Would you accept "new" parts that look like this?

marked8

marked8

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This is a continuation of another thread. This is what my "new" Arnott control arms look like at the ball joints:

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There is surface rust in other areas forming as well as some scratches that lead me to believe they were on someone else's car and returned. Also, the boots are starting to disintegrate and are seperating from the top of the ball joint on both. Arnott claims that they got that way by sitting on a shelf in a non air conditioned warehouse, but why were they out of the factory box and in a plain brown cardboard box? They have said they will take them back, and I will be sending them back ASAP. The rep claims that I am the first to complain about them looking like this, but I find that hard to believe.
 
this is sad. looks awful.
i was uneducated when i bought SCP parts. after being on here awhile, won't happen again..
 
Ya know, we say DO NOT BUY FROM ARRNOTT for a reason, now you suffer the consequences of not listening

But from the pics there only appears to be slight surface rust, which is normal. If the ball doesn't move sloppy in the socket, use them. The boot rings look ok, and I can't see any cracks in the boots. I would toss them on and ride until they make noise, then throw them in the garbage and buy TRWs
 
Dude, slide those grease boots off and get me another pic please

I deal with these parts every MoFo day
 
Im with sapper on this one. They dont look previously installed to me, just surface rust from sitting. Dont quote me on this because I may be wrong, but I thought the TRWs had clear boots like that. Do the arms have TRW stamped on them anywhere? What you are also most likely seeing inside the boot is actually grease.
 
Yes, most companies use a brownish grease to keep the ball and socket from rusting on the shelf, in order to keep the entire thing from rusting on a shelf it would be coated with cosmalene..and since they are PCed that's not neccessary.
 
I would have to agree also with Sapper, those look as if they were old stock sitting along while on the shelf. Arnott's warehouse personel probably never heard of the term "rotate the stock" as this is a good indication of that. New to the back and old forward.

Do they have a grease zerk on the bottom? If not or even if they did, need to repack them by grease gun or take the boot off and repack them.

If you are that worried, then I would shoot these same pics to Arnott's on the web and let them say return and at their cost to get you newer ones.

Poor quality control if you ask me.
 
Just got my control arms in the mail from arrnott they came
In plastic bags and the bare steel looks like chrome and these
are the only things I would buy from them.
 
I guess it depends on how soon you want/need to install the part vs how pretty you want the uca to be..
I personally don't stop and shove my head in my wheel well every other day, but when I do, I have a degreaser bottle and a rag with me, and I check all joints about once a month alongside listening to what's going on with my car when I drive it
 
Yeah they just look like they been sittin for a bit. Those dont show any signs of being installed before.
 
Not only is there rust, there was dirt on them in places. The ball joints do not move at all.
No TRW stamp, no grease fittings. I have searched and have seen that others have complained about similar things with different parts.
 
marked8 said:
Would you risk an install with them, or send them back?
Click to expand...
If the ball joints are still firm in their sockets then yes. I wouldnt have bought them in the first place though. SCP tought me my lesson. Next time it will be TRWs from the parts store.
 
Those look exactly like the ones I received and will be returning tomorrow.

Actually, the ball joints on mine are not just firm in the sockets, they won't move, I can't get them to budge at all. They are definitely going back, and I'm not too keen on the 20% "restocking" fee. I wouldn't mind that much if the ball joints weren't frozen solid.
 
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Looks like they might have been sitting on a slow boat from China to me, and exposed to the salt air somehow in the process.
 
The ball joint should be very stiff when new
They shouldn't be easy to move. there is over
500lbs on each from corner of the car. There
Control arms work great and Jamie has used
Them many more times than me.
 
Send them back.

You get what you pay for.
Don't cheap out on suspension parts.

The money your saving now will bite you in the ass later.
A 20% restock fee is a cheap way to learn a lesson.

Follow MediumD example.
He is smart sending this crap back.

Get the good stuff.
 
UCAs

I am sending mine back and there wont be a restock fee.One of the control arms was bent and would not even fit in the mount area.Seems that all you will get out of these people is crap.Had my Marks alignment done today,all four wheels,Drives like a new one now.I have a rattle up front and you can guess what that is.Those damn swaybar links.Now to get the hood finished.
 
GMAN said:
You guys know that all the chassis parts are manufactured in China. Even TRW. Most likely the the same company.

Link
Click to expand...
That article says the 300C parts are being made there, not the rest of their stuff.
 
To qoute the great Bender "I can guarentee you anything." :lol:
 
I wouldn't worry so much were they are made, but how they are made.
These look like chit to me.
 
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