27 replies to this topic

[dschwartz1957]

I just bought a new pre-verto clutch arm (22A2204) and am really disappointed in the poor quality of the part. The casting is full of large deep pock marks and the surfaces around the clevis pin holes are scored / gouged instead of being smooth / polished. One of the holes on the upper end isn't even round. Attached is a photo of the part (it looks worse in person). Notice the deep gouge on the left near hole for the clevis pin.

 

Has anyone recently replaced a pre-verto clutch arm and been happy with the quality of the new part? Mini Spares lists the following part as a "Genuine Minispares Product". I don't want to pay for shipping to the US and receive another poor quality part.

 

http://www.minispare...MS.aspx|Back to

 

 

About 20 to 30 percent of replacement parts I received over the past year did NOT fit properly or have been defective. Sometimes I can tweak a part to make it work and other times I ship it back. In the last year I returned the following:

• Engine mounts with holes in the wrong places
• Heater control valve where the end blew out a month after I installed it
• Defective Mk3 turn signal switch. Signaling right caused the low beams to go out
• Two piece radiator shroud that didn't fit the radiator. Bolt holes didn't match radiator and upper shroud didn't clear the radiator flange.

From reading this forum I know others have encountered simliar problems.

 

Thank you,

 

David Schwartz

Attached Files

•  IMG_3279.JPG   21.94K   86 downloads

Edited by dschwartz1957, 24 November 2015 - 03:31 AM.

[Dusky]

Hi there!
This part should be okay, Ive bought the same last summer and it was all fine :)

Cheers

[Spider]

I hear you on the quality of some parts and I agree that it's very frustrating, especially when you need to spend an hour or so pulling something apart that you only put together a week or two ago to replace a 50 cent part,

 

I've used a number of the Clutch Arms for Mini Spares and they have all been fine.

[jaydee]

Take it this way, that rough surface finish gives better strenght than a polished finish....

I'm more concerned by the low quality of those poor engine rubber seals and those oil pumps that dont hold a gasket

[Cooperman]

Experience has shown that it is the cheaper parts which lack quality. The old adage; buy cheap, buy twice, holds good.

Mini Spares do many parts to original specifications and, although there are cheaper ones available, the O.E. spec are the best and will work well.

The problem for the best suppliers is that there will always be outlets selling the 'same' parts cheaper and that reduces the volume of top quality parts sold which, in turn, makes them more expensive to produce and sell.

We often don't realise how fortunate we are with our classic Minis. Other classic cars have huge problems with obtaining long-obsolete parts at sensible prices.  For example, try buying a wing for a Ford Cortina Mk.1 or an MGB.

So always buy from the best known suppliers and buy the best quality they offer. Won't be cheap, but classic car owning is not a cheap hobby.

[Mini 360]

Won't be cheap, but classic car owning is not a cheap hobby.

Sadly I find a lot of Mini owners think the exact opposite, which leads to poorly repaired and maintained Mini  As you say, buy cheap, buy twice! 

[micromontenegro]

I agree, and must say that buying from overseas adds a lot to the frustation. Paying a lot for shipping, waiting for weeks, and then getting subpar spares is trying. I can only say that in my experience Land Rover pattern parts are way, way worse than Mini ones. 

[skoughi]

I got caught (again!) with this same problem recently, however I need to add that it was my fault! I inspected the c-washer and backing washer for the primary gear and going with the sizes stated on minispares for a new set I realised that mine was worn and the difference with what I had and the new items would in theory get the endfloat within spec. However I made the classic mistake in that before I clicked to buy the parts from minispares I had a little browse on the internet. I then of course found a cheaper price from another well known UK supplier and got suckered into buying from them! Only when I had the new parts in hand and checked the thickness I found that they were actually thinner than the worn parts I was trying to replace! Returned them and ordered the set from minispares, these were more or less the thickness that was stated and once fitted gave me a nice snug endfloat. One day I will learn!

[AndyR]

Unfortunately that buy cheap buy twice theory doesnt always ring true.  I have bought a lot of the top end items from the usual suspects, and have had a lot of problems.  Maybe i am unlucky, but i feel the problem lies with suppliers not sampling their stock or even checking it before putting it on the shelves or sending out to customers.  It appears they would prefer their customers to use their time to problem solve for them!  Like i said it may just be me being unlucky, but these types of topics seem to pop up quite often.

 

Andy

[Rocket.]

This is exactly why I try to source and used new old stock parts where possible

[Mini 360]

This is exactly why I try to source and used new old stock parts where possible

I agree.  I got a NOS fuel pump for Trig and although it cost me more, it was a well made part.  Same cant be said for elastomeric components as they will have degraded from the time they were manufactured so the aftermarket is all we have

[Cooperman]

Unfortunately that buy cheap buy twice theory doesnt always ring true.  I have bought a lot of the top end items from the usual suspects, and have had a lot of problems.  Maybe i am unlucky, but i feel the problem lies with suppliers not sampling their stock or even checking it before putting it on the shelves or sending out to customers.  It appears they would prefer their customers to use their time to problem solve for them!  Like i said it may just be me being unlucky, but these types of topics seem to pop up quite often.

