eds Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I fitted Britpart OEM Teflon swivels less than 12 months ago (>3000 miles) and already the Teflon is worn to bare metal. Has anyone else noticed anything? Comments and recommendations needed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need4speed Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Uh oh. I sense a (well deserved) blue-box bashing session ahead.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Strange that, Britpart swivel balls have had good things said about them. I built an axle for my 110 in january and the swivel balls are teflon, dont think there britpart but they still look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 No, I had a set with exactly the same result. Britpart ball bashing, all the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I've got a set of Britpart swivels on my 90, they've been on there for several years and probably 15,000 miles or so and they don't show any signs of wear yet. As with VB above I had always heard good things about their swivels. One of those very rare products they make which are actually good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Grumble grumble Grrrr No, I had a set with exactly the same result. Britpart ball bashing, all the way! Daan, have you done anything about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve200TDi Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Hi, If you bought it less that a year ago it looks as if it is covered under a 12 month warrenty as stated on the Paddock Spares website. Any how, I would ring the supplier and see what they say, if it's degraded through normal use then it's not really acceptable. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSD Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I've seen those described variously as 'Teflon coated' or 'Tungsten coated'. I don't know which they really are, despite having fitted a couple, though either might make sense... Teflon would possibly make life easier on the swivel seals. Tungsten would make the surface really hard-wearing and resistant to the stone chips that often seem to start the corrosion off. But if they are tungsten, then the normal wear surface would quite likely polish up in use from the original grey appearance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 But if they are tungsten, then the normal wear surface would quite likely polish up in use from the original grey appearance? Scored and scratched and where the seal has rested for some time longitudinal lines......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSD Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Scored and scratched and where the seal has rested for some time longitudinal lines......... Not where the seal has rested, but where the seal spends most of its time moving. Try wiping the oil off with some solvent , then see if it rusts overnight? That'll tell you if it's really worn to bare metal or not. You'll not find me trying to defend the blue box co., I just questioned if the coating has really failed or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Paddocks sell them as Teflon coated balls Here is a poor photo of mine Is this normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Looks similar to mine. At least they're not leaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 But will they last the 20 years my chrome ones did?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan bomber Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I've seen those described variously as 'Teflon coated' or 'Tungsten coated'. I don't know which they really are, despite having fitted a couple, though either might make sense... Heres me thinking they're both the same thing.. Might be wrong because its a long time since I was at tech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSD Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Might be worth carefully measuring the resistance over an undamaged portion of the ball. Tungsten and Tungsten Carbide are quite good conductors, Teflon is a very good insulator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 Been in touch with Britpart and they are keen to know who fitted the swivels. I have told them I did it. I wonder what difference it will make. Maybe they are sizing up how much to compensate me. I still had to stop work/play to do the job even if there were no labour charges involved. How can someone be compensated for doing a job themselves? Could it invalidate a warranty? I have a suspicion they mis packaged their cheap swivels with their OEM ones. I have posed the question what exactly OEM means to Britpart. They are being visited by their supplier next week to discuss so it will be interesting to see what is concluded. I did think the coating was a tad thin as it was almost transparent Certainly not like a frying pan! The smallest scuff and you are back to bare metal. Really can't see how they could last 20 years as the chrome ones did. Could be a plan to have some chrome plated...................... would it be poss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 Had a very nice phone call from Britpart who have spoken to the supplier who have confirmed that this is unexpected wear. They are offering to have a garage redo the work. Great solution. The only upsetting part is allowing someone else to work on my Landy. I promised I would not let others do critical work having had a few bad experiences. What to do................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Had a very nice phone call from Britpart who have spoken to the supplier who have confirmed that this is unexpected wear. They are offering to have a garage redo the work. Great solution. The only upsetting part is allowing someone else to work on my Landy. I promised I would not let others do critical work having had a few bad experiences. What to do................. Much more positive than i was expecting from this! Where are you based? Someone on here would be able to reccomend a garage that they trust near you i'm sure. (thats unless Britpart are insisting on a particular garage?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Presumably you will need to allow Birtpart's wish to have a garage fit them - I presume that they will insist in order to eliminate the unknown (your diy skills - no criticism intended) from their warranty equation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Since reading the thread on failing swivel balls I have been over anxious and not sleeping! I fitted 2 Britpart OEM teflon balls........... :-(((( Are they a liability? What is the point of OEM if it deoes not mean from the same production run as factory cars?? Should I get my old balls rechromed? Buy LR swivels or leave as is?? Worried............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertspark Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 A) not aware of where to get a set of balls rechromed (it was discussed in another thread over in the international forum by mr noisy) B) seemed the concensis of option was the balls that failed were unlikely to be steel but cast and they had been given a bit of abuse (maybe not the desert failure) but the pay and play one About the same time the discussion fired up I had just bought two Teflon balls and was also concerned as my existing ones were not leaking like sieves yet. But as I was doing a complete build thought it best to change them as they were minor pitted. I did a bell ringing tuning fork test on them using a small hammer to listen for any sound difference between them and the 20 yr originals. And also trying to note any dull thuds (indicating a crack) and they sounded exactly the same. I also did the grinder test of sparks (forget which I was looking for) but they appeared exactly the same. So I fitted them. Not run them yet. But am happy that mine were not a bad batch. And although no metallurgical tests were carried out. They appear similar to the originals (which I've kept) Given yours are installed, I'd suggest only the grinder spark test being the only option available on the accessible part of the flange careful not to weaken anything (short tap with the grinder disk noting more to observe the spark length and colour) On the balance of probabilities swivels are not failing all over the place and although worrying it does not appear to be the catostrophic failure of all replaced oem swivels. Admittedly not all are stress tested in use either. There are also a few different types of swivel by way of the upper bearings. Which also adds to the mix as it may have been a small batch of one specific type (non railko me hopes plus it looks to me the one in the picture above is non railko type). And they are also handed. I personally hoped that the manufacturer would have come clean and said we've had x number potential issue ones mang between these dates and they are all of this part number and this handing. And seem to have failed under extreme use. So for the most part will not be expected to be an issue. That at least allows concerned owners of extreme use vehicles to do an inspection and change batch if concerned plus maybe get an exchange at no cost from the manufacturer. Can't see the cost being that much to them yet (no lives lost yet! Or limbs etc and I am not downplaying the issue. But life is full of probabilities and questions (did I really tighten all those bolts and were they all adequately torqued up.... Hence why in car manufacturing now they use torque wrenches that record each bolts torque on each vehicle and it can be cross referenced and won't leave the station until they are all done plus the torque wrenches only allow a specific number of bolts tightened before recalibration of the wrench... Difficult for a garage or home mechanic to come even close to being able to provide that competency level and verification or accountability and traceability. Even the welds are referenced so if any fail under destructive testing they pull chassis from either side of that failure and determine how large the problem is plus under what condition the welds can fail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertspark Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Wow I must be bored on holiday (sorry for the long post / rant) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Since reading the thread on failing swivel balls I have been over anxious and not sleeping! I fitted 2 Britpart OEM teflon balls........... :-(((( Are they a liability? What is the point of OEM if it deoes not mean from the same production run as factory cars?? Should I get my old balls rechromed? Buy LR swivels or leave as is?? Worried............ I don't want to make assumptions about how you use your own truck but I would say you will be fine to leave as is... here are my experiences on this topic... the original chromed balls bend and the replacement Teflon's shatter. I would (and have used for years) the Teflon replacements on a road/playday/green lane car. But I really try and stick to the original chrome for my comp truck As its a difference between this:- Teflon and chrome Only cure is difference axles..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 Feeling a bit better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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