Kamike

Im getting some new bottom arms for the ka today and then taking the rubbish rubber bushes out and replacing with poly bushes.

Pattern arms are £35 and the original parts are £62, as im replacing the bushes anyway I assume I should just get the cheaper arms. Is there any difference really or do I need to fork out for the original parts?

Thanks in advance

Paulzs

Iv used QH arms on my Fiesta with full poly kit and theres no differance when you lay the arms side by side.

KW-rscos

I believe there is a better coating on the original parts as well, when I took my escort ones off they were the original ford items and the arm itself was still black paint, i had to replace patterns after 2years and they had started to go rusty as the coating was flaking off.

foreigneRS

oe will almost always be better quality as they have to pass oe quality approval using salt spray tests etc whereas pattern can basically choose their own quality standards. does it matter though? i would say not for something like that

TrevCos

iTrader: (1)

The genuine parts are always better quality, at the end of the day you get what you pay for.

I've bought pattern parts for sports bikes too, and the difference is really noticable, although genuine bike parts are ridiculous prices.

Rick

Depends on what it is. The unipart bottom arms i used are chnukier than the OE and have lasted an age.

TrevCos

iTrader: (1)

Yes, true enough actually. It was a bit of a sweeping statement. Some aftermarket parts can be better than original so long as they're done for quality and not for cheapness.

robgooch

Wrong, pattern parts are manufactured to OE quality but maybe only meet the quality and not exceed it like genuine ones. I would say that if you are replacing the bushes anyway, you may as well get pattern part ones.

foreigneRS

why would oe ones exceed quality standards meaning that they cost more to the manufacturer than necessary? i worked for 12 years for a tier 1 supplier and things get built to the standard in my experience, not beyond it (although some customers have more stringent standards than others so common parts have to meet the toughest).