Meyle is in the same league as Febi. Some of their parts are good, others are iffy. Some are real OEM Made in Germany (like this obviously SGF-made Febi-boxed flex disc). But some of their parts are Made in China and of questionable kwality. Bottom line, you just won't know until you use the part, unless there is something visibly wrong like with the dimensionally-incorrect Uro fan bracket which started this post.

BTW - Uro, APA, and FEQ are all in the "junk" category. Febi and Meyle are better, IMO, but may or may not be OEM quality.

:stuart:

Thanks, I checked them with a run out dial gauge as well a micrometer to ensure thickness. All seems fine and I am do a slow break in period so all should be good. Again thanks for the input and apologies if I Hi-jacked this thread.
Alan

There is no such thing as a thread hijack when it comes to cheap parts.... only warnings!

Gerry, I had a look at your Verboten list, and was not surprised to find the name Beck-Arnley on it.

Back in the summer, I was changing the Timing Belt and Water Pump on my Miata (sorry guys :shame:).

While I was in buying a few non-essential items, the local part supplier suggested a big savings on the Water Pump by using a Beck-Arnley, which at the time I had no experience with.

I actually bought one, then compared it to a new OEM pump I bought at the dealer just in case I wasn't pleased with the quality at time of installation.

Episode 9- Reinstalling the Water Pump - YouTube

The above video shows just a couple of reasons why I chose the OEM....

And ultimately, saving $80 just didn't seem worth it in exchange for the peace of mind...

Testify times 4 for Mercedes, btw.

Beck-Arnley is another reboxer/relabeler, usually sold via NAPA and some online e-tailers. Some of their stuff is ok, other is junk. I think Jeremy bought a Beck-Arnley fan clutch and peeled off the label to find it was a Uro clutch!!! See attached photo.

It's much safer to stick with known good brands / manufacturers, since there is so much variability with the reboxers.

:nuke:

Eeeek! Double-jinx !!!

Pure fraud!!

Hmm
 

Emergency replacement of 300SD upper control arms for a friend.

He installed them new, three months ago.... :eek:

Four trips Detroit - Chicago. :confused:

The driver side upper ball joint came apart while I was jacking up the front end. :eek:

Both upper control arms where URO brand parts. :(

Another person who will never again buy a URO brand part. :D

.

Over at benzworld there is a member who's daughter was driving the car and called him to say there was something wrong....Ball joint snapped...I believe he said his were 1 year old.

It's not even a money factor, these parts could kill you or someone else on the road.

We need a public education campaign against these parts. I mean seriously, I don't understand how this company survives, and now they are bragging that they are a Mercedes OE supplier. The world really is coming to an end.

And to be honest, the re-boxers like Febi, Meyle and Beck-Arnley are only one jump better. One would think if a company puts their name on a box, they wouldn't be making their customers play Russian Roulette as to whether the part is actually of quality, or a re-labeled scrap part.

What do owners of Porsches, BMWs and Audis do? And American cars? Do they face these same problems?

+1... although there are people with even less sense than money, who will still put safety-related Uro items on their car.

Now imagine having a ball joint snap at 70mph on the freeway during rush hour.

:blink:

I saw two cases of such failure in the UK, one was a E500 W124 and the guy had just tapped his brakes to slow down for the exit on the motorway. The fender/bumper, door etc were badly damaged and the car was sliding sideways - Super sticky hot tires saved him I think.

The other was an unfortunate W201 whose joint broke while cresting a small hill type climb near Wembley Park Underground - the car tipped and was on its roof, the driver got out unmarked but his car was totalled.

The W124/201 front ball joint will let go of the suspension if they are not taken care of and not replaced in time with OE or OEM parts. I would never install Uro on such an important component the risk is too darn high.

PLEASE PLEASE don't buy URO brand.I bought sway bar end links and there shot in 9 months.I have to redo the job. Chinese just can't make good parts. Thats why they will lose supporting North Korea.

Ok everyone, I posted on this thread about 2 years ago, at the time I said that I had a Uro brand part, in particular a front flex disk that I put on my car 3/18/2011..... I recently re-examined the part and it is still in good shape. No cracking, no loosening of the screws, etc. and its been 2 years and about 43000 miles (I do a lot of driving.) I am in no way endorsing Uro brand products or trying to go against the masses here at the forum, I am simply making an unbiased observation through my personal experience as I said I would do 2 years ago.

OK
 

Thanks for the update. :)


.

I think that might be an all-time record for Uro flex discs. :o

I wonder if the Uro flex discs experience sudden failure, or if they provide some warning in the form of cracks / etc well before failure. The photo below is what has happened to multiple people with Uro flex discs. It's a brave soul who continues to drive their car knowing Uro flex discs are installed. Remember that a failure of the front flex disc often sets off the airbags, on cars so equipped...

:stuart:

Success in using a URO flex disk is akin to placing a fully loaded revolver to your head and pulling the trigger. There is always the remote chance you are the lucky one where the round does not go off.

For me, the potential consequences far out way the benefits of a marginal price difference.

The only part I use of Uro brand is the antenna mast, not a very safety critical part :D

speaking of which my car had a yoorow door weatherstrip - RR door, it leaked water and sounded funny - I helped it with RTV silicone and finally yanked one from the boneyard. Their weatherstripping is also terrible.

using a uro flex disc , No sir, I would rather walk.

I don't use Uro-anything on my cars. If I wanted chinese junk then I'd drive a vehicle of that type.

I could not have said this better, myself. Thank you.

But there are those here who do swear by, not at, Yurro parts.

I think that Dan realized that trying to convince people on this forum that the URO junk is worth buying is a waste of time. He hasn't posted since 2010.

There is nothing he can provide that can change experiences so I wouldn't waste my time either.

