

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busier than a 0ne legged man in a butt kicking competion

Dufor became TRW became Tristar became importers of asian made parts.
I don't think there is any good local manufacturers anymore.

I was talking to our local engine reco man fairly recently. He is seriously thinking about pulling the pin because every thing has become dollar based which not only makes regional deliveries difficult but the products delivered are either wrong or rubbish.

Their problem is that they take a pride in their work and rely of repeat custom. It doesn't take too many jobs to return because of inferior compents to send you either broke or around the bend.

Btw - we have a sliding door - big glass thing, we have had it more than ten years and twelve months ago we replaced the rollers. We replaced them again during the week. The old ones were solid metal, the new ones plastic. We couldn't buy the metal ones anywhere.

I'm worried too about balljoint quality, I have seen some lately with definitely Chinese made nuts which were so loose a fit, they had about thread engagement depth of about 50%- and the nuts tapped crooked too.
Hey these things are responsible for your life and that of others out there- they should be to an Australian standard, IMO.

If you can get them, I think Quinton Hazell are probably the best of a bad lot now, for balljoints and various other drivetrain and suspension bits.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Aussie Made TRW stuff was OE quality, they also imported from other TRW divisions worldwide. Eg If you bought replacement Ball joints for a VW they came from TRW Germany, a draglink for a Chevy was made in USA.

Many of the steering & suspension parts for Aussie minis were made by TRW in Sydney

Yes, a lot of the no name stuff was junk then and junk now. In the 1980's one of the better brands was 555 ball joints made in Japan, who knows where they are made now?

Dr Mini is likely to be on the money advising to buy QH stuff.

nothing wrong with swaziland stuff my fridge freezer is made in swaziland and even the locks on the doors still work and its been around the world with me.

as for ball joints i found a supplier of old stock of quinten hazel brands and we did some tests and the new ones stack upto the same in the QH brand but the others out there are really junky and metal is not treated the sme and the hardedning of the ball is not as hard.

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www.minicranks.com add me to your watch list and come back again soon, under construction.

Sincerest apologies to the hard working Swazilanders....but you know what I meant....thanks for confirming everyones suspicions

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"Show me the Mini!"

waht that swaziland stuff is still good i would worry about the ugandan made stuff or other central african stuff, southern africa is still 1st world,.

I mean when is it ever in your life your driving down a road and the sign says slow down, 100m further it says i said slow down, 100m further is says yes i mean you slow down now.
only in africa.


only place i know where you get out of the car take off your shoes to do a military boot check.

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www.minicranks.com add me to your watch list and come back again soon, under construction.

When I was there no one was game to stop...just about anywhere...bandits in high powered cars, bandits at Red Lights, bandits making road ramps that would launch cars into the scrub for easy pickings

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"Show me the Mini!"