Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi folks,

another posting about quality of replacement parts I'm afraid.

I have just received a new clutch relay shaft from a well known supplier, and I'm not happy with the quality. Have a look at the photos below:-

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First photo shows the rough machining of the shaft that fits into the spherical bush in the gearbox. I think the rough surface will wear the bush (new one, Tufnol) pretty quickly.

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Second photo shows what I think is a poor quality weld. I think the black "slag" indicates a bad weld underneath. I know it's not a hightly stressed part, but if this breaks you lose all clutch control.

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Final shot shows the two forks are not in line with each other.

Any comments anyone?

First thing in the morning I'm on the phone to the supplier.

cheers,
Neil
(also on t'other side)

Unless we moan nothing will ever change.

Hopefully it's just a one-off that got through QC somehow.

must say though, your camera picks up a good picture! item is shocking though!

My personnal opinion, for what its worth, is that the parts suppliers try to fob off their rubbish to mail order customers.... Lets face it, if you went in and they presented you with this kind of crap you'd not accept it but they hope you won't be going to the trouble of sending it back if it was mail order?

you know what...i will agree with that. i am lazy though, i bought 2 ticker boxes from ESM and they were both crap, didn't send them back although as always, i was planning too!

I bought a head gasket from a supplier and it lasted 120 miles.A chap at the National told me he bought one from the same supplier and it blew as he reversed the car from his garage having changed it.The quality of some items is highly suspect, I think a lot of the items are better sourced second hand if possible obviously not head gst's though

I will only say one thing, YOU MUST SEND FAULTY PARTS BACK AND COMPLAIN!!!!!

yes send it back

try to re use original parts if you can or refurbish

aupickup wrote:yes send it back

try to re use original parts if you can or refurbish

I agree with what you are saying and it is the route I am tempted to take as the quality is better. Unfortunately this is when salvageable Minors get broken up. Very chicken and egg!

The quality of the part in question is disgraceful, the shop that sold you this should have sent it back themselves!! I don't think the weld would fail, but if I let something go of that standard when I was a toolmaker, I would have been seriously disciplined.

I'd agree with all of the above - and add that this is endemic right across the classic car scene - lots of similar problems with MG and Triumph parts amongst others. For example I had a so-called "re-conditioned" lever arm damper for my Midget, and within 1,000 miles the arm parted company from the body - positively dangerous! When I went to get a replacement, I tried various suppliers and not a single unit was of sufficient quality to be worth fitting, and the so-called "new" ones were even worse. I sourced a second-hand one in the end which is perfect.

Similarly, I have found replacement brightwork - bumpers and headlight rims come to mind - to be rubbish, in the end I've re-chromed the originals, with a far superior result.

Really frustrating - I bet there are stories like this right across the board.

I will say though (just to add some balance) that the Newton Commercial items I have fitted to my Minor so far have been excellent (mainly carpet set and glove box liners)

Cheers

What a waste of a nice bit of plating on that release fork. You can get away with selling anything if it's shiny enough, and thats probably as far as the QC went. To get even further depressed (possibly)-are these made in the UK or another third world country?

Send it back, if they get lots of parts sent back. Maybee eventually theyll get the message. Any body got any opinions on Bull Motif, i just bought a bunch of spares from them.

Hi totally agree with post on Newton Commercial, their trim is excellent.I think nearly all of the suppliers source their parts from the same manufacturers so whoever you go to you probably get identical bits.Have had track rod ends with very tight threads and a trunnion which when greased blew the plug from the bottom.

The arm alignment is not too important - and the weld will be fine for the job it's doing (it actually looks very good until the slag sets in, but that shaft will certainly cause premature wear on the bush! Come on - fess up - who was the supplier, we need to know !
I have bought parts from BullMotif in the past and never had any problems with their stuff.

Hopefully it's just a one-off that got through QC somehow.

There is no QC - that's the problem!
I wonder if the suppliers choose not to inspect the parts they sell, otherwise they'd have to reject half the stuff they have!

I've seen originals with the arms like that, so not too critical there. Rest is rubbish though. I always repair old ones by welding up the worn holes and redrilling them. Much more satisfying...

as far as I know, this isn't a new problem it has been happening all the time I have had my car (about 18 years).
the way I see it, there are 2 reasons for this
1) they are taking the micky and ripping us off
2) we are getting what we pay for

when it comes to short production runs for obscure parts for cheap vehicles, what is the supplier going to do? Do it right and charge £20 for a part that you only want to pay £5 for. Or produce down to the price we are willing to pay.

I agree with Iain, try to use old stock and/or repair - and of course return the parts your're not happy with. Of course some of the suppliers will go out of bussiness, but thats ok isn't it?

Rupert

It is not just classic vehicles having trouble with replacement parts. I have had a leaking rear cylinder on my sons saxo, got a replacement cylinder from my local motor factors. Fitted it couldn’t bleed the rear cylinder when I took it out to inspect it the input from the master cylinder didn’t have a hole at the bottom. When I took it back the chap at the factors said they get a lot like that because they’re made cheap in china. I paid a few pounds more and bought a Quinton Hazel, still made in china but much better quality and finish.

Rupert, you have the answer indeed No2

when it comes to short production runs for obscure parts for cheap vehicles, what is the supplier going to do? Do it right and charge £20 for a part that you only want to pay £5 for. Or produce down to the price we are willing to pay.