Thread: Dorman parts any good?

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  1. #1 Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    I need a lower left control arm for my car and was wondering if Dorman parts are any good and if you guys would buy them for your Grand Prix's? I can get the right and the left control arm for the same price I would pay for just one control arm at Advance Auto Parts.

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  2. #2 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GT Level Member addzradd's Avatar
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    Dorman is an ok brand, below high grade like a MOOG, but above most house brands. I would use them on a DD that I didn't care about and just wanted to keep running.
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  3. #3 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    Just looked and MOOG is $80 per control arm as where Dorman is $40 per control arm. The parts look the same to me. What do? I don't plan on junking my car anytime soon and plan on doing more modding.

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  4. #4 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    Turbo is the way to go. Fivefingerdeathpunch's Avatar
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    Many people run dormans, they are good quality for the money, I would run them on any car.

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  6. #5 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch View Post
    Many people run dormans, they are good quality for the money, I would run them on any car.
    Just from looking at the pictures the parts look identical I think it's one of those cases where people are just paying for the brand name. For example Autozone charges $92 for a front lower control arm as where you can get the same thing on Rock Auto for $40 and I bet that the Duralast brand for $92 is no better than the Dorman... lmao o_O

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  7. #6 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    Also any tips for installing control arms? Anything else I should replace while I'm doing the control arms since I'm going to be in there?

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    Last edited by apierce1289; 04-05-2013 at 10:05 PM.
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  8. #7 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    Turbo is the way to go. Fivefingerdeathpunch's Avatar
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    Not really, its already replacing the ball joint and bushings, but you may break a sway end link if that are really old, you can replace those if needed.

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  9. #8 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GT Level Member addzradd's Avatar
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    I'd get poly end-links while you are there. But yeah the difference is mostly in the ball joint, moog just uses a better one, but I'd be willing to bet the control arm itself is about the same.
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  10. #9 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GrandPrix Junkie PurpleGuy's Avatar
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    +1 for Dorman LCA's...I put a pair on my old 4 door and they worked just fine.
    2001 Regal GS, PLOG, 3" DP, 1.9's/L76 springs. 21* of timing on a 3.4"
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  11. #10 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
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    Used moogs because I heard of two people who had trouble lining it up because the bolt holes were drille incorrectly. Love my moogs and they are grease able not sure if dormans are
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  12. #11 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Logan541 View Post
    Used moogs because I heard of two people who had trouble lining it up because the bolt holes were drille incorrectly. Love my moogs and they are grease able not sure if dormans are
    They have a grease fitting? That would be something I'd be interested in for the extra money.

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    Last edited by apierce1289; 04-06-2013 at 03:33 PM.
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  13. #12 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GrandPrix Junkie The Guz's Avatar
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    Yeah the moogs have grease fittings on them.
    1999 GP GT 18" Boss 353 Concave|SLP CAI|Borla Cat Back|Plog|HV3|HV TB|ER Rockers|Custom Retrofit Projectors|GMPP Lowering|GMPP Handling|MPD F1|Full Diode Dynamic LEDs
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  14. #13 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    What type of grease would I buy for greasing the LCA?

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  15. #14 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    You can buy tubes of lithium grease for a grease gun, that's what I use. It's a little pricey but works good.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
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  16. #15 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    Turbo is the way to go. Fivefingerdeathpunch's Avatar
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    Stock ball joints don't have grease fittings and last well over 100k miles, they are not a common failure point on our cars so it really doesnt matter.

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  17. #16 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    OK so dormans seem to be my best bet how easy are strut end links to do? What were you guys talking about with the poly mounts? Dormans will ride and feel the same right?

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  18. #17 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    Sway bar links are very easy to do. The hardest part will be getting rusty old ones off, which penetrating oil and an impact gun will help a lot. I recommend using moog links.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
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  19. #18 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    GTP Level Member apierce1289's Avatar
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    Are there any write ups on how to do these?

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  20. #19 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    Not sure. It's remove wheel, remove old link by either trying with a deep well socket or wrench. If it's too rusted it will have to be cut off or broken with the force of an impact gun which is what I did.
    Then you turn this

    Into this:


    Very easy job if you have the tools
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
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  21. #20 Re: Dorman parts any good? 
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    A word of advice I would start getting oil on those bolts now and just every few days do it until you are ready to remove as far as the grease fittings not going to argue with fivefingers because I do respect his knowledge but what I am taking into consideration dormans are not stock GM I don't know if they are made in china or of a lower grade steel or what have you. Granted if I could have gottem my arms direct from GM I would not have cared about the fittings but they wanted too much so I went with moog, and fingers if you tell me dormans are made by GM I will scream lol hate to thing I wasted that much money
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