Author Topic: Rockauto? Be careful.....  (Read 3148 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

xtriggerman

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 2533
Rockauto? Be careful.....
« on: May 24, 2023, 03:22:36 PM »
  Over the years, I'v bought lots of repair parts from these guys and every now and then, a bad China made part but thats expected when dealing with bottom feeder numbers. Heres a 2 in a row from those squirrely parasites. So my son buys a 2016 Mazda 6 with 150K on it.  The serp belt looks original so I tell him it should be replaced along with the accompanying items, including tensioner. Hes in debt so wants budget while I put the stuff on. Rockauto sends a tensioner at about half the cost of OEM. It lasts less than 2K. What astonishes me is how poorly made this tensioner is. The tensioner ram applies upward pressure on its idler wheel. The aluminum ram eye on which its pushing down has no hardened bushing! The aluminum eye ends up going egg shape putting the bottom of the aluminum ram directly onto the belt thats riding on its idler wheel. So, the bottom of the tensioner ram is now cutting into the belt putting a fine rubber powder all over the engine compartment! So, I wanted my money back for this crap. Problem is, Rockauto only warranties these parts as an exchange for the SAME PART and you have to pay shipping back to them. Basicaly, we eat the part cost.
  Being a sucker for punishment, I order a GATES tensioner kit from Rockauto figuring, they got to be better??? So the Gates China tensioner looks way better built than the econo unit. Nice big hardened bushing in the ram and nicer rubber boot, to boot. I put it on. A couple days ago, its chirping and squeaking. I'm 99 percent sure the bearing has gone belli up in the idler wheel with about the same 2K miles on it.
 Currently waiting on a MAZDA tensioner to make its appearance in the mail. Hopefully, this one is made some where other than China.... but we will see.
I also replaced the coil packs over the spark plugs with what ALL WAYS used to be top shelf Jap NGK's. Nice NGK's are now from China.
Last year I put replacement power door locks in my 97 Lincoln MK IIIV. Both of them craped out in about 18 months of light use. No OEM's available. Found a slightly different China set that has yet to be put in.
  Folks, the parts problem out there is sick and getting sicker! Its so bad that I read the electronic voting machines we all use are nearly all made in China And the ones that arent, are loaded with China sourced components. We are coming to the final chapter of Capitalism run amok.
   No worry, cuz AI is on the way to fix everything! I guess those knuckle heads developing it never watched Space Odyssey 2001. Any of you younger guys n gals should see it. Prophetic stuff right there.
 
 
" When we get piled upon one another in large CITIES as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe" Thomas Jefferson

Toad

  • HMFIC
  • Global Moderator
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 21030
  • Up the Irons!
    • OBEY!
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2023, 06:35:57 PM »
Lot's of counterfeit auto parts on the market now. I refuse to by car parts from Amazon. Never from ebay. Rockauto has been pretty good at sourcing real parts. Some parts aren't worth buying anymore. Gates and Dayco have a high failure rate. Don't buy these brands for timing belt kits. They will fail.

What brand was the tentioner?
The VA - Giving Veterans a second chance to die for their country since 1930.
"I hate to admit Toad is more right than wrong."--panoz77
When you are dead, you don't know you are dead. It is difficult only for the others. It is the same when you are stupid.

Rocketvapor

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 15076
  • awarded title of SIR ARSE
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2023, 06:40:49 PM »
I've replaced the bearing in a tentioner a few times in the past.
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

Flo just received her EXPERT Mid range card from the NRA.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html

PAX

  • SKS Guru
  • **
  • Posts: 4968
  • ALL IS NOT QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2023, 08:03:33 PM »
Hal: "Stop....Dave...I don't feel well"... PAX
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined", George Washington,
"but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of Independence from any who might attempt to abuse them." Sent from behind the KaliKurtain. PAX

Onepoint

  • Administrator
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 32561
  • نعم أنا كافرة, شكور ل يسأل!
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2023, 08:49:16 PM »
I get parts from dealers that are China source parts, no way around a lot of this.  While some things are still made here, like hydraulic pumps for example, but cost literally 800% more.
Experience is the hardest kind of teacher, it gives the test 1st and the lesson after.

Courage is knowing it may hurt and doing it anyway.
Stupidity is the same.
This is why life is so hard.

Filroy77

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 5597
  • Power to the People!
    • Baby Lives Matter
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2023, 09:56:19 PM »
I’ve had pretty good success with rockauto. They ship pretty fast. I did have to return a part once when I mistakenly ordered the wrong thing. Had to pay shipping. Since then I shop their part numbers on the net and Amazon.
  The real savings on rock auto is on things like filters, wipers as long as they ship from the same warehouse.
How can these people say such lies? Because lying is not an issue when truth is not a value. Dennis Prager

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

JimmyJamesKY

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 3842
  • Sign says long-haired freaky people may now apply.
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2023, 10:30:18 PM »
I buy Chinese parts from Advance.  They probably cost more, but it's a 2 mile or so drive to swap out the part if it goes bad.  I bought Chinese coil packs for an old Jeep Liberty I have.  I've had one or two go bad after, but it's cheaper to replace one every once it awhile than buy OEM for an old beater.  If it's been less than a year, Advance will sometimes replace it.

