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Dec 29, 2015 13:51:57 GMT
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Need to do the driveshafts and likely TCA's etc on the pug 205.
I really don't want to use euro as parts are always wrong and customer service is non-existent.
What brands, such as Lemforder etc, are best as replacement parts? And where's the best place to buy?
I've been told to stay away from Q-Drive and the like as I want the parts to last more than 6 months!
Any help/experiences would be useful as always.
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Dec 29, 2015 14:05:30 GMT
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Ok i work for a Motorfactors.......
Q-drive has a poor reputation but is cheap.
Decent brands for TCA's are Firstline, Lemforder, and there are cheaper alternatives but still retaining some quality, these are Fahren and Trupart. At the end of the day you get what you pay for. I always say i could get you a parachute for 20 quid but would you wear it?
And regarding the shafts you simply wont get better than J and R in Birmingham, they are also on ebay. In 5 years of using them we havent had a single shaft or cv joint returned to us as faulty.
Hope this helps.
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Dec 29, 2015 20:26:35 GMT
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I use a local independant motor factors whenever I can and its mostly Firstline that is supplied unless I ask for another brand. I have yet to have a firstline part fail. He is also often cheaper than the bigger suppliers.
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Q drive is cheap nasty horrible rubbish Its on a few quid more to buy better quality
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Dec 30, 2015 10:51:35 GMT
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I've found out that parts from the same brand can seriously vary in quality too. Firstline Peugeot 106 inner track rod ends lasted weeks, whereas their outers are OK. Firstline thermostats seem universally curse word though, they work "to an extent" but open slowly and early.
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Dec 30, 2015 11:02:58 GMT
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I got firstline dampers before , i changed one side [ chiselled th top cap off fitted replacemnt , then did the other side and no cap in the box !!!
Check it s all there first !
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qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,410
Club RR Member Number: 52
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Dec 30, 2015 16:35:16 GMT
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Lemforder are an OE quality manufacturer apparently.
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Dec 30, 2015 17:15:14 GMT
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Where are you based? If you're in the Midlands I can speak to one of my branch's managers and look after you.
Shaftec tend to be pretty good and well prices for shafts/CVs, J&R as mentioned are generally fine. As for TCAs, avoid FAI if you can as their failure rate is high. If you can, go for Borg & Beck/Firstline, Lemforder etc. Trupart can be ok but slightly hit and miss tbh.
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,202
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Dec 30, 2015 22:57:55 GMT
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I must answer the question first! If it were me, I'd go with First Line or preferable polybush your items with a good manufacturer like SuperFlex or SuperPro (which type of lower arm is on your 205; GTi Style or using the ARB as a drag link?) and either chance a secondhand driveshaft and clean/regrease it or go for something like the GKN items if ECP do them or J & R ; many pattern shafts seem to be a lottery in quality. TANGENT ALERT! (I guess it wouldn't be RR without one ).I've found out that parts from the same brand can seriously vary in quality too. Firstline Peugeot 106 inner track rod ends lasted weeks, whereas their outers are OK. Firstline thermostats seem universally curse word though, they work "to an extent" but open slowly and early. I have also given up with Firstline 'stats and many others. Going genuine is possibly silly but I have not had a wondering temp gauge after this. Only a handful of aftermarket thermostats have actually been good (A QH item from years ago, the recent ones were poor, Behr were not too bad either, and Calorstat). They are all pricier than the cheap wibblepoo though. Lemforder are an OE quality manufacturer apparently. Alot of what is said I do agree with with regards to what works and that it is always not quite so clear cut as to which 'brand' to go with. However, after trying a few things on a few cars over the years I would say that the dealer quality is better even from the same brand ; I'd had drop see 70k without noticeable wear, ignition parts that seem to always work and so on. As an example I took the first Lemforder (genuine) arm off my Alfa 147. It was stamped '03' the year the car was made. The pattern one died in a year. Not a problem I thought, I'll get a Lemforder item from ECP. It IMO had enough play to become an advisory within a year of use. When I told a known Alfa Specialist this (Autolusso) a well known man in the Alfa trade practically laughed in my face. He said himself that the Lemforder items on ECP were a name basically, a bit like what they have done with Pagid. He said the only items that lasted were either genuine (they were double the money on Lemforders or 3 times as much as pattern parts), TRW (not far off the cost of a genuine arm!) or better still poly bushes. On a friend's V6 GT (the same car underneath it seems that he was right. It seems that different qualities are made for different people. Indeed, my old man said something about this years ago when he used to work for a quality inspection equipment firm and he went to go and see a parts manufacturer. That said, I can be tight at times as well. It bit me in the ass with the Clio yesterday; Renault want £50 for a washer motor that is around £15 elsewhere. I got a Vetech washer pump from GSF (yes, I know!). It only worked one way but fitted OK (squirting the rear jets only had water come out of the front. I curse word away probably an hour in checking I hadn't plumbed the motor wrong, etc. and going back and forth between various motor factors to simply get a motor that worked correctly. It's not like changing a washer pump in a a 172 is a 5 minute job either as the photo shows below: It is not what you want when you tear down a chunk of the car either. If it was a day like today I probably would have left the car alot part way with the winds and torrential rain ; £50 may not have seemed to be a bad idea (nah, who am I kidding?) ; I work during the week, including this one and do not have the luxury of a garage to work in: ![](http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/randhawac/Cars/Clio%20172/8B548FFE-E1C6-4B5C-8778-037D0E723A8E.jpg)
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Last Edit: Dec 30, 2015 23:13:10 GMT by ChasR
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froggy
Posted a lot
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Dec 31, 2015 22:04:34 GMT
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I've wondered how j+r manage to do their cv joints so cheap and still have pretty good reliability as I've never had any issues with their stuff and bought a set of 100mm Lobro joints for my track car thinking that they are guaranteed for 2 yrs and were £15 each . 4 yrs on and 450lb ft up em they are still nice and tight .
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,202
Club RR Member Number: 170
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How many miles have you covered?
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I have a pair of wishbones that have been on the car for three years and have never been on the road - there's bits of rust coming through and the 'rubber' is cracking. Same with the top mounts, the rubber has split and is coming through. I've only ever bought from dealers recently, I got sick of buying wibblepoo from motor factors. Also buying genuine parts from a scrapped car in a scrapyard makes more sense - I've done this with top mounts and they're still going! Aftermarket doesn't do rubber well.
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Last Edit: Jan 1, 2016 21:41:26 GMT by DavidB
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froggy
Posted a lot
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How many miles have you covered? 6000 mostly track and drag use . I thought one had failed at a track day this year and I carry a spare in the tow van but in fact the shaft failed first
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,202
Club RR Member Number: 170
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I have a pair of wishbones that have been on the car for three years and have never been on the road - there's bits of rust coming through and the 'rubber' is cracking. Same with the top mounts, the rubber has split and is coming through. I've only ever bought from dealers recently, I got sick of buying wibblepoo from motor factors. Also buying genuine parts from a scrapped car in a scrapyard makes more sense - I've done this with top mounts and they're still going! Aftermarket doesn't do rubber well. I operate on the same principle these days. Ford CVH alternators were a great example. Regardless of brand they never seemed to last more than a year if the car was used alot. A genuine scrapyard item? An age.
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