ROD ENDS: Original Ford, Febi-Bilstein, Delphi or smtg else

[alerno]

Hi,

I injured my little Puma and one of the pieces the local Ford Garage cannot locate are the rod ends (1020174 and 1020175), Ford says they need to be replaced.

It's hard to find original spare parts but if you search a lot you can find a few.

If everything were available and price were not an issue would you recommend original Ford, Febi-Bilstein, Delphi or some other make for rod ends?

Cheers

 

[John Woodward]

I personally tend to use Delphi parts, when I owned a classic Mini the cheap components were failing in less than 3 months, the Delphi ones lasted and were stamped Delphi on most of the parts I used.
But original Ford parts are obviously the best if you can get them. I always use genuine Ford oil filters, paid £5.63 for one for the Puma last week, which is probably cheaper than other makes.

 

[caprixpack]

You can't really go wrong with febi bilstein, they supplied a lot of the original equipment suspension bushes and engine mounts. I've used moog parts for a good few years and never had an issue. I've bought a full set of track rods and ends to go on the millennium and have Moog track rods and ends on the mk2 st, have done nearly 20k miles with them on now.

Also if ford are saying they can't get hold of original parts then the only chance you'll have of getting them is new old stock, and do you really want to fit something with rubber parts that's been sat on a shelf for God knows how long?