 

Andy

A while back I had a long chat with Keith who owns Mini Spares. They place orders with companies for parts and issue detailed specifications in line with the original BMC specs. However, the problem comes with how to inspect the individual components in these batches. For example, a hardness specification is difficult to test and the end supplier does not have a test house of his own, so must trust the manufacturer. How can the case hardening of, for example, every front hub swivel pin be carried out?

Classic cars are all old, out-of-production vehicles and we must just feel fortunate that parts, of whatever quality, are readily available for the classic Mini. If you had, say, a Sunbeam Rapier, a Ford Zodiac or some other early 1960's car you would envy we classic Mini owners for the availability and low cost of our 1960's-era spares.

[Rocket.]

 

Unfortunately that buy cheap buy twice theory doesnt always ring true.  I have bought a lot of the top end items from the usual suspects, and have had a lot of problems.  Maybe i am unlucky, but i feel the problem lies with suppliers not sampling their stock or even checking it before putting it on the shelves or sending out to customers.  It appears they would prefer their customers to use their time to problem solve for them!  Like i said it may just be me being unlucky, but these types of topics seem to pop up quite often.

 

Andy

A while back I had a long chat with Keith who owns Mini Spares. They place orders with companies for parts and issue detailed specifications in line with the original BMC specs. However, the problem comes with how to inspect the individual components in these batches. For example, a hardness specification is difficult to test and the end supplier does not have a test house of his own, so must trust the manufacturer. How can the case hardening of, for example, every front hub swivel pin be carried out?

Classic cars are all old, out-of-production vehicles and we must just feel fortunate that parts, of whatever quality, are readily available for the classic Mini. If you had, say, a Sunbeam Rapier, a Ford Zodiac or some other early 1960's car you would envy we classic Mini owners for the availability and low cost of our 1960's-era spares.

 

 

This is very true ! We have a Singer Gazelle and trying to find parts for it is near on impossible especially body panels

So I for one am quite grateful that one stop shops such as MiniSpares even exist 

[Spider]

In general, I've found and noticed that cheap parts are usually - but not always - the dearest parts - in the end!

 

 

Unfortunately that buy cheap buy twice theory doesnt always ring true.  I have bought a lot of the top end items from the usual suspects, and have had a lot of problems.  Maybe i am unlucky, but i feel the problem lies with suppliers not sampling their stock or even checking it before putting it on the shelves or sending out to customers.  It appears they would prefer their customers to use their time to problem solve for them!  Like i said it may just be me being unlucky, but these types of topics seem to pop up quite often.

 

Andy

A while back I had a long chat with Keith who owns Mini Spares. They place orders with companies for parts and issue detailed specifications in line with the original BMC specs. However, the problem comes with how to inspect the individual components in these batches. For example, a hardness specification is difficult to test and the end supplier does not have a test house of his own, so must trust the manufacturer. How can the case hardening of, for example, every front hub swivel pin be carried out?

Classic cars are all old, out-of-production vehicles and we must just feel fortunate that parts, of whatever quality, are readily available for the classic Mini. If you had, say, a Sunbeam Rapier, a Ford Zodiac or some other early 1960's car you would envy we classic Mini owners for the availability and low cost of our 1960's-era spares.

 

 

I wouldn't expect the likes of Mini Spares and other companies who have parts manufactured to have their own in house test facilities, however there are many independent test houses, with traceable certification around and their costs while variable are not at all 'out of the question' to use on samples from each manufactured batch.

 

From a commercial point of view, it would not make sense for the supplier to set themselves up in such a way, however having such tests carried out could not only improve the quality of what we buy, but also save their bacon when, for example, a busted ball joint puts one of us under a truck and the Coroner wants to start pointing bones. In manufactured batch quantities, such testing would add no more than 2 - 3 % to the cost at the very outside. The suppliers could also find themselves uninsured under these circumstances if they are without traceable documentation (including test data). 

 

I regularly have harness testing carried out on gears and shafts and occasionally material composition tests also done and these are for one offs or small batches of 10 at the most, but most of the test houses can carry out all range of tests, including for example rubber analysis and it can readily be established what's in that material and if it's fit for purpose (and longevity) at that very early point.

 

<Edit: Only two weeks ago I binned 8 sets of New Ball Joints, straight out of the packaging, they didn't pass the simple 'file test'. >

Edited by Moke Spider, 24 November 2015 - 08:35 PM.

[AndyR]

Dont get me wrong, i am very happy for the availability of parts on the market.  It is just i cant see how its acceptable to send out parts that havnt been looked at (with their stamp of approval on).  Wheels that havnt been finished milled, starter motors with incorrect spacing and ball joints finished with an angle grinder no name just a few.  Some home mechanics dont inspect or have the experience to inspect parts, could fit them and could have a massive crash because of poor parts. 

 

Had i been a supplier, i would prefer to be able to fall back on saying every part is QC passed before being shipped.  Whether a pattern part or not.