Never tried RockAuto, I don't know that I will.

I like buying face to face, but you can order from Advance if you want or it's not in stock. 
Good friends will lend a hand, great friends will grab a leg....

Hodgie

  • World renowned Failure
  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 16251
  • Kicking Ass since 77
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2023, 10:40:43 PM »
I get parts from dealers that are China source parts, no way around a lot of this.  While some things are still made here, like hydraulic pumps for example, but cost literally 800% more.

You ain’t kidding. He starter on that 05 Rancher I picked up this past February crapped out. An OEM unit from Honda is $400.00 shipped. The Chinese knock off on Amazon or EBay was $35.00. I went with the knock off with the best reviews. It needed some minor modifications to the mount to get it in right but it works well enough. About a month later I was able to find a new old stock OEM rebuild kit for the Honda starter for $50.00. I will rebuild just in case the knock off craps out.

I’m going to need a set of shocks soon and I’m definitely not dropping a grand on them for OEM.

branflakes

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Expert
  • *****
  • Posts: 480
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2023, 11:31:10 PM »
Just a thought here. Did you check all the other pulleys? AC, alt, water pump, and any other idle? Is that a hydraulic tensioner or spring? People pry on the hydraulic too quickly and it fails that way. Slow even pressure.
Also I would not use Google for serpentine belt diagrams.

As far as rock auto goes I understand the return policy, but have never had to use it. I have a wall of magnets. They're my only supplier I use for my personal vehicles and side hustle. My work has used them a handful of times too. They supply the same parts that napa orielys and advance. My work is a Napa affiliate and even at cost rockauto is cheaper.  They're overnight has worked too but shipping hit my wallet hardest for that.

Sorry about your car troubles.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Benjamin Franklin

xtriggerman

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 2533
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2023, 02:52:33 AM »

What brand was the tensioner?

 Ultra Power in Econo column

 Alot of good thoughts on this for sure. Branflakes, My thesescope tells me the chirping is most prevalent from the Idler wheel stud. Its exactly like a dry bearing on its way out that spins most of the time but gets a dry bind time to time and that makes the tensioner compress suddenly. It could be something else but my moneys on that idler bearing.

RV, yeah, I was thinking on maybe replacing the bearing and keeping it as a spare but if China isnt using the old bearing PN standards, its toast.
" When we get piled upon one another in large CITIES as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe" Thomas Jefferson

Rocketvapor

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 15076
  • awarded title of SIR ARSE
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2023, 06:46:47 AM »
I think most use the 6501/6502 series of bearings. 
Like wheel bearings for a motorcycle.
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

Flo just received her EXPERT Mid range card from the NRA.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html

branflakes

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Expert
  • *****
  • Posts: 480
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2023, 07:46:57 AM »
I will suggest spinning everything by hand when you have the belt off. 

I am sure you have the routing correct, but if you'd like I can get a picture from 'service manual'. (Prodemand and identifix)

I have heard a few people repacking/repairing pulley bearings but far and few in between. If you do repair it and have success, please share.

Repairs are more fun for me in auto industry but it's moving faster and faster to only remove and replace.  Can't remember the manufacturer but there is a new tranny that has no information about repairing it. Their plan is for you to r and r entire tranny for failures. No service manuals. No fluid type or fill procedure.

Nissan and Chrysler are pushing for you too hookup a scanner that is connected to wifi. That info is automatically sent to Chrysler and you pay Chrysler (or Nissan) for the repair order AND parts. Kind of like what John Deere was sued for and lost
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Benjamin Franklin

Rocketvapor

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 15076
  • awarded title of SIR ARSE
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2023, 11:34:05 AM »
A high quality bearing is likely cheaper than a low quality tensioner.
Check youtube for instructions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjDYXMPNtoc
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

Flo just received her EXPERT Mid range card from the NRA.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html

xtriggerman

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 2533
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2023, 12:37:16 PM »
  A correction is in order. On the cheapo tensioner, the bottom of the ram ended up making contact with the black plastic idler wheel, not the back of the belt. Brain fart on my part there. The belt can only be routed one way on these 2.5 engines. Its not a real big job to change out the tensioner. The new Mazda tensioner came in this morning and it is identical to the one on my 2021 CX30. The Mazda box says made in Slovakia. If Trump got a good wife from over there, I guess I got a good Tensioner? LOL.
" When we get piled upon one another in large CITIES as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe" Thomas Jefferson

Rocketvapor

  • Board Supporter
  • SKS Guru
  • *****
  • Posts: 15076
  • awarded title of SIR ARSE
Re: Rockauto? Be careful.....
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2023, 12:51:11 PM »
People get all flustered with serpentine belts.
Just look at grooved pulleys and smooth pulleys.
Most car manufacturers don't make all the extra parts. They buy things like the pulleys and bearings from common sources.
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

Flo just received her EXPERT Mid range card from the NRA.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html