[s-cars] [-s-cars] Control Arm Source and Wheel Quandry

[Tom Green]

60K miles equals what?, 4 years, Darin.  That points to part of todays  
problem.  There have been so many manufacturing plants moving to China  
that it is difficult to determine the quality of the products from  
many brands anymore.  Some that are now made in China are quality  
products, especially some of the parts from Taiwan, but not all by any  
means, and the wholesalers that control most of the aftermarket  
distribution like world pac only give lip service to product quality.   
I think you will find a mix of parts from most brand names, but TRW is  
one holdout for control arms.  The issues have been rubber bushings  
early failure in the chinese products, but that is small consolation  
for someone redoing a suspension job after 1 year.  This is one area  
you can't afford to find out for yourself, but real facts on the  
quality of todays parts are difficult to sift from all the hype.  The  
Febi tie rod ends I just received are marked "made in Spain" on the  
box but the part is marked "Germany" on the ball joint, and some strut  
mounts are made in China.  I guess it is difficult to watch every part  
of this worldwide store.

Tom

> -----Original Message-----
> Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:38:55 -0600
> From: Matthew Russell <skippertgore at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Control Arm Source and Wheel Quandry
> To: Darin Nederhoff <scarsgo at gmail.com>
> Cc: "yellowcuda at gmail.com" <yellowcuda at gmail.com>,
> 	"s-car-list at audifans.com" <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Message-ID: <72D9AF65-8BF2-43C0-8999-187E4FEE3748 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=us-ascii;	format=flowed;	delsp=yes
>
> That's great info Darin, thanks!
> Glad you've had success with them.
>
> Matt
>
> Mmmmmm...iPhone
>
>
> On Mar 26, 2010, at 2:24 PM, Darin Nederhoff <scarsgo at gmail.com>  
> wrote:
>
>> I've had the Febi units on my car for nearly 60k miles. No problems
>> with them.
>>
>> Darin Nederhoff
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Mar 26, 2010, at 3:13 PM, Matthew Russell <skippertgore at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Abe-
>>>
>>> I can help you with control arm source.
>>>
>>> Sjmautotechnik has very competitive prices, and depending on stock
>>> will offer you a couple choices of brand.
>>>
>>> List wisdom is TRW, Febi are unknown IIRC. Stay away from Meyle even
>>> though they're cheaper.
>>>
>>> Scott usually has sway bar bushings, the sleeves (which are now
>>> almost
>>> 50 bucks!) bolts and nuts available too.
>>>
>>> HTH
>>>
>>> Matt, CO
>>> S6A, totalled.
>>> 92 s4 sold.
>>>
>>> Mmmmmm...iPhone
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mar 26, 2010, at 1:00 PM, Abe  wrote:
>>>
>>>> om: Abe Berman <yellowcuda at gmail.com>
>>>> Date: Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 11:35 AM
>>>> Subject:
>>>> To: s-car list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Patient is a 95.5 Avant.
>>>>
>>>> 1.  Need a front control arm bushing, 3/4 of mine is missing.  What
>>>> is the
>>>> current sentiment on brand/source for C4 control arms?