How to look after old core parts for reman and get the best surcharge return

Shaftec explains how garages can ensure they get the best surcharge return

How to look after old core parts for reman and get the best surcharge return

Expert remanufacturers, Shaftec is this month revealing how garages can best look after old core to ensure they get the best surcharge return.

Shaftec is believed to have been the first UK remanufacturer of CV joints and driveshafts and with over 500 UK motor factors relying on them to supply remanufactured product, it’s a fair bet that your garage will at some point look to Shaftec for top quality remanufactured product.

Remanufactured to the same standard as new

“At Shaftec, when they’ve passed our stringent returns criteria, old OE quality units are remanufactured to the same standard as new – and therefore should be treated by the garage in exactly the same way,” explains Shaftec director Tom Curtis.

“In an ideal world, before its return, the old unit should be fully inspected by the mechanic anyway to check for damage, or anything else that may have contributed to the reason for failure.

“If this protocol is followed and is responsibly placed ready for return, then there should be no issue of rejecting units due to poor handling post-vehicle.

“In our experience rejection is almost always due to technician error and could easily be avoided.”

Shaftec has invested heavily in the packing process to protect the units which will be returned: heavy duty carrying boxes make of strong, sturdy, material and the machinery to deal with them efficiently.

Boxes for steering racks now include a cradle in the box to hold the component firmly in place in the box which should also be re-used on return of the old core unit.

Mechanical steering rack core

  • Pinion – Great care must be taken not to damage the pinion on a mechanical steering rack during or after removal. The pinion is by far the most delicate part of the rack and forceful removal or placing the unit in a vulnerable position in the workshop, resulting in a very high chance of it being damaged – knocked by something heavy, carelessly thrown to one side etc.
  • Pipes – These must be cut very carefully. This isn’t always an issue and can at times result in a reduction of the surcharge. But we have seen cases where the pipes have been cut flush to the casting, making the unit unsuitable for remanufacture.

When it comes to the return of EPS racks, Shaftec say aftermarket numbers are growing and warn that there are far more things which can go wrong and render the unit unsuitable for remanufacture.

  • Electrical lug connections – These are almost always integrated into the actual rack and casting itself. A full rejection will be issued if they are damaged. A plastic electrical lug connector is obviously extremely sensitive to any stresses and will easily break, highly possible even if the weight of the rack is resting on it.
  • Electrical cables – This is complex loomed wiring. We have seen these cut by mechanics, presumably to speed up the process of removal. This again will result in a full rejection as severance of these cables allows no efficiently economic way to remanufacture the unit.
  • Electric Motor – This needs to be present on the unit, but it also needs to be returned undamaged. Again, this is an easy mistake to make when not properly cared for during or after removal

Reman and return

In line with its central belief that remanufacturing is the way forward where possible, Shaftec operates a thorough, efficient and safe ‘reman and return’ programme for: brake calipers, driveshafts, steering pumps and racks.

Put simply, this means that if used core meets its returns criteria, Shaftec will recondition and return that EXACT part to you, as new – with the same warranty.

This is all done at Shaftec’s 42,000 sq foot Midlands based facility.

The factory is situated in Hockley, in the heart of Birmingham’s industrial Centre and is fully equipped with the latest machinery and technology for increased efficiency.

The criteria is bespoke to the product being remanufactured, but in all cases, the core has to meet certain safety standards so cannot be broken or cracked.

New components

The team then utilise state-of-the-art methods and machinery and always use new high quality hardware and perishable parts

Tom adds: “Our Reman & Return programme adds yet another string to our bow – and is increasingly popular.

“A good example of how this works: a garage complained because we had rejected a rack with a damaged electrical lug, with the customer arguing that it would still work.

“When we proposed this service – suggesting that we would remanufacture that exact unit and give it back to them to fit, suddenly their opinion changed.”

For further information about Shaftec, select ‘more details’ below.

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