Frustrated.

Roughly 1.5 year on new W123 Febi upper control arms.

Failed at roughly 7,500 miles.

The ball joints where slopping enough (MM) to rattle when removed from the car.


.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

More on the W124 late LCA issue:

Late LCAs: OE vs TRW

Late W124 front control arm: OE vs TRW aftermarket - YouTube

__________________
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

NEEEEEED VERDICT on Febi.

^Febi is ****.

Put the sway bar bushings on on Sunday, only because I had them laying around.

Failed, both sides, less than 100 miles. Can't believe it.

I have a strut tower mount still in box. It's going right in the trash.

100 miles! Wow! That's got to be a new record -- even beats Yurro !!

Send the mount to me, I have a broken parts car that needs one...


.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

Crap I just ordered febi sway bar bushings....assumed they would be a bit better then uro.....of well will see I suppose....

__________________

^Here's what you can expect...

E320 suspension noise - YouTube

I've got Febi ball joints fitted to my original W201 LCAs - I've just got hold of some Mercedes boxed ball joints and they've turned out to be TRW

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I've just bought some MOOG front sway bar bushings for my W201 - I'll let you know how they get on. They were slightly more expensive than Febi here.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Thanks....it will be interesting to know what I get in the mail......I bought them from the UK....said febi but made in Germany....

__________________

just out of curiosity, you're talking about the bushings up in the engine compartment that hold the bar to the body right? not the bushings that hold the bar to the UCA? how did they fail? i just put some meyle sway bar bushings on (made in china) and am wondering what failures to look for

__________________
1981 NA 300D 310k miles

OK explain this too me? Febi is suppose to be Chinese junk, but I just got my sway bar bushing....they look very well made and they are stamped febi Germany......so some explain please?????

__________________

Nobody said FEBI is ALWAYS Chinese Junk. I've seen TRW stuff in Febi boxes, and that certainly isn't Chinese junk.

What FEBI is, is Russian Roulette. Meaning one month you may get a German part in a red FEBI box, and the next month you may get a Chinese Junk part.

It appears that you MAY have won this round of the FEBI Russian Roulette. As I explained elsewhere, it used to be that FEBI Russian Roulette would have 1-2 rounds in the chamber. Over the past few years, this has increased to 4+ rounds in the chamber.

You appear to have lucked out and received one of the 2 chambers without a round in it. Congratulations. The next time you MAY not be so lucky.

Remember ... FEBI is NOT a manufacturer of parts. FEBI is a REBOXER of other manufacturers' parts. They can come from anywhere.

Cheers,
Gerry

Having the word "Germany" stamped on a part DOES NOT MEAN it was made in Germany. I'll never understand why people think that. It's the label on the package that will state where the part was made. The word "Germany" somewhere on the label is irrelevant unless it follows the words "Made in". As seen below.