Who REALLY Makes the Parts

[Chasbod]

This has bugged me over the years.

When it comes to trim for our trucks, it seems that D.C. is the original manufacturer and companies like Mac's, LMC, Auto Krafters just market and resell. It appears we know who really makes the trim stuff.

For routine maintenance parts that you get over the counter at O'Reilley's, Autozone, Pep Boys, et al, do they all come from overseas? Any of them made better than the others? Does NAPA make their own stuff? Autoquest?

What about suspension and steering parts? O'Reilleys says they can get me Moog springs and steering parts. Are Moog parts really better than what you could buy at Auto Zone or Pep Boys?

I'm not in the business enough to know any better about what I'm buying for my green machine. For my late model vehicles, I just buy factory brand on the important stuff. But the older stuff....I might as well be using a Ouija Board.

[Big D's 69]

I work for Year One and we sell all sorts of parts. WE don't manufacture any of our parts but we do have the rights to some parts. Almost all shee metal is made overseas. I do believe that DC makes there own trim and some of there own parts. Lets just be glad that we have someone reproducing parts no matter who they come from. We sell to a lot of other big companies that resale our parts just like we buy from other companies and sell there parts. Good mark for instance is huge into sheetmetal and we resale there sheetmetal along with a few other companies.

[rjewkes]

Good news is that with brazil having good trade relations with 99% of the world And the 74-91 or even later f1000s they have use probably 90% or better of the same parts the overseas markets for the parts they need will still offer our parts as well.

[Sharkdance]

For routine maintenance parts that you get over the counter at O'Reilley's, Autozone, Pep Boys, et al, do they all come from overseas?

Pretty much, yea. Especialy ignition and rubber goods.
Even Reman parts where the cases might be 30+ years old are stuffed with imported parts.

Any of them made better than the others? Does NAPA make their own stuff? Autoquest?

NAPA buys and sells parts just like all the rest. They dont make anything. They buy and repackage;Then sell.

What about suspension and steering parts? O'Reilleys says they can get me Moog springs and steering parts. Are Moog parts really better than what you could buy at Auto Zone or Pep Boys?

Pep and NAPA you would probably get a Moog or TRW part on the box no matter what the box says. AZ Im not sure what you'd get.

For my late model vehicles, I just buy factory brand on the important stuff.

Ive been in parts most my life 24yrs. I remember before computers when you had to carry around an aluminum invoice binder, the kind you had to stick your pen in the end of to pull out the next hand written invoice.
I remember 5 different price sheets and two tier catalog racks.
Mine was always the one that everybody went to because it was the best kept up rack in the store. I was the guy that everyone went to to find the odd stuff.
I even remember back when you could smoke at the parts counter and the customer sat on a stool.
You had to be a Mechanic, a Detective, and just about an Engineer to be a good parts man back then.
Now you go into a parts store and the person you buy a part from reads from a computer screen and ask you questions like does your car have an automatic transmission when you ask em for a clutch. And thats if you can get any help at all.

Im at a dealership now and even the manufactuers dont make most the stuff they put on a car now-adays.

[Chasbod]

I guess in summary, it comes down to price, availability and convenience then. Thanks for all the feedback!

[Sharkdance]

I guess in summary, it comes down to price, availability and convenience then. Thanks for all the feedback!

As far as convenience the national chains are usualy around the corner. And would have most of what you need.
Get your filters, oil, wiper blades, & misc. stuff there. But dont expect them to know what a set of points are.
For price not all parts are created equal. You get what you pay for but at the same time more expensive isnt a better part either.
I guess its best summed up by saying stick with the known quality brands. But some folks may just not know what those are.

Short list of good name brand parts and brands to stay away from(IMO)

Gaskets: Fel-Pro or Victor / But stay away from ROL

Ignition: Standard or Echlin / But stay away from Wells
Inspect all components for cracks or moulding flaws. Much more common than you think.
Always choose brass inserts over aluminum for any electrical contact ignition parts. (Caps, Rotors, Etc.)

Suspension: Moog or TRW / But stay away from ??
Everything you get in this department will be imported. From Mexico Etc. And whats more is you got no way of telling the good stuff from the junk stuff because the differences are hidden. Id just buy Moog or NAPA.
Always choose brass bushing King Pin sets and stay away from nylon.

Bearings: BCA or Timkin / But stay away from ??
Again everything will be imported and differences are hidden. Spicer is widely known to make the best U-Joints and National or C/R (Chicago Rawhide) is know to make the best seals.

Brakes: Kinda dont matter here cuz most of those parts are gonna be Reman. So its up to you to open the box and inspect the quality of the labor on those parts.
Always choose rivetted shoes over bonded and never accept any hydraulic brake parts with worn out castings.

Others here should update/change or add to my my list

[mytmatt]

I would add that it pays to be very careful when buying parts at any of the national chain stores; always take the part you are replacing with you, even if there is no core charge. Usually the kid on the counter doesn't know anything about what he's selling, and he's going to give you what the computer says to give you, and won't know or care at all whether it's what you need. Look carefully to make sure it at least looks like what you removed.

That's one of the things I like about living where I do...there is a good parts store here, owned and operated by an old motorhead. He just keeps it open to support his Buick habit (has some nice GSs, an occasional GSX, 442s, etc) but he has forgotten more than I ever knew about anything mechanical, and doesn't mind helping a guy out. If I'm not careful when I go in there we'll swap hot rod stories all day long. The parts I get there cost a little more, but the expertise I get with them is priceless, and it's always good to do business locally if you can , especially in small towns.

Just my 2 cents.

Matt

['75-4x4guy]

My dad took a delivery of clay to a factory in Rhode Island last year , knowing that there was clay in the back of the truck my dad wanted to know what it was used for .

Belive it or not they used the clay to in one of the processes to make sparkplug wires - I am talking all spark plug wires- autolite,beldon,xact,accel-yes ACCEL, and that brand that autozone carrys .
So with that in mind price your plug wires accordingly. Back when my dad was my age and younger accel wires used to be the best , now they are a "mrgasket" product and while they are not junk they are not what they used to be .
Armed with that information I usually buy the cheep wires and haven't had a problem yet - just open the box at the store BEFORE you leave .
Some times they forget one

[xxxtina63]

I think it's one of those questions of "If you have to ask, you probably shouldn't". Most of the reman companies have either filed bankruptcy or moved their plants to other countries. With replacement body parts (metal), a lot of the times the OEM original blueprints with a list of dies are sold to the aftermarket company. The aftermarket, in the quest to save/make money, will combine two or more dies into one. Thus, if a hood on a car was originally made using a process of 17 different dies, the aftermarket one may only consist of 9 dies. Fitment will probably be comparable to OEM, but close inspection, especially on the inner bracing, will show a "lack of detail" or precision.

[Big D's 69]

Sheetmetal is especially bad. The car companies sell the dies to aftermarket vendors and they make parts well over time the dies get worn and it cost so much to repair or replace the dies they won't do it and just keep stamping parts. Over time the sharp edges and fitment really gets bad over the years. It sucks but it is just the hard facts of the aftermarket parts world. Just be glad that we have something to work with.

[Chasbod]

Wow! You guys just nail these issues! Just another awesome example of what makes this forum so Kick A$$!!!

[Big D's 69]

That is the good part of having people all over the place to come up with the answers and knowledge in different areas.

[binder56jd]

it's kinda like green beans-all canned in the same place- just labeled differently- same way with all types of rubber hose-in the mid 70's i worked at a hose factory in SW NE- we produced everything from small vacuum and washer/wiper hose up to metal braided high pressure lines- run a few 1000 ft then change the stamp and go again- jd