Source for rubber stuff that lasts more than a month

Hi all, I've replaced a bunch of rubber things on my Series 3 during the rebuild over the last few months, and most of it is rotting already. They mostly came from Bearmach - pedal rubbers, prop gaiters, engine/gearbox mounts.

The last lot of pedal rubbers for example were Britpart from Paddocks, and they wore out before rotting, around 8 years or so. This lot have barely lasted a month before the rubber started cracking!

Likewise, the engine/gearbox mounts have started to rot and shed chunks of rubber.

Is there a place to get OEM quality rubber stuff from which lasts? Changing engine mounts isn't something I want to do often...

I think the rubber deteriorates with time, I had this problem when I had a TR7 and think that even though you may have bought the parts not long ago, they may be old stock and could have being sitting around for many many years

Yeah, that's true. May have been on the shelf for years. I can see it happening with maybe one rubber part though, but when everything rots at the same time I find it hard to believe that it's all been sitting there for ages.

arkas said:

Yeah, that's true. May have been on the shelf for years. I can see it happening with maybe one rubber part though, but when everything rots at the same time I find it hard to believe that it's all been sitting there for ages.

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The people I used to use I think bought up old stock from dealers or anywhere they could find the bits, I stopped buying anything made from rubber from them,
With a old car when was the last time someone made a run of say top hoses?

Bearmach, give a 3 year warranty for any part they supply, I has a problem a drip link I bought from them fail the MOT it was a no quibble refund, so you should be able to get the money back

Thanks. Yeah, to be honest it's more the bother of changing it - the mounts are only about £6 each, but I'd rather pay four times that for a mount which lasts years rather than months.

I don't think it's old stock, it's just crap... This is a common complaint these days, the rubber components are just not up to a reasonable standard and the quality varies wildly, eg: when I built my Land Rover, ten years ago, I fitted a new pair of wipers from Paddocks, so probably Britpart; one of them deteriorated as I watched, this despite the fact that they had not been used. I reckon it lasted about three weeks, just fell apart in front of my unbelieving eyes, like a vampire exposed to the sun. But get this: the other wiper is still on the vehicle, ten years on!
I made enquiries to a company that makes rubber components here in England, they said that they could make sets of gaiters that would last but that it would have to be a decent sized batch, they were likely to cost as much as £12 per item, this was a few years back. I couldn't raise enough interest to make it worth the risk so the idea fizzled out, (like the wiper blade). You can get rad hoses made up in silicone rubber.
Edit: Regards engine mounts, have you considered industrial anti-vibration mounts?
Have a look here: https://www.vibration-mounts.co.uk/

I'm now thinking auto-jumbles. I have toys from the 60's with rubber tracks that are still ok, and replacment hand brake gaiters that are dust after 18 months. I recenty had to change a rad hose on my 1991 Merc, it was £65 for the top hose but the one it replaced had done 29 years. Bought some chinese trolley tyres - 6 months and they are all cracked - they seem to be plastic not rubber. What's really starting to annoy me is that its not just the easy to fit bits, I've found rubber / neoprene oil seals not lasting and some of those are a right faff to change.

Disappointing to hear Bearmach parts are like Sheiteparts. Maybe too long shelf life. When you buy the seller has to confirm the origin of the product. If it’s not OEM you have to query. I’ve had similar problems with S3 exhaust systems; cheap crap made in India.

I remember having to rub petroleum jelly on anything rubber to make it last a bit longer.

off topic a bit but when I visited Yugoslavia many moons ago all the kids had burnt cheeks. It was from the cheap, rubber, Vaseline soaked scuba masks they bought. It stopped them rotting on the shelf.

It is not so much the rubber is crap, rather the spec being asked (cheap) for is crap.
For example many a truck with over a million ks on it will have lots of rubber bits that are still doing their job, track rod boots for exampls, derv tanks straps, rubber lined p clips, air seat gaiters and so on.


