Reinforced CV’s from Engage4x4

[henk]

As parts from the UK will be now more expensive for us due to import taxes, I looked at an alternative for Ashcroft cv’s and found a German company that can be found here: Engage4x4.com (Home/Catalog/Defender Accessories/Defender Drivetrain/CV joint kit Defender)

They make cv’s but no much details on the web. They claim strenght to be between RM 1350-1400mm2 but I have no clue how this compares to the Ashcroft ones. Material is 41CrV4 & S155

Anybody here who knows them?

 

[Escape]

Because of the last minute trade deal, there shouldn't be any import taxes. I haven't seen any indication, though I have had 2 shippers charge extra for customs paperwork etc.

The main selling point for Ashcroft is the known quality. I also don't see any prices on the website you posted (just had a quick look), it would have to be considerably cheaper for me to even consider.

But it never hurts to have some competition in the market. 🙂

Filip

[Bowie69]

Yep, shouldn't be any duties.

[Snagger]

The problem at the moment is exporters working out the new rules and paperwork, with some new costs.  There shouldn’t be any tariffs, but some exporters are having problems with the transition.  So, if you can wait a month or two, things should settle down.  A lot of fuss is being made in the UK media about a Dutch online bicycle parts supplier refusing to ship to the UK because they haven’t looked at the new export regulations and are claiming it’ll be too expensive to process the export, and I can sort of see their point in that reading all the legislation would be time consuming and could detract from dealing with other customers if they only ship to the EU, are a small outfit and are very busy, but since the regs for UK companies to export to the EU are identical to those to export around the rest of the world, it shouldn’t be an issue for UK companies who already ship globally.  The question is, are Ashcroft a company who ships directly, or do they rely on other companies to handle their exporting process?

There can be tariffs for goods exported that have components or ingredients from overseas.  This is causing problems in Ireland for the food industry as they import so much flour from the UK,  of which much is made from Canadian wheat.  Similar tariffs are being added to other UK products that have components from the EU, which is pretty self-defeating as it’ll hamper the EU businesses supplying the UK manufacturers.  I presume the same is true of EU manufacturers using UK components.  

So, if the Ashcroft items have non-UK manufactured parts, there may be some additional costs to EU customers.

[Bowie69]

If they are having problems, it can't all be laid at the deal's feet, they have known what paperwork would be required for months, so any lack of preparedness is on their part.

[Snagger]

42 minutes ago, Bowie69 said:

If they are having problems, it can't all be laid at the deal's feet, they have known what paperwork would be required for months, so any lack of preparedness is on their part.

Yep, the nature of the documentation hasn’t changed, just EU imports and exports are now subject to it.  You’d think the big exporters, like the Scottish fish industry, would have read up on the various options that may occur, including non-EU export requirements, to be prepared.  But it’s easier to blame Westminster.  For all that, Westminster should have stopped negotiating on the original deadline to give smaller businesses with less admin staff and less export experience time to study...

[simonr]

I agree that it would have been a good idea to examine what options may occur - but there were quite a lot!  The Government was telling businesses to prepare - but there was very little information available about even what was likely.

The current confusion will of course settle down once everybody accepts that this is the future.  I do get the impression though that Customs on both sides are being extra cautious at the moment with goods to & from the EU, compared to the rest of the world.  The paperwork has to be absolutely spot on!

Last week, I sent a parcel to Poland - and it was returned (I'm guessing by UK Customs) because I had not put a Product Code on the documentation.  The parcel contained a used, 30 year old 3 Phase Transformer - which never had a product ID.  I've refunded the buyer and just accepted that I have to pay the shipping both ways (more than the Transformer sold for). 

I've shipped a lot of parcels all over the world & thought I had a handle on the paperwork that was likely for Europe - but it seems not so much.  The deal / legislation deals with some specific goods & industries - but there are some that don't quite fit.  Then, which part of the deal it falls under is a subjective choice.  Looking at WTO Tarrifs (just as an example), there are thousands upon thousands of entries for different types & sub-types of goods & services.  It will innevitably take some time for the UK & EU to have a definitive list like that.

