Home Made Boot Options

[72 IXXIV]

I have a side shift conversion in my '72 and I want to make a little boot for where the linkage comes out of the firewall.

Anyone have any good ideas for making a custom boot that does NOT require removing the linkage rod? I'm not looking for anything that's airtight or anything, just to keep splashing water from going into my center tunnel.

Any thoughts?

[GeorgeRud]

I appreciate anyone making reproduction parts for our cars, but a certain degree of quality and originality is also required. Even Chinese made parts can be produced successfully if the quality specifications are rigid enough.

[UROpartsman]

I appreciate anyone making reproduction parts for our cars, but a certain degree of quality and originality is also required. Even Chinese made parts can be produced successfully if the quality specifications are rigid enough.

^ You're exactly right George, and thanks for the feedback everyone.

Like other companies that offer a wide range of parts (such as Dorman), each of our items comes from a different production line that specializes in that particular type of part, so there can be significant differences from one part to another. Companies that specialize in just one or two types of parts (such as Moog or Lemforder) have an advantage in this area, as they can completely devote themselves to perfecting their specialty. The downside is they don't have the flexibility to address the needs of small markets. Which business model is better? The answer depends on the needs of each individual customer.

Even after a business chooses which model to use, it has to decide how to position itself. Economy, mid-range or top-of-the-line? URO started out as an economy brand, but now offers parts across the entire spectrum under the same brand name, which unfortunately creates some confusion. There are significant differences between our exclusive components that we design from scratch and and have full manufacturing control (such as the 914-6 Engine Mount and this Shift Rod Cover Kit ), vs parts that are sourced from existing factories. Sometimes it doesn't make sense to reinvent the wheel if the tooling cost is too high, and it's better to find the best source available at your target price point. The downside is you give up control over how the product is manufactured. You can periodically test the materials and dimensions of the final product, but unless you test 100% of production (which isn't realistic), problems can arise and slip through. And if it's an inexpensive item, you might not hear about a problem for quite awhile and end up with unhappy customers who naturally assume even your top-quality parts aren't any good. This inconsistency is one of the big issues we're working to resolve, and it's a slow process.

Case and point, last year I purchased a pair of URO brand air box straps for my 924 turbo. They did not last 4 months before the rubber basically dissolved. Had a similar experience with URO brand control arm bushings for my e36 BMW. What is your expected lifetime for these parts and do you stand behind them in any way?

The engineering department was given a copy of your post this morning James, and will be closely reviewing these items. We'll contact you via PM to get more details and discuss how we can make it right with you.

Our standard warranty is two years (unlimited mileage), and even our economy items should certainly last longer than two years. We offer a lifetime warranty on URO Premium items, which are solutions to the failure of common OE components such as water pump pulleys for BMW (aluminum instead of plastic), sun visor pivots/mounts for 911 (aluminum instead of plastic), push-rod ball cups for Boxster convertible top actuators (metal instead of plastic), etc.

[worn]

At the risk of further thread hijack, the unlimited mileage thing is about as valuable to me as mileage on my tires. I just won’t get there. The years on the other hand. May not be around to claim them, but it is nice to have that going for me. Good replies. I would rather have you an ally than a chump. Still, my son who simply works on old cars has heard of uro, and unfortunately not in a good way. So a bit uphill yet to go.