Rubber Components

[etlddle@domain.elided ( David Luke XL/EE )]

Does anybody know where you can buy decent rubber components?

I bought two front shock absorber gaiters, and they looked good.
After three months on the car, they were in tatters. They
had deteriorated at a stunning rate. I fitted them correctly along
with new springs (which came from the same UK supplier which are still
fine after a year or so).

Also, I bought a track control arm balljoint gaiter from a different
UK supplier, and that was perished to the point of being useless
after three months on the car also. Again, it was fitted correctly and
subject to no corrosive substances out of the ordinary.

I need to get these parts again, but they take a lot of fitting
despite being cheap to buy. I would pay double if I knew the
parts would actually last. On other similar cars, you expect a balljoint
gaiter to last for years and tens of thousands of miles. I had
a twenty year old Ford Escort once, the shock absorber gaiters being
original. After a clean up they were as good as brand new.

Has anyone bought these (or any other Stag rubber bits) and found
them to be good/bad?

I have also rebushed the entire front suspension with polyurethane.
This turned out to be a great move. They sharpen the car up a treat,
and look undamaged after nearly a year.

Unfortunately you can't get poly shock absorber gaiters yet for stags.
I have seen some semi-transparent brown plastic balljoint gaiters on
Stags. Are these better, and who stocks them?

Rather than concentrating on things like inner wings and windscreen
drip channels, SOCTFL would be better advised ensuring the quality
of more rudimentary service parts.!!

David Luke

1973 Pimento Red Rover V8  BW35 auto.