Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 23:02:15 -0700
Reply-To: Gene P <olgreywoof@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Gene P <olgreywoof@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Ball joints
In-Reply-To: <CY4PR0801MB373183ACB40DBE1ED4235550A0CC9@CY4PR0801MB3731.namprd08.prod.outlook.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Thanks Dennis,
I figured there would be complications behind that. We want a simple choice – buy X, it’s the best one, save some money with Y but it might not last as well. Often not that simple. When parts keep changing, it’s hard to get a meaningful recommendation anyway.
Thanks for the background.
From: Dennis Haynes
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2021 7:58 AM
To: Gene P; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Ball joints
Gene,
Answering this question can get detailed and maybe should be some Friday discussion. I am one of those folks that pays attention to country of origin along with supporting businesses that strive to make quality parts, be socially and environmentally responsible and treat there employees well. While cost and value are high priorities, I consider paying more to get a better product. As such when sourcing parts I will look for the better brand names. Keep in mind that Vanagon work is a side gig for me and for the most part I pay near retail for most parts and have to justify the mark up. If I can get a deal I will carry some stock.
When choosing parts there are really 2 major concerns. There is nothing worse than doing a job and then having parts that don’t quite fit. So for ball joints I keep a few choices. When I need for a surprise I have to go to local sources to get the part now. That often has a premium price and limited choices. Then next is the part that doesn’t work like it should or last. Suspension parts and CV joints are tops for replacing parts with 25 years and 200K on them and having the new stuff come back in a year or two. The embarrassment and eating the job sucks.
Fun Bus has a Behr radiator that is one of the newer “service” offerings. It is a China special, and the design is obviously different. Round tubes and continuous fins. It simply does not cool well. Nothing like driving in Florida, coming off the highway, having the radiator fan go to high speed which cuts off the AC. The Spectra so far are working well.
Alternators and starters. The Bosch rebuilds have been extremely disappointing. The Premier gear repops have been flawless and no adapters or wiring adjustments needed.
It bothers me to go that route but when you get new that actually works at lower cost then reman you have to go that route. But you only know by trying.
It is disappointing that when you purchase a part with some expectations, you find that not only has the manufacturing location changed, but that a different part is now supplied. That is what the Lemforder upper ball joint looks like to me. So is it a new factory or are they now just re-boxing some other product?
Dennis
