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No matter how experienced you might be, you can be reassured that help is at hand but what exactly? Rob Marshall looks at the support available for your chassis-related repairs.
While our crumbling road network is turning many steering and suspension components into consumable service items, at least renewing many of them is relatively straightforward. In many cases, the relative simplicity of replacement can mask the considerable engineering that lies behind these new parts, let alone the talents of the OEM engineers who designed the whole system in the first place.
Right first time and on time...
No matter how adept you might be at exceeding your customers’ expectations for getting their vehicles repaired and returned to them in record time, it is easy not to appreciate that identifying the correct part and getting it to your ramp swiftly is no mean feat.
All companies we contacted for advice appreciate the considerable frustration of returning an incorrect part, followed by the inconvenience of waiting for the right one. They all justify their stance by placing strong emphasis on the accuracy and reliability of their parts’ technical data, as underscored by the majority of them being TecDoc Premier Data Suppliers. In addition, Comline highlights that it supplies data to AutoCat, which, along with TecDoc, is an easy-to-use and accurate VRM-based platform.
Some aftermarket providers have designed their own catalogues. Take the bilstein group, home of the febi brand, as an example. Its Partsfinder site allows garages to look up components not only by VRMs but also free text, OE/competitor references and engine code fields. The firm highlights the full application data facility for each part, allowing one to confirm whether it is applicable for different transmissions, fuel types, and model variants. It also highlights additional requirements, such as whether ADAS calibration is required, which is relevant when the same part is used across different model variants. Corresponding parts (left/right or front/ rear) are also listed and, should the product comprise a kit of parts, such as strut top mountings, or anti-roll bar bushes, itemisation of the included components is provided. All of this information confirms that you have all the required parts and information to complete the repair.
Different suppliers have also identified different needs and have reacted accordingly. KYB reports that its high- resolution, 360-degree image sets for each part provide an extra level of clarity, making the correct part more likely to be identified. DRiV agrees and underlines the importance of its MOOG 3D schematics (available through the Garage Guru’s website www.garagegurus.tech/en-gb/, as vital not just to help technicians confirm compatibility but also assembly layouts and repair procedures. Garage Gurus is also multilingual, as is the comprehensive catalogue from air suspension experts, Arnott.
The human touch...
Despite these considerable digital resources, it remains reassuring that somebody is available to speak with – and not just a chat bot. Garage Gurus provides this service through an on-call helpline via e-mail (support@ gurusoncall.tech) and telephone service (+34 911 08 54 08). Comma and KYB emphasise their UK-based support team, equipped to assist with complex vehicle applications and product selection queries. Arnott, too, has invested in a customer service team (multilingual, of course), available on telephone and e-mail, who can address not just applications checks but also more technical queries. The firm’s direct distributor customers also benefit from advice on stocking and market trends to support rapid and reliable delivery to workshops. Comline has placed extra effort into ensuring that technical enquiries are answered quickly, by allowing customers access to a business line team, in situations where its customer services cannot assist.
Better than OE...
While we praise OEM designers, the fact remains that no suspension system is perfect. Some parts wear faster than others, prompting some enterprising companies to engineer their products to address OE deficiencies. It is worth becoming familiar with these common wear parts, because they offer you the chance to upsell products, while increasing your profit per invoice and offering your customer superior value.
Yet, how do you know? All companies we contacted highlight the benefits of attending trade shows, because they are a primary way that they highlight the benefits of these parts. Comline produces technical bulletins, which are reported in the trade press (including the magazine) and uploaded to the company’s social media channels.
The bilstein group also shares this information through its technical marketing channels and highlights its ‘Protips’ and its within its email newsletter updates: www.febi.com/info/ newsletter-subscription. The Problem Solver highlights where MOOG has refined OEM products, by either redesigning, or using superior materials to make them last longer. A typical example of this is higher-grade used for certain wishbone arm bodies and ball joints.
Perhaps the biggest area of vehicle chassis components that are reengineered by the aftermarket is air suspension and it is unsurprising that Arnott is very active in this area. Technicians should consider, therefore, that the replacement part may look very different to the original but this is intentional, because Arnott assesses and upgrades not just the materials but also the design. In some cases, this is to the technician’s benefit. For instance, the designed rear air spring for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211/ S211) and CLS-Class (C219) models integrates the OEM air reservoir within the air spring itself, eliminating the need to drop the entire subframe to access the separate reservoir’s bolts. This redesign alone saves up to seven hours of labour time but results in a part that looks completely different to the original. This is why technicians, who work on air suspension regularly, should strive to keep abreast of such updates. You can do this, by consulting Arnott’s online product pages, social media channels, and its training initiatives, including the recently launched Arnott Air Suspension Academy.
Installation Assistance...
Many other quality providers provide training, too. Meyle, for instance, conducts dedicated suspension and steering training not only to help you boost efficiency but also to address common technical challenges. The content includes an in-depth look at car suspension systems and how they differ, which problems occur, troubleshooting, how and why damage occurs, the relevance of alignment, plus how to upsell Meyle’s uprated HD parts. You can also look at some of the content on Meyle TV’s multilingual YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/MEYLETV.
Yet, even well-trained technicians can come unstuck. To prevent this, it is wise to gen-up on any fitting instructions that are provided. Many firms provide both physical and digital resources to help you. As an example, KYB claims that its digital and physical resources support technicians and reduce the risk of assembly errors. These are brought together in the KYB Suspension Solutions App. KYB highlights its fitting video library, which focusses on step-by-step installation procedures of applications that aftermarket professionals have reported as being somewhat troublesome.
Grouping part ranges together simplifies the ordering process and ensures that everything is provided.
Both Meyle and febi do this, the latter through its ‘Prokits’ range. The Prokit anti-roll bar kit, for instance, includes not just the bolts and brackets but also the bushes and stabilisers. Meyle also offers component kits that reduce installation time. Its slotted bushing bearing kits comprise the bush pre-compressed within its installation sleeve, which negates the need for complex workshop equipment. MOOG also offers pre- assembled kits that comprise multiple wearable parts. A typical example is the wishbone arm, which includes the normally separate ball joints for certain vehicles.
Special tools...
Naturally, generic suspension tools should be in the typical technician's toolkit, such as ball joint splitters. Yet, dedicated tools are required for certain tasks and some firms help you with this. Meyle points out that it develops repair kits, where components and tools are bundled together. This, Meyle reasons, eliminates the need for separate procurement and guarantees that the tool is designed for the application.
As air suspension is even more specialised and many technicians are unlikely to possess them already, Arnott supplies the required tools in the box. Yet, it emphasises the need for official OE diagnostic tools and software to ensure accurate system checks, proper calibration, and the correct setup of electronic suspension systems post installation. An interesting point is that, while many parts companies provide fitting kits, Arnot provides removal kits for especially challenging applications.
Despite remaining bread-and-butter for many aftermarket workshops, it is worth relying on quality brands for your components. This is not just to ensure at least OE quality levels, but also for the backup that they provide.
