Ariel.Club Forum

I ended up buying my precious Ohlins from the factory last year. Checked availability, knowledge and prices with the factory, in USA, around where I live and.. Could possibly save 5-10% buying from a local Ohlins supplier and builder, but he could not assure that the damper would be built 100% as the OE factory assembled dampers.

I strongly support the importance for us owners to keep the factory financially strong.

This forum, the factory’s availability, knowledge and their immediate support AND the build quality makes owning my Atom easy and fearly relaxed. Driving it is sometimes relaxed ;D

[quote="clarko"]
I was reading this thread with interest, and thought I would chime in... I realize as a fairly new owner I might risk making myself unpopular... but I DO think that this is worth mentioning... certainly food for thought:

It behooves EVERY Ariel owner to ensure that the factory stays around and in business... I hope everyone gets this... if Ariel goes bust and disappears it devalues the cars we own if you want to sell them down the road, and will make it much more difficult to keep them on the road in the future if you decide to keep them...

So, as a business owner in Canada (yes I AM crazy enough, and wanted an Atom badly enough that I bought one and store it up at my Sisters place in Scotland to drive once or twice a year when I come across!! ).. not allowed on the road in Canada :(
... I understand that businesses NEED to charge what THEIR circumstances dictate they need to charge to make a sensible profit, keep their employees working and keep the brand alive to continue providing after sales service to people that own the cars....

... are they going to be the cheapest place to buy a bulb, fuse or wheel bearing from....No.... is it worth paying the small premium to them for the OVER THE TOP service they provide.... leaving little doubt that you are buying the right bit for your car......  ab sa freekin lutely  :)

My experience buying from Tom and Henry long distance, and every interaction with them actually amounts to the best buying experience of anything, I have ever had.....

... phew got a bit long winded there.. but its a topic near and dear to my heart... ;-)
Clark
[/quote]


Not Crazy for owning an ATOM Clark and what you say is not crazy either.

I was reading this thread with interest, and thought I would chime in... I realize as a fairly new owner I might risk making myself unpopular... but I DO think that this is worth mentioning... certainly food for thought:

It behooves EVERY Ariel owner to ensure that the factory stays around and in business... I hope everyone gets this... if Ariel goes bust and disappears it devalues the cars we own if you want to sell them down the road, and will make it much more difficult to keep them on the road in the future if you decide to keep them...

So, as a business owner in Canada (yes I AM crazy enough, and wanted an Atom badly enough that I bought one and store it up at my Sisters place in Scotland to drive once or twice a year when I come across!! ).. not allowed on the road in Canada :(
... I understand that businesses NEED to charge what THEIR circumstances dictate they need to charge to make a sensible profit, keep their employees working and keep the brand alive to continue providing after sales service to people that own the cars....

... are they going to be the cheapest place to buy a bulb, fuse or wheel bearing from....No.... is it worth paying the small premium to them for the OVER THE TOP service they provide.... leaving little doubt that you are buying the right bit for your car......  ab sa freekin lutely  :)

My experience buying from Tom and Henry long distance, and every interaction with them actually amounts to the best buying experience of anything, I have ever had.....

... phew got a bit long winded there.. but its a topic near and dear to my heart... ;-)
Clark

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
[quote="smokin"]
Aurora not top of the range either! Check out the price of these stainless babies[/quote]
Sorry for the delay in responding - I don't visit here that often since I sold my Atom.

Most manufacturers of rod ends produce a variety of grades. Aurora makes some very good parts. The two series that most Atom owners would be interested in are the AM/AB series (these are the "standard" type from the factory when Aurora parts are used) and the PRM/PRB series (the "race" type, likewise).

You can go to the [url=http://www.aurorabearing.com/index.html]Aurora web site[/url] and look up the parts and see the exact ratings for each series / size. [url=http://www.aurorabearing.com/pdf/abc-of-spherical-rod-ends.pdf]This[/url] is a good introduction to the way the parts are spec'd and rated. In particular, note that the common rating for rod ends is Ultimate Radial Static Load. However, much of the load placed on rod ends when used on the Atom is axial, not radial, and that rod ends are substantially weaker when exposed to axial loads. There are many more articles on the Aurora site, many targeted specifically at racing applications, [url=http://www.aurorabearing.com/rod-ends-spherical-bearing-articles.html]here[/url].

If you purchase rod ends from somewhere other than the factory, you're taking responsibility for ensuring you have purchased a suitable part. It can be hard to determine this, when many suppliers don't indicate the brand / model of the part being offered. You need to decide if the potential cost savings from that purchase are worth it, compared with the potential for problems down the road. A rod end failure on the track / street can be catastrophic, and features such as safety wire / washers will not protect you at all from certain failure modes, such as a crack in the threaded portion of the rod end.
[/quote]


:tu:

[quote="smokin"]
Aurora not top of the range either! Check out the price of these stainless babies[/quote]
Sorry for the delay in responding - I don't visit here that often since I sold my Atom.

Most manufacturers of rod ends produce a variety of grades. Aurora makes some very good parts. The two series that most Atom owners would be interested in are the AM/AB series (these are the "standard" type from the factory when Aurora parts are used) and the PRM/PRB series (the "race" type, likewise).

