Print

[100+9]

The Real 'Non-hearsay' - Properly dangerous, new parts thread.

There’s hearsay evidence of truly dangerous new parts out there. Can we separate the hearsay, the hogwash and rumour? It would be a good idea to see the truth of this issue. Is this really a problem, if so how bad is it?

Posts about a rumour, and “I heard a bloke say”, not permitted. This thread for real properly dangerous new parts. New parts, properly fitted, you’ve seen with you own eyes that were dangerous by manufacture.

New parts only. This thread is not for fitment errors.

And what happened. I’ll kick-off…

1) Mintex Shoes: Rear 109 - Adjuster pins dropped-out. Rear 109 shoes.
I was brought to screeching-halt. No harm done, broadly because I tootling along. In a different situation, could have been rather nastier
2) Mintex Shoes: Rear 109 - No leading edges
I was able to doctor these with an angle-grinder to match existing. How many will have spotted this? There must be many a Defender out there with substandard rear drums. (same shoes).

Idi Admin, please delete all posts which do not detail proper life-threatening /injury "I saw this" issues

[scotty]

Hi  plus one for the faulty Mintex pads only this last weekend we investigated an issue with the brakes on the rear of my 88” and found one of the adjuster pins almost off  Paul

[100+9]

Pix one more time. In my case Mintex refused replacements under warranty. Photo evidence of my two issues (details here):

https://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/index.php/topic,1208.0.html

Mintex MGR58

[Bradfordseries2]

No pictures but I personally have experienced an aftermarket steering relay shaft shear off. Fortunately it happened turning into the drive at home so was low speed. I have also seen another bought from the same source do exactly the same, on a 2b 110fc. Mine was on a 2.25d 88".

[samuria]

  also had the same problems with the mintex adjuster pins.
they were loose and pull off with fingers 

[Robin]

No pictures but I personally have experienced an aftermarket steering relay shaft shear off. Fortunately it happened turning into the drive at home so was low speed. I have also seen another bought from the same source do exactly the same, on a 2b 110fc. Mine was on a 2.25d 88".

Do you still have the broken shaft?

Someone once asked me as he has access to metallurgy equipment and it would be interesting to see why it broke.

Robin.

[Moogling]

Do you still have the broken shaft?

Someone once asked me as he has access to metallurgy equipment and it would be interesting to see why it broke.

Robin.

I was at Britpart a few years ago, doing a workshop magazine article.  I brought up these having seen a few pictures of failed ones recently,   we then put a brand new relay in a vice and an 8 foot pole on the other end of the shaft.  It didn't fail, but that didn't put my mind to rest.

The problem with alot of Chinese stuff is you get what you pay for which can often mean all sorts of metallurgy issues, with only a percentage of a batch being in tolerance...

I'm sure, many of us, given the option of paying more for guaranteed kwality, we would.

[oddjob]

No pictures but I personally have experienced an aftermarket steering relay shaft shear off. Fortunately it happened turning into the drive at home so was low speed. I have also seen another bought from the same source do exactly the same, on a 2b 110fc. Mine was on a 2.25d 88".

Was it £60 inc delivery? 

That is a properly scary part to fail.

[Porkscratching]

After hearing these accounts over the years, I'd simply never use a steering relay that wasn't a proper old LR part, I'd rather even use an old knackered one than risk  it tbh...

[Wittsend]

 




RE the brake shoe pins:

Who fits shoes with loose pins
Who doesn't check the security of the pin(s) after all our bad experience posts
By this I mean a good leverage waggle ... and if they passed this check - did they still fail ?

Suppliers won't refund you
Take them to the small claims court.
It costs £25 to do it online (£35 by post).
You can claim all your out of pocket ex's and for the cost of a decent set of brake shoes made by the like of TRW.
I'm sure they won't contest it and offer some compo before it goes to court

Keep all your receipts and if you can photograph the repair/work done - process; so you can show it was done properly and by the book.

 

[Ferret1958uk]

Britpart master cylinder for a 1968 109 fitted whilst at a show in Kent.
The push rod was slightly longer than the original unit. This prevented it fully opening to release brake pressure. I was on a motorway when the brakes started to bind. Eventually stuck on the hard shoulder with brakes locked on until I cracked off the bleed nipples to release pressure. Then I could recover myself from the motorway.
This was at least 5 years ago as it was at War and Peace show at Folkestone.

[GlenAnderson]

Do you still have the broken shaft?

Someone once asked me as he has access to metallurgy equipment and it would be interesting to see why it broke.

Robin.

I have one here with a bent shaft. If you want I can try and find the time to strip it out and send it to you.

[Smokey 11a]

I'll add Steering relay, 2 to 3000 miles and so worn  failed bearings. Pulled it out at Kelmarsh, drove home ( wife's car) cut a used original one out of a cross member, fitted it Saturday morning and went off roading. Still in there doing sterling service

[riley1ton]

I have experience of Britpart LWB front shoes that refuse to bed in and simply will not stop. IE you cant physically press the pedal hard enough.

[100+9]

This thread has been running a while. Seems to me, whilst even one 'dangerous' part is too many, broadly it's not the chronic issue reports would have us believe.

Steering relay breakages can't be good. I suspect they've been braking at parking-speeds, and Mintex shoes? Well, they haven't hurt anyone... that we know about... yet.

And life is not risk-free.