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Beware cheap parts


Gordon R
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A friend has a Saab 95 Aero and one of the rear callipers kept sticking - not on the slide, but the piston sticking. He bought a new calliper from Ebay - brought it round this afternoon - simple swap ahead. The handbrake cable was seized into the old calliper and wouldn't budge. It wouldn't knock out so we cut the calliper to release it with no damage. He had already checked the new calliper was identical and that was when the fun started. The blurb in the box said it was made exactly to manufacturers spec and should fit exactly. I then noticed that there was no hole in the new calliper to thread the handbrake cable through. In the end we had to drill a hole from scratch - no real hardship except that it had to be 13.43mm. Drilled it several times - increasing diameter each time. In the end we had to file the last 1.43mm. What should have been a twenty minute job turned into a couple of hours. It would have been easier to send the calliper back, but we had trashed the original calliper so it was the proverbial or bust. Sorted now, but a lesson learned.

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11 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

Go for the Vauxhall equivalent part if you buy bits for the 95 aero - far cheaper than Saab - usually same part number on box and the only difference is the word Saab. Brilliant cars - got one on my drive that I don't use now I have my Rangie. 

Same with Mazda parts, i needed a thermostat for my MX5.Mazda wanted £72, guy in the parts department told me to get down the road to Ford.Same identical part £21. 

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12 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

Go for the Vauxhall equivalent part if you buy bits for the 95 aero - far cheaper than Saab - usually same part number on box and the only difference is the word Saab. Brilliant cars - got one on my drive that I don't use now I have my Rangie. 

I would keep it in running order IF, you have a Rangie. You may just need it   !  😉

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i re-built a seized Mariner outboard engine...couple of years ago........i needed 2 special crankshaft ball bearings....original ones..........

 

price...£187.00 for the pair......

went somewhere else got them for £13.00 for the pair...once i got the stickers off...underneath them....they were original ones...........

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About ten years ago I went into a bearing stockist - Arrow Bearings in Salford from memory. I wanted some 1" wheel bearings for a small motorbike trailer. I bought some and found they were too slack on the axle. I went back and me and a lad from the firm searched through a large bin - measuring them with digital micrometer for bearings with the correct dimensions. Some were actually about 1mm out. His explanation was that one village in China might not have the same idea as the next village as to what 1" was.

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1 hour ago, Papercase said:

I have this issue every time I buy a "Britpart" AKA "****part" bit for the landy. 

some of the britpart stuff is utter carp................the other stuff is usually very good ...it is just by word of mouth and experience you find out what is good and bad ..........

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1 hour ago, Gordon R said:

la bala - Bought some Mintex pads and discs for my motor - fitted front last month. Rears are in garage for next summer. Mintex have been good for a really long time.

Have used Mintex all my life, when it comes to brakes i wouldnt touch the blue box parts.

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Most major aftermarket parts manufacturers supply to the OEM, just buy a known recognised brand.

Ferodo brakes, Wix, Mahle or Fram for filters, Valeo, Sachs and LUK for cluthc kits, Gates or INA for timing belt kits. Us your local motor factor as well or Ebay if they have a prescence there

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