Has anyone picked up a Moog K7041 idler arm recently? Trying to find out if they're still made in USA or have they been outsourced? I checked a couple nearby stores but they don't have them in stock to look at. The vendors that carry them seem to be pretty cagey about including that info so I'm afraid they're now chinese.
Thanks
On Amazon it says country of origin - China. I think some of their other parts are made in India as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Moog-K7041-Idler-Arm/dp/B000C543Q0/ref=asc_df_B000C543Q0?mcid=aa7d6c7e3d3337faa580acb38c36a0fd&hvocijid=464510912795832353-B000C543Q0-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=730434177080&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=464510912795832353&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003976&hvtargid=pla-2281435177338&psc=1
I think the only way is to check the box -
https://www.suspension.com/blog/where-are-moog-parts-made/?srsltid=AfmBOorGLp8Ka6nc8aOyw2YYTnw3aSo_pSYllaQNb14X4IYbZNsQuDZ2
Quote from: torredcuda on February 14, 2025, 06:30:19 AMI think the only way is to check the box -
https://www.suspension.com/blog/where-are-moog-parts-made/?srsltid=AfmBOorGLp8Ka6nc8aOyw2YYTnw3aSo_pSYllaQNb14X4IYbZNsQuDZ2
I suspect there aren't that many locations manufacturing Moog parts today.
Production has no doubt shuffled around to various countries and some of the locations they show are probably old stock from years ago. The US and Canada being a couple examples of probably not made there anymore.
I worked in the auto parts aftermarket and even back in the 90s when my company had US plants, not everything we sold was made here. We analyzed OEM parts, and marketing did sales forecasts. We'd design new parts if the forecasts were high enough to justify tooling, but otherwise we'd source the parts from other suppliers, often the OEM supplier, to have in our product line. Our plants were all in the US and Canada, but probably 10% of our part skus were made in Asia and Europe.
I'm sure Moog does the same.
I purchased a K7041 last year through Advance Auto Parts when they had a deal that seemed to good to pass up (tax total under $24, today their price is $66.29+ but can be found for less)
It states clearly on the package "Made in China"
Also some pictures on-line show grease fittings included but none are with this unit, nor were there on my '73s OE idler arm.
Lots of discussion here https://forum.e-bodies.org/wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-and-steering/12/70-idler-arm/29146/
Thanks all for replying. I was looking on ebay and pinged three sellers whose pictures showed USA in the forging on the part, and all three said china or overseas so the pics were deceptive. The last one aimed me to a Moog that was less expensive than the chinese (but USA in the image) part and said it was USA made. I'm waiting for a response now to if that is a vintage part and actually made in the US or if he just assumed Moog = USA.
The longer I wait to lay in some replacement parts the harder it will be to find those vintage US made parts.
it's worth the money to buy parts from a source you can return them to, if you're unhappy. if you get a part, and it looks shotty and/or subpar, made in china, you have a recourse. otherwise, you gotta take what you get. a seller, especially on ebay, has little motivation to disclose a part is made in china and imply it may be made to inferior standards.
If its an ignition points or condenser made in china its 95% likely garbage that probably looks ok but won't live long. You can't always tell by looking; many chinese manufacturers are extremely good at polishing turds so you don't know there's a problem until the warranty or return window is over. And I'm buying parts ahead of time; it may be a couple of years before I'm doing the interior or putting the steering back together.
I know that some chinese made parts are decent. Mostly when a parent company rides their asses and doesn't let them start 'economizing' on manufacture. And I do have quite a few; mostly cosmetic but also brake disks... meh.
So the search for OEM and North American made parts.