Walloth and Nesch rubber quality / durability

[schuetz1619]

I'm a W/N fan and have been pleased with them for years--with one exception: quality and durability of rubber parts.

 

I've purchased various seals, washers, grommets, bushings, etc., many of them for my parts "store" though I don't need them immediately. I store everything under climate control.

 

I've noticed hardening on most of them, sometimes within just a couple of years, and sometimes to the extent that I would not use them. Original BMW parts that have been on the car for two or three decades (or that I've had in storage for many years) are often more supple than the new W/N parts I bought to replace them.

 

I don't know if this is a question of different rubber formulation, age of warehoused W/N parts, or what, but it has been my experience and I wonder whether others share it.

[TobyB]

yeah, there are at least a few factors going on there, and I'm sure a few more I'm

completely oblivious to.

 

One is age- in 1972, you could buy all sorts of good chemicals that made all sorts

of durable products.  It's ok, you really don't NEED a liver.

 

Another is sourcing- BMW had access to lots of large- scale manufacturers and 

manufacturing processes that W&N, as a small, 3rd party can't justify.

Sure, whoever's making seals for a current BMW would also make them for a 2002-

if you ordered in multiples of 100,000 and were willing to pay up front for the tooling.

 

And it's not just 2002 parts- E46 parts from reputable manufacturers are doing the same thing,

to a lesser extent.  I'm currently having a hell of a time finding quality cooling parts for E39s

and E46s.  Parts I tossed in a bin 5 years ago are now brittle.  It blows.

 

It's a stinker, because when you do all the legwork to find a seal, the per- unit cost of the part

makes it an obvious savings to buy a few.  But then, 5 years later, when you grab that seal

kit out of a bin, it's gone hard- and you wonder, first, 'Can I use this?'  and then 'Hell, I wonder

if the seals currently in the calipers look like this?'

 

t

yup, been there.

[Mikesmalaga72]

That would be a great question to pose to Walloth Nesch and also find out if they can do anything about it. I have often wondered if they are looking into or developing the engineering of certain durometers and quality of bushings, and CV boots etc...They certainly have their mark on the rubber bits perhaps they could upgrade some of them more to old factory spec that stands a longer shelf life. Certainly though lately certain rubber parts have much shorter shelf lives even if not used, but exposed to air/ozone.

[dlacey]

My car's first guibo lasted 30 years, now I am lucky to get 30 months out of one (daily driver '02).

 

Rubber & Plastic stability was the topic of my postgrad study...the issue is entirely manageable, it comes down to specifying reliability/longevity and the part manufacturer specifying additives that stabilise plastic/rubber properties (as part of their raw material formulation).

 

Of course these additives are engineered specialty chemicals that are not cheap....so if the W&Ns of this world don't specify reliability then everyone in the supply chain maximises their profit by *just* meeting specification and not 'over engineering' their product.

 

I just bought some New Old Stock Guibos in the hope that 30 years on the shelf is superior to cost optimised modern cheese.

 

[HBChris]

I believe they are selling the same seals as BMW, when BMW is out of stock so is Walloth.  They can’t afford to outsource these parts, many of their parts come with BMW stickers on them.

[schuetz1619]

14 hours ago, HBChris said:

I believe they are selling the same seals as BMW, when BMW is out of stock so is Walloth.  They can’t afford to outsource these parts, many of their parts come with BMW stickers on them.

Many of my older rubber parts from BMW (particularly suspension) bear the molded-in BMW logo. Many of my W/N rubber parts bear their diagonal "A" logo. Have you personally received BMW-labeled parts from them? Thanks

[HBChris]

I haven’t seen BMW or A logos on rubber parts I have bought, mainly e9 door and windshield seals.  I have bought parts from Walloth which comes with BMW parts labels on the bag.

[schuetz1619]

O.K. Thanks for clarifying.

[john02md]

I, too, am disappointed in W&N rubber, especially the door gaskets.  BMW has not had them in stock for a long time.  W&N had new gaskets (aftermarket - no brand name) last spring, so I bought some.  I had a leak in a rain storm and figured I'd  replace my old gaskets.  They don't fit from the B-pillar to sill.  Not molded corrected.  Won't stay glued in that area because closing door pushes them away from the quarter panel metal.  The difference from the old stock gaskets is obvious in that area.  Doors don't close correctly.  Giant pain.  Changing those gaskets was the worst mistake I've ever made tinkering with a car. 

However, W&N some very nice replacement sun visors. 

John '74 Polaris carb

 

[tech71]

1 hour ago, john02md said:

W&N had new gaskets (aftermarket - no brand name) last spring, so I bought some.

Probably URO, dont know who else it could be

[2002Scoob]

Also disappointed in their rubber. I had window lip gaskets dry and crack in just a few years, and the rubber trim around the door handles UV rot and crack/crumble/split in one summer.

[Lorin]

It’s not just bmw rubber parts, it’s the same situation for a lot of other cars. Some made in America for American cars rubber still seems to be fairly high quality. 

[JohnS]

Most of the "real" rubber pieces I've purchased from BMW are coated in that glycerin stuff which improves the shelf life.