While there are no Tarrifs on most (not all) goods, we do still have to pay Duty and VAT though the VAT should have been deducted at source.  The sting in the tail is the couriers 'handling fee' (partly for dealing with some of the paperwork, partly for pre-paying duty) which, often times is higher than the Duty & VAT. 

As I say, it will all settle down and we just have to wait.  I can appreciate that businesses selling stuff where it is not obvious how it fits within the deal, may choose to avoid sending until then as any slight error can be expensive!

P.S. I'm not expressing any opinion as to whether I think Brexit / the deal is good or bad - just that, at the moment, things are complicated.

[Mo Murphy]

Or just don't buy anything from the EU, we have lots of good quality innovative suppliers here like Ashcroft or X-Eng (😬).

Just let the EU buy from us. That'll help the balance of payments too 😁

Mo

[Snagger]

I agree to a point - too many potential outcomes for the small businesses, but large corporations and medium to large import/export specialists would have enough managers to read through the options, which were not that numerous - carry on as they were, WTO arrangements or a hybrid.  As it is, they have WTO documentation but without the tariffs for most circumstances, so knowing how to do the documentation would already be detailed.  They should have examined the few potential outcomes and had policies in place.  I wouldn’t expect that of a small business who only did limited overseas business.  But the government failed in its responsibility to implement a decision in enough time to allow all businesses to prepare.  The summer deadline should never have been extended, and extending beyond the next October deadline was inexcusable.  Extending further just suggested further to the EU that the govt was bluffing.  Sheer ineptitude and stupidity.

[Snagger]

1 minute ago, Mo Murphy said:

Or just don't buy anything from the EU, we have lots of good quality innovative suppliers here like Ashcroft or X-Eng (😬).

Just let the EU buy from us. That'll help the balance of payments too 😁

Mo

In this case, it’s someone wanting to buy parts on the continent.  They face similar problems because of the ineptitude of the politicians.

[Mo Murphy]

2 minutes ago, Snagger said:

In this case, it’s someone wanting to buy parts on the continent.  They face similar problems because of the ineptitude of the politicians.

I'd advise to buy from Ashcroft. Always better to buy proven quality over an unknown even if its costs a bit more and takes a bit longer from the UK.

Mo

[Escape]

51 minutes ago, Mo Murphy said:

I'd advise to buy from Ashcroft. Always better to buy proven quality over an unknown even if its costs a bit more and takes a bit longer from the UK.

Mo

I totally agree, but recently had little choice but to seek alternative sources for LR parts than my usual UK suppliers. The combination of covid measures at the end of December and the last minute deal has caused significant delays and even cancellations. I've tried my luck with a Dutch and French supplier, the first went very smooth, the last order I only placed this week so still waiting for the delivery.

I do hope things get smoother again once everyone is used to the new situation.

Filip

[Mo Murphy]

1 minute ago, Escape said:

I totally agree, but recently had little choice but to seek alternative sources for LR parts than my usual UK suppliers. The combination of covid measures at the end of December and the last minute deal has caused significant delays and even cancellations. I've tried my luck with a Dutch and French supplier, the first went very smooth, the last order I only placed this week so still waiting for the delivery.

I do hope things get smoother again once everyone is used to the new situation.

Filip

Let's hope so 👍

[henk]

Back to topic: 41CrV4 seems to be an equivalent of the us 4340 steel

[henk]

I mailed the company for more info and got this reply:

Our CV are produced in Germany, from the manufacturer that produce all the drivetrain products for Porsche Cup, or the original  CV´s for the G-Wagon, and all German and European Rallye Raid Dakar Teams

The Ashcroft CV is made from S155 or 300M, and we learned that the ball ways are not clear it is raw machined witch give shorter lifetime to ball cage  and balls. The cv it self is strong. But it is stiff because it is made from
one material.

We also use many Ashcroft parts as well and they are great...

We follow another technology, the CV housing is a harder material the inner racer or ball housing is a little bit softer material, the ball ways (where absolutely precise machined) for long lifetime. The balls are made by SKF.

If fact you have a flexibility in it with is used in all Paris Dakar Vehicles, and armoured vehicles... military use etc. the also made the CV´s for Osh Kosh when they change from U-Joint to CV.