With decades of experience in remanufacturing commercial vehicle parts such as compressors, air dryers, valves, and brake shoes, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC recognizes the value that remanufactured parts can bring to fleets and trucks. As part of its Bendix Tech Tips series, Bendix experts offer advice on choosing, inspecting, and installing remanufactured parts.

“Selecting quality remanufactured parts begins with the right sourcing – knowing what to look for, and knowing what questions to ask the part supplier,” said Henry Foxx, Bendix director of remanufactured products. “And among the first and most crucial things to learn is whether you’re dealing with a true parts remanufacturer or a rebuilder.”

When a rebuilder disassembles the core of a part for reuse – an air compressor, for instance – they don’t necessarily replace the components of that product with new ones or bring the product back to its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) performance level. Rebuilders may simply clean or repaint components, or replace them with inferior versions since they may not have full access to OEM-quality components such as pistons, connecting rods, or crankshafts.

Remanufacturing, on the other hand, always involves either replacing or repairing a core’s components to bring the part up to OEM specs. Additionally, some components – referred to as wear components – are always replaced with new versions during remanufacturing. Wear components such as gaskets, washers, and O-rings are never reused by a true remanufacturer.
Questions to Ask

When developing a strategy to use remanufactured parts in your operation, it’s vital for fleet managers to arm themselves with as much information as possible. Here are four questions you must ask of any potential remanufacturing partner:

• Do they replace non-salvageable or irreparable components with new?
• Do they replace wear components 100 percent of the time?
• What type of tests do they conduct to validate the performance of their parts?
• How do they support the product through warranties and/or service needs?

Those latter questions will help you address the post-sale concerns of dependable parts and reliable technical support.

The definitive gauge of any remanufactured part is how it performs once it’s off the assembly line and on the vehicle. Bendix, for example, conducts end-of-line testing on its remanufactured parts, while many rebuilders can only offer limited testing.

A strong post-sales support system is another important consideration, from the length of warranty coverage to the geographic availability of parts and service locations.