There is a market out there for quality parts at sensible prices, but we as the customer want cheap, lots of cheap, then we bitch about it!

arkas said:

Hi all, I've replaced a bunch of rubber things on my Series 3 during the rebuild over the last few months, and most of it is rotting already. They mostly came from Bearmach - pedal rubbers, prop gaiters, engine/gearbox mounts.

The last lot of pedal rubbers for example were Britpart from Paddocks, and they wore out before rotting, around 8 years or so. This lot have barely lasted a month before the rubber started cracking!

Likewise, the engine/gearbox mounts have started to rot and shed chunks of rubber.

Is there a place to get OEM quality rubber stuff from which lasts? Changing engine mounts isn't something I want to do often...

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Are you able to provide any pics of the parts that have rotted in only 3 months?

I'd also suggest the first port of call, would be to speak to Bearmach and see what they say.

300bhp/ton said:

Are you able to provide any pics of the parts that have rotted in only 3 months?

I'd also suggest the first port of call, would be to speak to Bearmach and see what they say.

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I'll get a photo of the gearbox mounts and pedal rubbers tomorrow. I've binned the prop gaiters - the first ones lasted 2 months with the car not even moving an inch! Now on the 3rd lot with 300 miles and no signs of falling to bits yet. Bearmach haven't answered my email so far but will see what they say. There can't be many factories making these parts so I wouldn't be surprised if Bearmach and Britpart share suppliers.

lynall said:

It is not so much the rubber is crap, rather the spec being asked (cheap) for is crap.
For example many a truck with over a million ks on it will have lots of rubber bits that are still doing their job, track rod boots for exampls, derv tanks straps, rubber lined p clips, air seat gaiters and so on.

There is a market out there for quality parts at sensible prices, but we as the customer want cheap, lots of cheap, then we bitch about it!

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Agreed, but I think the majority would rather pay £8 over £4 for a gaiter which lasts. It seems to be time rather than miles/flexing/usage/UV that's killing these crap rubber parts.

arkas said:

I'll get a photo of the gearbox mounts and pedal rubbers tomorrow. I've binned the prop gaiters - the first ones lasted 2 months with the car not even moving an inch! Now on the 3rd lot with 300 miles and no signs of falling to bits yet. Bearmach haven't answered my email so far but will see what they say. There can't be many factories making these parts so I wouldn't be surprised if Bearmach and Britpart share suppliers.



Agreed, but I think the majority would rather pay £8 over £4 for a gaiter which lasts. It seems to be time rather than miles/flexing/usage/UV that's killing these crap rubber parts.

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I think we all would sooner pay a bit more and get something that lasted, problem is is the £8 better than the £4 or is it same sh#t but someone is making a bit more on it

Ian M in France said:

I think we all would sooner pay a bit more and get something that lasted, problem is is the £8 better than the £4 or is it same sh#t but someone is making a bit more on it

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I'm reminded of a story I heard: Waiting to be served at a Land Rover dealer, a member over at LRUK watched while a courier passed a box over the spare parts counter. On the side of the box was printed: 'Britpart' I wonder what price those parts were sold out at, Land Rover prices or Britpart prices?

Extreedoc said:

I'm reminded of a story I heard: Waiting to be served at a Land Rover dealer, a member over at LRUK watched while a courier passed a box over the spare parts counter. On the side of the box was printed: 'Britpart' I wonder what price those parts where sold out at, Land Rover prices or Britpart prices?

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Yes sir, all our parts are genuine!! The courier just reused an old box

Britpart are now selling parts with G on the end of part number which are of higher quality.
Do not forget Britpart bought out All makes brand.

I think lengthening a part number just makes it read longer not necessarily last longer.

Bobsticle said:

I think lengthening a part number just makes it read longer not necessarily last longer.

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longer part number increase the price too, for the extra processing

One of the goals I set when doing my rebuild, was to replace any rubber components I came across, on the theory that after 40 years, it would all be getting a bit tired. Seems I chose the wrong strategy, and I should have left bits alone if they were still looking OK.