Chain Tensioner Shamefull Quality Fade on Chain Tensioner

[Irish John]

Here is a picture showing the chain tensioner I am expected to accept with my most recent Grubee 4-stroke kit. The flat steel they've used is 30% thinner than the normal stuff they use. I can't use this because it's too weak to operate safely. They do this all the time with the clamp brackets that hold the moror tray to the frame as well. They deliberately stuff 25% of sub-standard inferior components in with a batch of ordinary ones knowing they'll get away with it and increase their profit margins by a few cents. Tells you a lot about what these guys are like. If there's no law against it they do it and there are no laws about this sort of mullarky in China.
Trying to get the supplier to send you a new one as a replacement is about as effective as breaking wind in a cyclone and even if they are willing to replace there's the postage both ways which is expensive. I'd love to be able to buy Grubee and close it and move the whole shebang to India.

 

[Mountainman]

that's a sad note this morning Irish John

ok - I am looking at your picture there
thinking as hard as I can -- it's pretty early -- more coffee needed
trying to put a cost amount on their savings -- for cheapening the tensioner ?

how much did they truly save themselfs there ? 5 to 15 cents at the most !!!

AND FOR THAT SMALL SAVINGS THEY HAVE TURNED OUT A PRODUCT

THAT CAN NOT BE USED !!!! SAD - SAD - VERY SAD

we hope that they start doing better

so we can ride that thing Mountainman

 

[Pablo]

Chain tensioners are evil in the first place. Cheap chain tensioners.....well...say no more. Some factory owners will do anything to save a penny. Does not matter the location of the factory.

 

[HERPER]

they could have potentially found a different way of manufacturing them, heat treatment or something like a new type of metal composition that allows it to be thinner, or could be they are trying to save a penny or two..


which in their defense 5-15 cents per part selling 1000 parts gets them 150$ and im sure they sell more then 1000, probably more like millions.

 

[augidog]

uh-huh...or: it could be "business as usual" and "business as predicted"

sometimes reality bites, but it's still real

 

[misteright1_99]

I would have to agree with Pablo, doesnt matter the company or country they are all trying to save every cent they can by supplying the cheapest parts they can. Here is another good example I was just reading, "top end" kit, with low end accessories.......


http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=15805&highlight=gebe

 

[augidog]

uh-huh, again...the old mbc double-standard rears it's head. it seems i cannot speak out (about something i've proven myself experienced with) without at least one of my favorite stalkers jumping in

i (had) left my sig out of this...did you know you too can choose to attach yer sig or no? it makes a difference.

i say yer "retort" about low-end accessories isn't accurate or relevant to this "quality fade" topic, merely imflammatory (as usual)...far as i know, GEBE is constantly at work improving on it's products, not paring down on quality to improve the bottom line. golden eagle would be looking very closely at things like switches and throttles if there was a problem of epidemic import, but there isn't. ok, so the components don't please everyone, but gebe isn't "cheaping out" and you know it..."AG" didn't get parts of lower quality than the buyer before him, indicating fade. after 2.5 years, we've learned that some makers and sellers constantly ignore consumer input. so, instead of bashing a "source" i'll say that golden eagle practices good old-fashioned american integrity, and it's too bad other "sources" can't (WON'T!) do the same :-/

unlike yours, my response to the topic was relevant...i'm pretty sure my freedom of expression of opinion is about as protected as yours? no? the news about (purposeful) quality fade in some chinese products isn't news, but please do keep blaming me whenever i mention i'm not a bit surprised when something like this crops up...and while i happily support all MB-RIDERS, i DON"T support all MB-engines...and i won't try to lie about it like some will.

as i said, sometimes reality bites...but ya still have to face it as reality, especially when you've played a part thru indiscriminate consumerism. we've become a nation of complaining "victims" instead of proud americans who'll take a stand even if it hurts....when the HECK did that happen?

 

[biketec]

Quality fade

I can tell you that its not the distributor or vendor, different parts come from different factories looks like one is a 2 stroke cheepie and the other is a 4 stroke if you got them from me I can tell you what happen, we ran out and ordered a few from another source in the U.S. so that way we could have them for our customers and try to make them happy while our order was on its way. I don't think it is any company's intentions to cheapen there kits if that were the case the kits would look like they did 5 years ago with no bearings.

 

[augidog]

lower quality at same price? to the end-user, that's "fade" isn't it?

wait, let's be clear...this reply isn't about you, but the good point you raise. i am very aware of the workings of the engine-market...your "situation" isn't uncommon, all the more reason to be discussing this. if noone can temporarily get good tensioners, then you all wind up stuck pushing cheap ones. since the final kit-cost is the same, that means a temporary boost in profit for "someone." just how much of the problem is purposeful is clearly debatable, as we've all had the time to observe our trading partners' behaviors in other markets as well, including food & health products. why would y'all think that our market is immune to such practices?

poor ethics got the global economy into the current mess, poor ethics will keep us there...strong ethics and conviction will help lead us out of the quagmire...it has to start somewhere, and our "sensitivities" in the usa are hampering recovery. don't "defend" poor quality, just don't buy it. believe me, they'll pay attention if forced, but so far it's been a free-ride based on bottom-line...not a good foundation for a stable engine market.

 

[biketec]

wait, let's be clear...this reply isn't about you, but the point you raise. i am very aware of the workings of the engine-market...your "situation" isn't uncommon, all the more reason to be discussing this. if noone can temporarily get good tensioners, then they all wind up stuck pushing cheap ones. since the final kit-cost is the same, that means a temporary boost in profit for "someone." just how much of the problem is purposeful is clearly debatable, as we've all had the time to observe our trading partners' behaviors in other markets as well, including food & health products. why would y'all think that our market is immune to such practices?

poor ethics got the global economy into the current mess, poor ethics will keep us there...strong ethics and conviction will help lead us out of the quagmire...it has to start somewhere, and our "sensitivities" in the usa are hampering recovery. don't "defend" poor quality, just don't buy it. believe me, they'll pay attention if forced, but so far it's been a free-ride based on bottom-line...not a good foundation for a stable engine market.

This is true but if I don't import someone else will we get what we can and we try to work with the manufacture the best we can.