Author Topic: Front end rebuild - parts supply  (Read 3224 times)

GGR

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Front end rebuild - parts supply
« on: January 19, 2017, 02:44:06 »
Hi all,

I note a big difference in price between MB and alternative sources for parts like king pins, eccentric bolt kit and trunion / steering link pin kit. One alternative brand to MB is Febi-Bilstein.

A discussion here puts Bilstein as a good source while Febi as merely a repackaging brand:

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1919&s=46d9c02f3c1604b8264a27957399a43c

This was in 2011, and I now see many parts advertised as Febi-Bilstein.

Any experience with these alternative parts in terms of quality and durability for the front end?

Thanks!   

mbpaul

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Re: Front end rebuild - parts supply
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2017, 03:29:34 »
It gets a little confusing.  Bilstein shock absorbers are a part of ThyssenKrupp Technologies AG, one of the huge companies in Germany and the world.  Bilstein shocks are usually considered to be one of the best.

Febi-Bilstein is an old German company but completely unrelated to the Bilstein shock absorber business.  They use parts from everywhere, some good, some bad, some not too bad.

But sometimes, things change and it can be confusing.  Looking at the website you posted, it lists TRW brands as a sometimes good, sometimes bad maker of MB parts.  Since 2011 when this was posted, the TRW auto parts brand has been purchased by ZF and ZF is one of the more respected German companies.  A couple of years ago, I bought front end parts from the MB Classic Center and they had TRW marking on them.

I guess you almost have to check on the latest to know what to buy and what not to buy.  Except maybe URO.  I never heard anyone recommend URO!

I find the Classic Center to be the most reliable supplier of MB parts.  And sometimes they are not as high as most people think.

mbpaul

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Re: Front end rebuild - parts supply
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2017, 03:42:51 »
Finally found it.  At an Audi forum, somebody posted pictures of a Febi-Bilstein part with the box saying "Made In China" but with the part itself having "Germany" stamped on it and no mention of China.  The box also says "We produce quality".

http://www.audiworld.com/forums/audi-100-a6-c4-platform-24/so-whats-wrong-picture-chinese-febi-bilstein-2147582/

So, you really have to be careful.

66andBlue

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Re: Front end rebuild - parts supply
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2017, 05:36:04 »
It gets a little confusing.  Bilstein shock absorbers are a part of ThyssenKrupp Technologies AG, one of the huge companies in Germany and the world.  Bilstein shocks are usually considered to be one of the best.  ...

....and what not to buy.  Except maybe URO.  I never heard anyone recommend URO!

Bilstein shocks for the US market are made in Hamilton, OH:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYJovKpBjkE

Perhaps I should shout louder so Paul can hear me.  :D
While I do not use any Uro parts that touch glass I have not had troubles using the seals at other locations. When people complain about leaking seals it is frequently caused by using the wrong glue. The current seals are no longer "rubber" but EPDM and one needs to use a weatherstrip glue for EPDM such as 3M 08011: http://3mcollision.com/3m-weatherstrip-adhesive-08011-black.html

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=14415
Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)