Teamwork Talking Points: Chassis and Driveline

Due to the high volume of business that can be generated in this segment, it is one of the most price-competitive. By virtue of the importance of the parts to the proper long-term functioning of a vehicle, though, it is also an area where quality is critically important.

“I don’t believe anybody goes into the market believing what they sell is not good,” says Ron Strain, program manager, chassis products, Dana Brake and Chassis. “They want to offer an alternative.”

That can be said of premium product brands as well as value-oriented products that pitch price. Strain says it is important not to focus on bashing the competition, but on accentuating the positive aspects of the premium lines you carry.

“If someone asked the difference between a premium part and an economy part, I can’t tell you too much about the economy part,” he says, “but I can tell you about me. When you buy a premium part, you are buying everything that is behind it. You have to know what is behind the name, and that doesn’t put anybody down.”

Features and benefits of premium products in the chassis and driveline market often focus on comparisons with their OE equivalents.

The Spicer line from Dana, for example, relies heavily on the OE connection and the related research and development work performed for that customer base. The aftermarket lines benefit from the technology developed, and even from the shortcomings of existing technologies.

Professional Grade ball joints feature a full ball design, a permanently attached boot, a case-hardened seat and no internal spring. Polymer bushings originally designed to reduce steering effort can also be found. The benefits of these features are a longer life, increased positive steering feel, and smoother suspension performance. For the technician, however, it is peace of mind that is the real attention-getter, regardless of the specific brand being discussed.

The Moog line from Federal-Mogul, for example, has used OE-type connections for its line with the addition of a NASCAR connection.

The last 38 NASCAR champions, says Federal-Mogul, have used Moog ball joints, which are said to improve on OE designs. Using what it calls M2 Technology, the ball joints feature a metal stud with full-ball configuration that provides 360 degrees of smooth, even rotational movement for more responsive steering. They also feature an all-metal “gusher” bearing design that allows lubricant to penetrate bearing surfaces, for longer life. And an exclusive double bearing allows for less preload and reduced steering effort.

Focus on coverage, too, but in terms of your own operation, not just the theoretical maximum. Talk about the resources and tools you and your supplier have at your disposal to hone your inventory to the needs of the customer.

Other brands and products will surely have additional talking points, but the important key is to continue to be conscious of the positive aspects of the parts you are talking about, including additional services such as cataloguing, technical support, training, and warranty.

Warranty is a huge issue, especially when it comes to parts where there is a significant labour component. Service providers are not so concerned about quality on parts that cost a few dollars and take two minutes to install. They are very concerned about quality when the labour component stretches into hours, such as many chassis parts replacements, and particularly in driveline parts, like some CV shaft jobs and particularly clutches.

Do not forget to include the benefits you and your company can bring to the discussion. Standing behind the products you sell is a compelling argument.

WHEEL BEARING DIAGNOSIS

Have you ever had a customer complain that the ball joint service he performed didn’t work because the vehicle still suffers from a wandering condition or a tire wear pattern indicative of an alignment problem?

Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t, but the problem could be related to a worn wheel bearing.

Remind your customers to perform a quick wheel bearing inspection whenever a customer comes to complain about:

A humming, rumbling, or growling noise which increases with acceleration or as the vehicle turns.

Vibration felt in the steering wheel, which changes with vehicle speed or as the vehicle turns.

Looseness or excessive play in the steering wheel (especially while driving over rough road surfaces).

A loud, constant grinding noise when driving the vehicle (heard in the most severe cases of a wheel bearing failure).

Pulling to one side when braking.

Roughness — with the vehicle off the ground, roughness or vibration when rotating the wheel.

Looseness — with the vehicle off the ground, looseness when wiggling the wheel back and forth.*

Excessive brake pedal play can also indicate sloppy or excessively loose wheel bearings.

ABS failure in the system may be related to failure of the ABS sensor in the hub assembly or the internal sensor in the wheel bearing.

* Note: “play” or looseness may also indicate a worn ball joint; check the ball joint before proceeding with bearing replacement. Procedure courtesy Federal-Mogul.

TOP SALES TIPS

You can rarely see quality from the outside. Customers will often focus on the glossy finish of a part as a comparison. You should dissuade this thinking. You cannot see the quality of metallurgy or significant design features inside the part that can extend the life and improve the performance of the part. Cutaway illustrations and samples can help your discussion.

You can’t know everything all the time, so prepare for your chassis calls individually, perhaps with some assistance from the chassis parts sales representative.

Do not drop off flyers and posters; talk about how to use them to help the trade customer effectively communicate the points covered.

Don’t assume the service provider will know how to communicate the engineering benefits to the consumer. Wherever possible, focus on the benefits of the parts to the service provider and his customers: “These parts are actually better designed than the OE and will last longer, plus the car owner will notice that it’s easier to steer.”

Don’t guess about the parts or warranty. Know your stuff and know that warranties can vary for branded and private label product, even when the manufacturer is the same.

Always speak in positive terms. Trashing the value line products or those of your competitor reflect badly on you and your company. If asked what you think about the competition, simply say that you believe that your company and your product offering are superior.