aftermarket coil spring insulators?

[Previologist]

Anyone used them? OEM are getting scarce and pricey, and some are overseas with uncertain arrival dates. I don't relish paying $50 for a pair.

I can't imagine this is a highly important part that requires OEM (trying to convince myself anyway)...surely even the aftermarket can make a flimsy piece of rubber? Not needing 20 years of durability but 5-10 would be plenty

[Previologist]

Bah! Auto parts stores didn't have any that I could examine so I bit the bullet and got OEM. It cost me nearly $60 to make sure I get them both, because it looks like one of them (that I had to order from United Arab Emirates) may be gone or almost gone (forever) cuz they sure ain't making anymore. I could have paid less if I wanted to wait for backorders to fill stateside, but I don't think they are going to fill...

$%#@ Rock Auto raised the price of the TRW balljoint by $10 over the past 2 weeks, so I got a Delphi instead and will be a guinea pig for testing both brands at once. I'd really like to have OEM, which aren't THAT expensive at $115, and maybe I will someday, but I still have to sink new tires ($500+) and $200 more into my 4runner for LBJs this summer. And unlike the Previa, the 4runner LBJs are subject to catastrophic failure so I definitely will be getting OEM for those.