Thread: Safety Alert

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For those who buy from these type of low-quality suppliers, this is a safety alert from the government in New Zeland that was posted on another forum. These low quality parts are sold by an outfit here in the USA.

LVVTA Aftermarket Steering Column Safety Alert

It may kill you but you did save a buck.

Originally Posted by robot

It may kill you but you did save a buck.

Problem is there are those among us that are "ONLY" thinking about the almighty dollar & nothing else.
Glad you posted this because it makes us aware of who NOT to buy from even more....joe

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just another reason to search for oem instead of dialing 1-800-streetrod. i am sick of the junk being pawned off on us by the industry .

The hot rod hobby here in the USA has enjoyed a state of relative freedom from overwhelming Federal regulations for years. SEMA has done a good job in promoting a self policing and the establishment of standards.....so we dont have to buy stuff with some Federal bureau involved (and the added cost). When these junk dealers peddle their trash, it is a ticking bomb...someone will have an accident, the press will enlarge the story, and the government will step in to save the day....and we will pay. The question is how we can get the trash off the market without involving a bunch of cost-adding rules and taxes? Will the low-buck buyers still buy stuff if they know it is dangerous?

There are so many good OEM units in the boneyards that unless you want the "bling" or the old tried and true "Mine is a so and so", that one doesn't need to look any farther

Robot, the short answer is yes.

Just search eBay, rat rod, and see the garbage some people cobble together.

Compound the isse with different standards of safety.

What is safe? 15 mph.crash test? 5 mph?
How many of you run your rod into a wall to check the work?
Use OEM standards as benchmark?
How many cars have been deliberately manufactured with known safety issues, all for the bottom line?
How many rods are being built deliberately with decades - old brake and suspension technology, is that safe? Or even using antique parts, how often does an old spring get magnafluxed before it is returned to the street after fifty years of sitting in a scrap pile?

Hey, if I struck a nerve, It's ok. My point is to make you think, and if it raised your dander, then your'e thinking, mission accomplished.

The short answer is yes, if the parts are out there, then ignorance and avarice will see them used.

And how many good aftermarket manufacturers get their name sullied because of "all those" aftermarket shops must make junk right?

A quote from the link Robot provided,

"manufactured in China, and employ sub-standard components and manufacturing processes within the tilt mechanism"

For me, that pretty much says it all!!! First it was trinkets and junk for the car, harmless and worthless stuff, then engine parts, brake, suspension, and chassis components. Now a lot of the import stuff is a knockoff of an American made product, and as the article in the link points out a lot of these parts come packaged in a way to look like the parts are US made. I'm a bit fussy I guess, if it's not made in the US and is intended for use on my car I probably don't need it, regardless of all the huge savings up front.

What I do find surprising is that there are so many flag waving "look at me, I'm a Patriot" companies peddling some of this Chinese (and other countries)made products. They line their shelves with these impostor parts and try to tell us customers that the parts are "just like" or "just as good as" the real deal made in the US parts... Unfortunately, on a lot of our household electronics we don't have much of a choice finding a US made item, but then a Chinese made computer isn't going to fall apart and grenade my engine or endanger my life or the lives of others.... I dunno, maybe it's just our payback for exporting so many manufacturing jobs??? I'm just as eager as the next guy to save a buck or three, but you have to draw the line someplace.

The Chinese invasion is different than the Japanese wave that hit us a generation ago. The Japanese "junk" was easy to spot since it APPEARED inferior. The low quality of the fit, finish, material made it easier to make a choice. And, in time, the Japanese (to their credit) upped their quality and now make nice stuff typically. The Chinese are adept at making stuff APPEAR decent quality but they are inferior in the operation.....that hammer is good looking but it breaks easily because it is made from poorly manufactured steel.....the Chinese can make a fake Rolex that will fool you in a hotel lobby but it will not run worth a darn. We did it, we started buying cheap with total disregard for quality....we got cheap.

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

There are so many good OEM units in the boneyards

Back in the late 80's I put together a 40 Chevy 4 door sedan.
The ONLY things new on the car were the brake lines and fluids in the motor/trans.
Everything else was from the BoneYard, craigslist or freebies.
We drove it like that for years until I tore it all down and threw all new parts in it.
Even w/new parts it really didn't drive any better then the BoneYard parts did.
As long as you have inspected the old or used parts and they are safe why not use it.
At least I know they worked trouble free for X amount of miles/years unlike one on the shelf...joe

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