And he may be right. This very situation is one of the reasons that I am done with restorations. I have shelves of crap new parts. Even parts for the late model stuff is a crap shoot as to whether it is much better than the worn out pieces they are replacing. Any time that I can, I get used parts from the yard. I am more likely to get good quality parts there than I am at the local auto supply.

I see new wheel bearings last less than 20k before they are howling. Replacement window regulators with motors much smaller than the OE and much slower going up. Some bulbs don't last a year. Tires that are completely egg shaped. And not just cheap brands. The last set of Mickey Thompsons I mounted were terribly out of round.

I used to only buy brands like Moog, TRW, Federal Mogul, Timken etc. But now, so much of that is made overseas and is often no better than a house brand.

But I do like the guy's shirt. Enough so that I have one just like it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yOzQI80-k0

The real question is how UT got so many smucks to follow him? UT is about as average as average can get for a mopar guy, and thats being nice.

I agree. Parts are junk crap shoot now. So frustrating. Use to be able to buy Moog and other brands and know you were good. Not anymore. Nothing is a guarantee anymore except NOS and you'll pay the price. I just keep an eye for NOS stuff for my stuff even if I don't need it now and if the price isn't too outrageous I buy it. I have rotors for my Diplomat Police car (wish I had the big finned drums for rear but the NOS ones on there now aren't very old), and many other NOS parts that are small enough to store. I've had Glen-Ray rebuild radiator. I'll hope for best with Milodon water pumps. I had a headlight switch last for 30 years and start going bad. Made the mistake of buying an aftermarket one and after a couple of months it started melting and could've burnt my car to pieces if I hadn't caught it soon enough. I forgot what the brand was. Went to Feebay and got a NOS one for not all that much more and it's been working great for 3 years. Even adjusting the dimmer on the aftermarket one felt like it was lubricated with sand, and the NOS one is nice and smooth.

I will disagree with one thing the guy in the video said; he said that in normal driving balancing the rear tires doesn't matter. It does matter. You can feel out of balance rears at highway speed. And they are tough on the shocks too with the extra beating they put on the valving.

I still think there are good parts out there, but they aren't from the old, traditional lines that we grew up with. King bearings, Cometic gaskets, and Rare Parts suspension parts come to mind.

We have been sourcing electronic components from China for certain USA clients for the last 25 years, and have learned a few things..
China has the knowledge knowhow and capability to build quality parts but...
Often shortcuts are taken due to:
* Complaints from the buyer to make cheaper
* Inexperienced sources
* Low quality materials, mainly recycled garbage

Within the Chinese culture is their motivation to make things faster and cheaper, and this is why U will find low quality, marginal parts.
The only secure way to get good quality is to work with established sources and to have your own QA inspection teams.
We have been dealing with certain factories for many years and they know very well how to make quality components.
Unfortunately in today's market the major push is for price so the end-result are components that don't fit right and/or only last a short time.
Sad but true...

Just my $0.02..

One can't approach parts purchases nowadays as though they're gonna be OEM-equivalent, let alone perfect.
Good used - and good luck with that - or NOS, or a quality manufacturer like DMT (71 TA here) are the only hope.
Americans arguably brought this on ourselves...how many times for example do you see a post here looking for "cheapest price" ?
But I know the aggravation of paying up for an item that initially looks good, but is either a problem to install, or fails quickly.

Is that the same knucklehead that said putting frame connectors on a unibody mopar was not a smart and damaged the car (spot welds)?

Yes there are still some. Remflex header gaskets. Milodon water pumps as I mentioned and I believe still Timpken sealed bearing hubs. But for the most part

Sure he's an average mopar guy. But he's an average mopar guy with a YouTube channel.

Regardless the reputation of the messenger his message is spot on. Trus0ted name brands of the past have gone into junk mode. Dorman, Moog, Wells even Felpro. 30 years ago aftermarket replacement parts were better than OEM. Now many times OEM is mandatory as the aftermarket parts are simple crap. But OEM parts have taken a dive too. Louis Altezan who owns a shop in Louisianna describes OEM parts as "The best. of the worst."

there are a crap ton of average mopar dudes with youtube channels.

I am also glad to be winding down business wise as the availability and quality are in the tank. The last serious restoration work i took on is 99.9% done and I will not be taking on anymore at that level.

Third rate car company makes parts that last 50 years. Replacements don't last one. Sad. Public corporations destroy this country. A private company can concentrate on a great product, but once you go public, it's only about shareholder value and quarterly growth. Quality, research, and development cuts into short term profits. Even someone like Steve Jobs was shown the door at the company he founded because they thought he was spending too much on changing the world. I don't think companies even own factories overseas. They just send specifications around and see who will make it the cheapest. Then the take that price, and see who wants their business if they can make it even cheaper. Quality is never part of the equation.

Making a statement like that discredits him in a big way. Why would I watch if he’s coming off with something like that?

I will second that. Maybe bigger trucks with floating axles can absorb the vibrations better but any passenger car tire should be balanced.

I actually got FIRED from Kal-Tire for double checking my work. I got called a "Time Waster" because I would spin the tire up a second time after putting on fresh weights to ensure I got "Double Zeros" on the second spin to ensure the customer got a truly balanced tire. I was told to: "Quit wasting time - wheel balancing doesn't need to be exact."

It was also barked at me that "Nobody can feel a half an ounce" which I replied: "I could. And if that's the attitude around here, I'll NEVER bring my toys here for anything!"

Got hauled into the office. Got let go the next day. (Barely worked there for a week. It was and probably still is a "Little Boys" Club)

Funny because when I've worked with REAL MECHANICS at the Canadian Tire chain, I was praised for double checking my work and giving the customer a quality job. Still friends with one of the mechanics I worked with over 15 years later. We had some GOOD times at that store.


But I do agree with Uncle Tony. It's a 4 out of 10 world out there now.

I remember a photo of a wall tile that one of my old Dutch buddies sent me over once, it read: "The bad taste of poor quality will linger in your mouth long after the sweet joy of cheap price wears off!".

At that time we were talking about IT project work, the mad rush to "3rd party outsourcing" that everyone in the industry was trying to out-run the other guys in, and of course as the tile writing pointed out, the sad results that creates.

Some companies have recognized this "fool's gold", many others either are unable to, or simply refuse to because their business model is simply based on being the "cheapest guy" on the block!

I learn a long time ago that you get what you pay for, if your diligent on your choices and lucky

Low quality parts manufacturing greatly hurt mainland China from 1947 to 1979, especially “The Great Leap Forward”.

Chinese coal mines were having problems with poor quality Russian and local parts when I visited in 1981. Chinese Managers prefered to keep 1930s British and USA machines going over new, and praised British and USA quality. I also heard this same attitude at a German built beer brewery, and at a factory still building coal fired locomotives.

Now in 2022 I worry that the Chinese are building better parts for military weapons, and have witnessed this at Harbor Freight Tool stores.

I also worry that USA industry cannot any longer build the volume of weapons needed to defend the country, and at the extremely high cost per item.

Add these changes together and it is easy to predict a “terrible reckoning”
is likely to happen.

Can`t seem to win anymore. At one time you would usually get what you pay for but nowadays not so much. If it isn`t the junk defective products then it`s the poor service or it will get damaged during shipping from poor packaging.