More and more, I am seeing owner's or their mechanics putting substandard parts on vehicles and wondering why a problem returns or the problem never went away...

Brand new head bolts breaking, rear axle UBolts stretching and allowing the spring to move on the axle, so called "New" injectors failing after a few days..... and the list goes on and on. Unfortunately some of these parts are coming straight from the dealer's parts department....

This is not a rant..... This is a concern. My concern is for the innocent people meeting a vehicle on a two land road that has new, but substandard parts. I'm seeing it on trailer hitches, tires and wheels, etc. Things that could become a rocket...

I have reached the point of taking 30 year old bolts off of a donor truck, cleaning them up and reinstalling them on a truck I am rehabing rather than buying brand new bolts.

Anyone else seeing this trend and getting concerned?

Hobo

 

It crossed my mind a while back and seems inevitable. Noticed it with (for just one example) trailer tires in a big way, for example. (Dog food, baby formula, medicine). There are consequences to so-called "free trade" and off-shoring manufacturing.

What could go wrong?

 

i saved 3 cents!!!!

yup, you sure did. three times.
so you actually spent three times the amount of the quality parts being cheap.

 

There is currently a discussion going about leaf spring U Bolts. IMHO, U Bolts made 50 years ago are better than U bolts made today... Now, if those old U Bolts are in good condition, I will reinstall them. I am being told that U Bolts on "modern" Ford trucks are a one time use item. If a 2020 truck has to have the rear end or springs dropped out, I'm being told, the dealer installs new U Bolts....

So, what happened?

Hobo

1982 Ford Motors Ad - Quality is Job 1

 

U-bolts are a "one time" use item, they always have been. Technically speaking. Threads are rolled, not cut. That isn't to say they don't get re-used, but from an engineering perspective it is what it is. They won't have the same clamping force when reused, they are designed to stretch, and threads get deformed, too. Notice there aren't any locking devices or cotter pins or anything like that? They are the only thing holding the axles and the rest of it to the truck. Usually they are trashed and pretty rusty too. Eaton Engineering has some good YT videos about U-bolts and leaf springs in their "1 Minute Monday" series. From a dealer perspective, from an auto shop point of view, it is a Liability to reuse fasteners that, by the book, are a critical safety item. I'd consider U-Bolts to qualify.

Semi-secret: Any good truck repair shop can make U-bolts for you on the spot while you wait, any length or width or style you want. It is very important that the spring pack does not move at all, or the leaves will tend to break. So make sure they are the correct shape (half round, square, semi-square etc) and I bet the locals truck shop source better round stock if they can get it. They know better, and they will be less expensive to boot.

 

I too am concerned about sub-standard parts but even more concerned with the huge number of sub-standard wrench holders who're classified as "qualified mechanics" working everywhere these days. Best example are those cashiers working at Auto Zone, Advanced Auto et al armed with code readers---THAT'S scary to me.

Theoretically fasteners sold by application through a dealership would meet the OEM spec's regardless their country of origin. That's hardly any guarantee they are the best quality its better than reusing bolts etc from 30+ years.

As Tedster9 says suspension U-bolts are single use items far far more likely to be reused by DIY drive way mechanics than any professional for-hire spring/suspension shop. Additionally they'll be shaped correctly to fit their use and tend to include necessary nuts as well.

 

I'm old enough to remember every bag, box, carton of nuts, bolts, machine parts, tires, fuel, etc having a label that stated "Meets or Exceeds _______ Specifications".

Few things today even advertise specifications.. Some kid out of high school is checking one our of every 1,000 widgets with a pocket tape measure,

Now the QC's don't meet specifications....

Hobo