You can go to the [url=http://www.aurorabearing.com/index.html]Aurora web site[/url] and look up the parts and see the exact ratings for each series / size. [url=http://www.aurorabearing.com/pdf/abc-of-spherical-rod-ends.pdf]This[/url] is a good introduction to the way the parts are spec'd and rated. In particular, note that the common rating for rod ends is Ultimate Radial Static Load. However, much of the load placed on rod ends when used on the Atom is axial, not radial, and that rod ends are substantially weaker when exposed to axial loads. There are many more articles on the Aurora site, many targeted specifically at racing applications, [url=http://www.aurorabearing.com/rod-ends-spherical-bearing-articles.html]here[/url].

If you purchase rod ends from somewhere other than the factory, you're taking responsibility for ensuring you have purchased a suitable part. It can be hard to determine this, when many suppliers don't indicate the brand / model of the part being offered. You need to decide if the potential cost savings from that purchase are worth it, compared with the potential for problems down the road. A rod end failure on the track / street can be catastrophic, and features such as safety wire / washers will not protect you at all from certain failure modes, such as a crack in the threaded portion of the rod end.

Thanks for that.,Still no play on mine after 13,000 miles but been thinking about doing them anyway.

This is the motorsport place that my mate gets bits for his Westfield from:

[url=http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/index.php]http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/index.php[/url]

They do "heavy duty series rod ends" for motorsport use. Roughly £28 (inc VAT) for a 5/8 rod end:

[url=http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9050]http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9050[/url] (RH thread)
[url=http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9073]http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9073[/url] (LH thread)

and just under £16 (inc VAT) for a 3/8 rod end:

[url=http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9064]http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9064[/url] (LH thread)
[url=http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9041]http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1125&products_id=9041[/url] (RH thread)

I know where I'll be getting rod ends from in the future  :)

[quote="Matt_E"]


Rod ends seem to require fairly frequent replacement on the Atom. Perhaps rather than look for a cheaper equivalent, it might be more cost effective to pay up for a higher quality item
[/quote]

The thing is, could it be that the factory ones aren't the "greatest" quality, hence the potential for regular replacement? I have know way of knowing, so I'm not suggestion that's the case, but its possible. Also, I think we are looking at alternatives to the upgraded "race" versions offered by the factory? The standard factory rod ends are "cheaper" and of a "lower" quality. Again, I'm not having a dig at the factory.

The ones I linked to my might even be of higher quality than those used by the factory, who knows, and there in lies the problem. However, an engineering supplier will deal in larger quantities and obviously the unit cost drops. Rod ends aren't some specific "Atom" part, they are off the shelf parts. Personally, I think circa £50+ for a rod end is a rip off.

I looked into this a while ago. NMB/NHBB are supposed to be the best ones, better than aurora and used a fair bit in professional racing:

[url=http://nhbb.com/]http://nhbb.com/[/url]

Merlin in the UK sell them but they're not cheap. If you do a lot of track days it's not something worth compromising on really:
[url=https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/s/suspension-steering/rod-ends/nmb-rod-ends]https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/s/suspension-steering/rod-ends/nmb-rod-ends[/url]

If there's enough interest an someone can identify the correct ones I can try to see if I can get them at a decent price.

I tend to agree with meladdo in terms of being very careful here.

Rod ends seem to require fairly frequent replacement on the Atom. Perhaps rather than look for a cheaper equivalent, it might be more cost effective to pay up for a higher quality item.

Regardless, good luck with your search.

Matt

Aurora not top of the range either! Check out the price of these stainless babies

[url=http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/rod-ends-bearings/nmb-bearings-imperial-teflon-lined-male-rod-end-bearings]http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/rod-ends-bearings/nmb-bearings-imperial-teflon-lined-male-rod-end-bearings[/url]

Good to see more stuff being sourced, if only the factory would sell things at a sensible price  :-

I think last item I got a price for was two vinyl decals, something like £28, in the end I got off ebay for 4£ each !!!

[quote="smokin"]
Saw those on the site you posted.

I suspect they'll fit but whether they're fit for purpose is beyond my limited knowledge.

Personally, if I can find the same item cheaper elsewhere (and I stress same) then I will source it on the open market but trust the R&D the factory has done and experience it's gained. I'll probably use DT for the rod ends but they'll be the same ones the factory fits.

What was the saying? Buy cheap, buy twice.

If you go down the bearingboys route let us know how you get on

Cheers
[/quote]

Yeah, I'm not looking just to save a few pennies just for the sake of it, I'm happy buying supplies/consumables from the factory. Its just that Ariel don't make the rod ends themselves, they are an off the shelf part so they must order them in from a supplier somewhere. Circa £50 seems expensive for a rod end to me, especially when those used on my mates Westfield are under a tenner.

Like you, I'm not qualified to say whether the ones I linked to are "fit for purpose", but from a laymans point of view and comparing the materials/description, I reckon there is a very high probability that they would be fine to use. I don't actually need to replace any rod ends at the moment, but I might order one to have a look at and fit for a trial.

:)

Saw those on the site you posted.

I suspect they'll fit but whether they're fit for purpose is beyond my limited knowledge.

Personally, if I can find the same item cheaper elsewhere (and I stress same) then I will source it on the open market but trust the R&D the factory has done and experience it's gained. I'll probably use DT for the rod ends but they'll be the same ones the factory fits.

What was the saying? Buy cheap, buy twice.

If you go down the bearingboys route let us know how you get on

Cheers

Well at least you are considering all angles now and I suppose if they are identical off the shelf items then why not - I would be concerned that they were not up to the job.

Dont forget the lock wire and tool to secure the fittings too!

Proper tool here [url=http://www.aircraftspruce.eu/safety-wire-tool-a-013.htm]http://www.aircraftspruce.eu/safety-wire-tool-a-013.htm[/url]