5 replies to this topic

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FAM3968 Rubber Spring – Foreign manufactured copies.



This is an urgent bulletin that should be seen and passed on to everybody that has purchased non-genuine standard Rover rubber springs (FAM3968 equivalent) and special-rated versions (C-STR687 & C-STR688) that are not manufactured by Mini Spares Centre, Potters Bar.

I was presented with a pair of these foreign manufacture springs for testing prior to stock purchase by Mini Spares Centre. I fitted them to my partner's car to carry out the test, fitting them to the front as this is the most arduous installation. The ride height was set and geometry re-set. Within a week (a mere 162 miles) the ride height had dropped by an inch and a quarter. After a further week the ride height had dropped by just over two inches. The spring had collapsed into uselessness, the centre metal piece with the compressor tool thread in it was sitting against the subframe tower top – so the only suspension on the front of the car was the tyres. This situation is extremely dangerous – particularly in the wet. With no suspension, aquaplaning is more of a certainty than a possibility and will undoubtedly lead to dire circumstances – at best severely crumpling your pride and joy, at worst a life-threatening situation with possible fatal injuries.

The reason these springs are failing is that the company/companies that have produced them simply do not understand the complexity and requirement of the base materials used.

It is with this test and the foregoing in mind that I strongly advise all those that have bought and fitted these springs to their cars that you replace them with immediate effect. Either take them back to the vendor you purchased them from for a full refund or get them to replace them with genuine ones which have the words Dunlop and Moulton moulded in the rubber part with respective patent numbers. The genuine type can be purchased from any responsible mini specialist but the up- rated type are only available from MSC.

Feel free to print this off and show them the results if they are in doubt.

Attached Files

•  Indian_Spring_Collapse_03.jpg   69.86K   44 downloads
•  Indian_Soring_Collapse_00.jpg   66.97K   35 downloads
•  Indian_Spring_collapse_04.jpg   53.1K   26 downloads
•  Indian_Spring_Collapse_06.jpg   51.35K   31 downloads

[minimadjonesy]

Cheers Simon!

That's a joke! no way should it be like that after that amount of time! Thanks for the warning. I do use genuine parts for my cars but some people may hav bought these to save a bit of money! A good graphical description of why you shouldn't take risks!

[Jammy]

Have pinned this topic for you.

Just to make clear these are foreign imports and not rubber cones that can be purchased from MiniSpares? Where would people have bought them from?

[Billy]

well the old saying you get what you pay for fits these perfectly

unfortunatly I brought a set of cheap cones a couple of years ago and had a similar experiance rubbish parts at cheapo prices

[Xiao_Bin]

So how to make sure the cones are genuine when you order on the net?

what is the average price for genuine cones?

[[email protected]]

So how to make sure the cones are genuine when you order on the net?

what is the average price for genuine cones?

Thanks Jammy. Be worth e-mailing any supplier for the source before purchasing them.