Talks cheap anyway.

I tried a URO antenna mast, twice:(, within a two week time frame. The toothed shaft separated from the antenna during the first installation as it was being sucked in. Had to spend time to open and remove. Supplier replaced, second did the same. OEM Hirshman now resides there. Need to do the differential mounts in my 87 (238000 miles). OEM lasted how long? That's what is going back in there.

For proper fitting and reliability, I just went ahead and bought the OE part.

The Febi version was my first choice but the part was out of stock.

I recently went to see a w124 E320 that a freind told me about - I talked to the guy and he says that he orders from the internet and gets a local shop to do his work - this local shop was a general shop not MB shop. I asked to look at the parts invoices/reciepts and lo and behold 80% of all parts were URO..

I passed.. He couldnt fathom why I was letting it pass as he put a lot of work in it and usually sells these cars after redoing this - I tried to explain him the URO plague - it couldnt get through.

I also found that he had changed the front brakes to 300E brakes with floating calipers - his explanation was that the new control arms required the older brakes.

NO SIR, that car is fit for scrap.

If the car runs, why is fit for scrap?

A car is the sum-total of its parts. If the parts are junk, the car is junk.

What a waste. Indeed, there are those who feel that Yurro is as good as OE, and one cannot reason with them. I don't fault the owners so much, in today's economy people want to save a buck, and Yurro fits that bill nicely in our "good enough" world.

I have the biggest problem with SHOP OWNERS who knowingly foist this parts-drivel on their unsuspecting customers, yet charge them factory (or moderately discounted) prices for it, in the interest of maximizing THEIR profits. In the case of Yurro flex discs, and perhaps other parts, it's actually a safety hazard for customers.

I don't hold the owners blameless, Gerry.

As much as I try to avoid mechanics who knowingly use inferior methods and parts, I do think the problem starts with owners who are so interested in saving a buck that they are willing to look the other way when Mechanic 'A' says he can do the job for 50% less than Mechanic 'B'. It leaves the mechanic in a difficult position, and it takes strong character to resist the temptation to use cheaper parts in order to compete. Finding mechanics with that kind of character isn't easy, but it's doable.

Ultimately, we, as consumers, are responsible for the most part for what we get back from our mechanics, indeed all of our service people.

If we opt for the cheaper estimate, without asking why, without insisting on the use of parts that meet the standard intended by the original designer, then, what we get back is what we deserve. IMHO, as consumers we place far too much importance on lowest price, and not nearly enough on value. But, then again, value is subjective, and everybody gets to decide on their own where they draw the line. But I don't have a lot of sympathy for consumers that demand the lowest price, then complain about poor quality.

My $0.02.

OMG... he didn't want to shell out for the proper (late style) control arms, so he downgraded to smaller brakes with the old style control arms? That's a special kind of stupid.

:shutup:

my reaction to him was a mix of - BOY YOU JUST WENT FULL ****ARD and a mix of "this act is not your average stupid - this is advanced stupid".

He was kind of proud of explaining that his old style control arms and hubs which he scored from the Jyard and promptly refinished with URO B/J and Bushings was a very smart move as he can now replace just the joint. It took me quite a while to get it through that URO joints and bushings are good for about 2 weeks.

Egads. I kinda understand why some people like replacable ball joints, but it's not worth sacrificing safety by downgrading to smaller/weaker brakes.

Installing URO BJ's and bushings is icing on the cake. I'm at a loss for words on this one.

:hang:

True - I know a guy who I use sometimes for stuff when my hand/arm is suffering (carpal Im told), I see customers rolling in and wanting the lowest buck payment regardless of quality. e.g. this guy prefers to use NAPA suspension parts for average cars because they are pretty good built. Customers dont want to hear or know anything about any build quality etc, they just want the lowest possible bill no matter if they have to foot it twice in a year.

most such customers usually are the first to hand over the keys to him and taxi to the KIA store and buy an installment loan car.

loss of words - I can get you.

English is not my first language and I have to really think then speak English - but you cant tell if you talk to me, anyway - I was at actual loss of words at the whole car, seems as if everything he chose was either hamburg technik, uro or something similar. - shudder..

What is wrong with 300 E brakes? They work just fine on 300 E? Why is larger better? We aren't talking putting brakes of 1950's 190 onto S 600 with teenager at wheel.

Why need "original quality" ball joints that will last 200 000 miles when the car is only going to last maybe 25 000 before collapsing into dust?

You have to admit though that that is just hyperbolic BS. If you had the car today you wouldn't send it to Pick N Pull, you'd just drive it, and if ball joint needed replacing again, then consider replacing...

That's the point ... I **wouldn't** have such a car today, or ever. I don't believe in driving cars that use unsafe parts that make me and the car a hazard on the road to myself/loved ones, not to mention other innocent people.

Knowingly using unsafe/inferior ball joint or flex-disc replacement parts IMHO is willful negligence of both a vehicle and potentially, safety. It's Russian Roulette.

You are welcome to own and drive such a car yourself. I choose to maintain my vehicles to a higher standard than you do, I guess.

MB sized brakes by engine power rating. 300E brakes were meant for the 177hp M103 engine. The 1993-1995 300E and E320 had a ~220hp M104 engine and they added larger brakes. MB was never known for having oversized brakes in the first place, if anything they are marginal to begin with, and going SMALLER is a really bad idea.



You're going to be lucky to get 250 miles out of Uro ball joints, and when they fail, you better hope nobody is injured or killed.



I wouldn't. I don't drive cars with safety issues. Far too much risk and liability. Apparently other people have no qualms with this. I hope they stay far away from my vehicles.

Correction: It's Russian Roulette with five out of six chambers loaded.

:shutup:

A google search on URO quality is always a prelude to a stretch of fun & entertaining reading....