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The fact that aftermarket parts exist for current models still in production tells me that the aftermarket companies don't need the OEM dies to successfully make replacement parts that consumers will buy.
With the possible exception of body and frame stampings, I doubt there is little that requires OEM proprietary dies, or tooling, or that most vehicle manufacturers have any interest in doing anything more than absolutely necessary "in-house". I toured the Rouge River F-150 plant, well over a decade ago. At that point, there was a stunningly small numbers of hours required to assemble a truck on the line, and many sub-assemblies, like dashes, finished doors, and other large components, were built elsewhere, and installed in a few minutes, on the line. I'm guess that a lot of folks have a pretty outdated concept of what exactly a vehicle manufacturer does, or more importantly, doesn't do.
With the possible exception of body and frame stampings, I doubt there is little that requires OEM proprietary dies, or tooling, or that most vehicle manufacturers have any interest in doing anything more than absolutely necessary "in-house". I toured the Rouge River F-150 plant, well over a decade ago. At that point, there was a stunningly small numbers of hours required to assemble a truck on the line, and many sub-assemblies, like dashes, finished doors, and other large components, were built elsewhere, and installed in a few minutes, on the line. I'm guess that a lot of folks have a pretty outdated concept of what exactly a vehicle manufacturer does, or more importantly, doesn't do.
You are correct in some things when a vehicle is made on the line there is the main line we’re the vehicle is put together then you have what is called sub assembly we’re systems are put together on the side of the assembly line and is fed to the line workers who are installing that certain part. Then you have components assembled from let’s say a Ford Powertrain plant we’re the engine and transmission are already put together witch arrive at the assembly plant along with the interior components like the seats and the headliner and door panels are picked up a a Lear corporation by the manufacturer semi trucks and delivered to the assembly plant were the door panels are mated to the interior of the vehicle doors on a sub assembly line. Automakers have went to a just in time delivery system for parts for their assembly lines meaning the only make parts for what they are producing that day, they don’t warehouse parts anymore. When I worked on the assembly line at Chrysler they had a train that delivered boxcars of parts going right through the plant that was before they went to just in time delivery.
You are correct in some things when a vehicle is made on the line there is the main line we’re the vehicle is put together then you have what is called sub assembly we’re systems are put together on the side of the assembly line and is fed to the line workers who are installing that certain part. Then you have components assembled from let’s say a Ford Powertrain plant we’re the engine and transmission are already put together witch arrive at the assembly plant along with the interior components like the seats and the headliner and door panels are picked up a a Lear corporation by the manufacturer semi trucks and delivered to the assembly plant were the door panels are mated to the interior of the vehicle doors on a sub assembly line. Automakers have went to a just in time delivery system for parts for their assembly lines meaning the only make parts for what they are producing that day, they don’t warehouse parts anymore. When I worked on the assembly line at Chrysler they had a train that delivered boxcars of parts going right through the plant that was before they went to just in time delivery.
It's amazing how they can schedule rail that efficiently.
I guess lots refinement went into these factories as Six Sigma and Lean disciplines streamlined processes and those "bean counters" justified their positions.
Can't say it's all bad. Over time, much has been done in the way of ergonomics for reducing steps taken, procuring lift-assist devices, and keeping stations fed with parts. You don't want to be "that guy" who stops the production line.
Is it true some newer cars have rotors that are at the minimum when new and cannot be resurfaced? That would be another way for them to get your money.
No. Typical you can machine (Cut) a rotor once. The wear that happens following the brake job will often times reduce the thickness to a point where you would be below the minimum if you machined a second time.
That all being said there are exceptions. If you have let the brakes wear to the point that the metal backing plate on the brake pads contact the rotors it often times leaves groves in the rotor that are too deep to machine out. At that point you only option is to replace the rotor.
300k on one set of front brakes? I must call BS, compadre.
I tend to drive heavier cars in an often mildly aggressive manner, so I may go through fronts more often than others. But 30-50k is by no means unusual. A small, light car driven with a lighter touch might get double that, but in quite a spread of family and friend cars I've worked on, about 60k seems to be the max for pads.
I bought a new diesel pickup and wheel bearings failed at 132K miles and I did a pad swap/rotor resurface just because it was apart. Sold it 40K miles later and the rear brakes were still original.
200K miles should have been attainable on original brakes. I probably did 75% city driving.
With the possible exception of body and frame stampings, I doubt there is little that requires OEM proprietary dies, or tooling, or that most vehicle manufacturers have any interest in doing anything more than absolutely necessary "in-house". I toured the Rouge River F-150 plant, well over a decade ago. At that point, there was a stunningly small numbers of hours required to assemble a truck on the line, and many sub-assemblies, like dashes, finished doors, and other large components, were built elsewhere, and installed in a few minutes, on the line. I'm guess that a lot of folks have a pretty outdated concept of what exactly a vehicle manufacturer does, or more importantly, doesn't do.
The difference being the vendor feeding the Rouge River plant has a manufacturer contract to supply OEM assembly lines.
I meant direct-to-consumer and wholesalers supplying places like CarID.com, RockAuto, and AutoPartsWarehouse still manage to make aftermarket parts despite not having these contracts w/ manufacturing plants and seem to measure OEM part dimensions with a digitizer, map in AutoCAD/SolidWorks and make their own molds and dies.
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