Making Effective Reman and Built Parts Choices

Are remanufactured and rebuilt components the same? In the commercial vehicle parts aftermarket, with its large number of suppliers, that’s something that is especially important to understand. Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, the manufacturer of safety technologies, brakes, control systems, and other components for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers and buses, offers guidance on the subject as part of its Tech Tips series.

Understanding the difference between remanufacturing and rebuilding

A remanufacturer always replaces or repairs a core’s components to bring the part up to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specs, Bendix noted. Additionally, remanufacturers always replace wear components with new versions. However, when a rebuilder disassembles the core of a product for reuse, they don’t necessarily replace the components with new ones or bring the product back to OEM specs. Rebuilders may simply clean or repaint components, and even if they do replace them, they may not have full access to OEM-quality parts.

The Tech Tips installment — What To Look For In Remanufactured Parts — focused on what to look for when selecting four remanufactured components:

• Air compressors wear components such as pistons, connecting rods, crankshafts, and the head and valves remain failure points if they’re not replaced as part of the reman process.
• Air disc brake caliper components, caps, boots, bushings, and adjuster bearings should all be replaced and caliper cores should be thoroughly cleaned.
• Drum brake shoe remanufacturing needs to include correcting deformities caused by force and temperature changes by using a coining process to return a shoe to its originally engineered geometry. Even if it’s relined with new friction material, an uncoined shoe may not provide full drum contact, which could lead to unpredictable brake performance and uneven wear.
• Steering gears require replacement of key parts identical to those found on a brand-new product that typically wear out, including hydraulic seals, all steel recirculating balls, cover retaining rings and ball guides, plus slot valves when necessary.

Make sure to ask about a supplier’s replacement part warranty because it says a lot about the supplier’s confidence in its parts. Also, ask reman suppliers how they test their products. OEM manufacturers regularly subject their remanufactured parts to the same testing as new parts.

Remanufacturing is ultimately about delivering quality parts at a lower replacement cost to help fleets improve their bottom line

Making a less-than-optimal replacement part choice comes with risks, including premature failures that lead to high costs for roadside assistance, vehicle damage, and increased downtime. And the stakes are even higher when the parts are key to a vehicle’s safe operation. Asking the right questions about replacement parts from a reputable supplier minimizes that risk and keeps your trucks and drivers on the road.

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