I bought a new set of motor mounts for a Ford Modular 4.6 to do some custom mounts on a project. When I pulled them out of the box the drivers mount was broken at the rubber and the other mount was greasy and dirty (used). It was a factory sealed box. I should've checked before I brought them to the shop!!!
Just bought a replacement motor mount from local store...the replacement looked like the OP's "India" piece (tin), my original looked like the "Korea" piece (heavy duty). I asked the guy at the counter about the obvious lack of quality in this part and if he would trust it. He said he would. I believed him. I installed it, pulld my car into the driveway and "power braked" slightly to simulate a load on the motor mount and it immediately snapped in two pieces. ...lesson learned. 65 Chevy passenger car, mild 454.
Those kind of mounts have had problems since they were designed. Back in the 60's and 70's if you was to pull a motor with that type mount, thay usually came out it two pieces. I bought a 69 imp. for the motor and tranny and it had those mounts, but also a factory limiting cable that run from the exhaust bolts to the upper control arm shaft. Also as with any 4-speed car you had the choice of either chaining the engine down or looking for one of the factory cable limiters. The only thing those mounts that the OP showed are good for is throwing in a bucket to haul to the scrap yard when it's time. "Don't buy them and they won't come." "Who said that?"
Not defending any parts stores, but if you ask they usually have a better quality(ie:spendy) part available. stop buying the crap and they stop sellin it. Hell the local napa guys have gotten so used to the quality complaints they do it backwards and give you the best part first unless you ask for cheaper. The old fella said its easier than doin returns all the time.
This kind of stuff happens everywhere. I work in a tool and die shop, small shop only about 8 guys me being the trainee, out competition is pretty much china thats the country we have to convince our customers not to buy from and to come to us, we have to show our customers that even though we cost more that our product and customer support is that much better. Lucky for us our customers are manufacturers and need high quality parts that will last a long time as they can't be having down time so them spending more can save them alot of money in manufacturing. My boss and I have discussed many times about customers demanding cheaper cheaper cheaper and he said to me that if customers keep demanding cheap cheap cheap then they will get it, meaning a lower quality product because if you cheapen something too much it will lose its quality. Whats funny is from a machine shop point of view one of my workmates who used to have his own shop told me once that you can spend more time and money trying to cheapen something and buying cheap stuff then you would have if you just did it the quality way in the first place. Press tools are a great example if you buy cheap punches and have to replace them every 6 months then how are you saving money when you could buy a higher quality punch that lasts alot longer. Initial costs are usually what does it, most people see the initial high cost and think "thats too much" but it may last along time and the longevity may outweigh the initial cost. A big thing I notice today is you could have the highest quality product in the world but if it comes with a high price then people feel ripped off, I hear stories from older guys where as is said in this thread that people once paid more for quality. But these days for some reason people have this thing where people just feel ripped off over prices even if its a good price. I can't explain it but its just what I notice.
I agree parts you purchase today are really bad in many cases. Question is who is at fault? The company making these parts or the people willing to buy this crap? Every part could be made here in this country but it would cost more to do it and it might be better or it might be the same quality. I know a few high performance companies who went outside of the USA to have their parts made because the quality of what they were getting in our country was really bad and for every 100 parts they ordered almost half were not except-able and were being put in a dumpster. Anyone remember when many of the items you bought at Walmart said made in the USA? You don't see that much anymore. I would really like to see things made in this country again but the costs to make them with out labor rates would have to be passed on to the consumer. In a recession like we have now you cannot blame comsumer for trying to make their money go farther by shopping at places that sell cheaper look a like parts. Years ago it was very common for a refrigerator to last for 25 years or more but then the people who make refrigerators got smart and realized that they could sell a lot more refrigerators if they made them only last 10-15 years! Jimbo
The Jalopy Journal
