rafalc

Ordered the rear shock mount from Ecklers. Part came today with a MADE IN CHINA sticker on the box. The part also has a different finish than the shock mounts I have gotten before from Paragon and from the original shock mount.

Should I trust this or return it?????


By the way...if Eckler's is reading - can you help me with refunding the shipping back to you guys? I was told on the phone it can not be refunded.......

zwede

Anything metal made in China is a crap shot. Sometimes it's OK, but often the metal has impurities and does not have the strength it should. I wouldn't use it myself unless there were no other alternatives. IF you can still find good ones Id' return this and let Ecklers know you'll take your future business elsewhere.

Richard Cooper

qwank

I'd buy a used original before I'd use a Chinese one

vetternr

Personally I am sick and tired of paying shipping and freight both ways ( purchasing and returning ) on defective, incorrect, wrong color, wrong size, part only lasts two weeks, does not fit, etc. It's time for vendors to man up and share their responsibilites. When it's all said and done, it ends up costing two to three times as much as it would have if the part were correct the first time ( as ordered and paid for. UPS, FedEx, etc is getting filthy rich at our expense.

rafalc

Totally agree.... this isn't the first time. Granted, the reason I am going to return it is because its not USA made but still..... wish this information was disclosed ahead of time

javaman

The only Chinese parts I trust are spare ribs, fried rice and General Tso's chicken!

garym52

don't forget Kung Pao Beef........

7T1vette

Where you buy such parts is not important. Who made the part is VERY important. 'Hard' and 'working' parts need to be made of the correct grade of steel (or alum, as the case may be) and be properly heat treated for hardness and durability.

You can only have good assurance of quality and durable parts, if they have been manufactured by a reputable company. For those kinds of parts, I will only go to better brand name parts stores that sell 2 or 3 "grades" of parts...and stay away from the 'cheapos'. No "Dura-junk" for me.....

Arkyvette

Problem is that even the big names are going overseas...

bpassmore

I hate to mention it, but what do you think the % of the parts in our new cars and over the counter new parts are MADE in PRC. They sneaked in, in less than 20 years and we bought the boat.

rafalc

If it was anything else I wouldnt bother returning it but its the damn shock mount. Its enough of a pain in the *** to remove and reinstall the damn thing, I DO NOT want it going bad on me

7T1vette

Chinese auto parts manufacturers can make "junk"...or they can make "good quality" parts. It depends on who is designing and ordering the parts and who is marketing them.

If I were looking for MOOG parts, and found some that indicated they were made in China (doubt it...but it could happen), I wouldn't have near the concern, compared to purchasing something stuffed in a "Dura-junk" box coming from Mexico.

If you buy 'important' parts from a national parts store, and stay away from the least expensive parts, you will probably do OK with your purchase. I do agree that the better parts stores have had to include the cheapo, gypo overseas cr@p parts in their parts lists--in order to compete for business from customers who ONLY buy based on low-cost. Too bad....but that is the case.

oldgto

You really think that`s "chicken"?

68/70Vette

About 3 years ago I bought a set of repro rear shock mounts. They were inferior..basically they didn't fit, their diameter was too large...the story was that it was assumed corrosion problems would enlarge the hole in the spindle fork, so the repro's were made larger in diameter....At that time there were posts in the CF where people had brute force tried to fit these oversized mounts into the spindle forks and cracked the spindle fork. I started to buy good condition original shock mounts. Last year as an experiment, I bought made in the US shock mounts from Toms Differentials and...bingo... they fit like a glove. Maybe these good quality shock mounts that have "just" started to appear in the market are available from the other usual Vette vendors.

PS. These guys that cracked their spindle forks were in for a world of hurt. To replace the spindle fork assembly you have to undo the rear wheel bearings...and reinstall them. There's only a few people can competently do this themselves. $$$$$

Easy Mike

At the time you ordered the part, did you ask Eckler's where it came from?

rafalc

Did not cross my mind at the time. Ive ordered around $2k worth of parts in the last 10 months, all US made. Granted it was not from Ecklers but I guess I just got used to getting good parts.

rafalc

Hey, its funny that you mention this. Im starting to wonder if maybe I had those "oversized" shock mounts based on how difficult it was to get them in the forks:

Post # 105
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...project-6.html


BTW-just ordered the part from good old Paragon, they confirmed theirs are US made

jnb5101

Problem is that even the big names are going overseas...

i bought a GM Delco clutch-'Made In China'

BBCorv70

Funny you mention MOOG. Here's a link to an article which says you may not be getting what you think you are when buying some name brands.

http://www.duntovmotors.com/tech-caliper-seal.php

Sales talk? Maybe, but I've witnessed this first hand, attaching a respected name to a product designed and manufactured by another, a Chinese or other offshore manufacturer. All you're buying is the name. Unethincal IMO.