Tuesday, Feb 08, 2011 at 10:23
For reference purposes for current contributors & other readers of this thread, I called.com last night and had a chat, I also called Firestone's tech support. Ten years ago this would have been cost prohibitive with the cost of international calls. You have to love internet phones!
Before calling I measured my Patrol which is a 2004 GU with the constant load King Springs 50mm lift.
The internal diameter of the spring is 140mm (5.5"), the height under normal vehicle load (ie. compressed) is 285mm (11.2") and there's 40mm clearance from top of spring height to the floor pan.
The internal diameter of the standard springs was also 140mm - apparently with some springs it can be reduced causing problems. I wouldn't be surprised. The crap Ironman springs I had in for 2 weeks had really thick wire which would have to reduce inside diameter.
Firestone wouldn't cross reference the Australian part numbers, but he would tell me that the part number for a spare airbag for a 4129 is a 6010, which in their application guide states is a 5.5" dia bag, 11" tall.
The tech support guy did acknowledge that with my measurements the 6010 would be the appropriate airbag with hardware in the 4129 kit.
www.Truckspring.com quoted about $155 inc postage to Australia. (but they are out of stock for a fortnight.)
www.4wheelparts.com have the 4129 kit for US$78.99 (on special at present) & they are getting back to me with a postage quote.
Given that the average online price in Oz seems to be around $330 (spread between $315 & $345) I reckon I'll get a pair.
Of course if I got two pair even with postage I could sell a pair for less than the Australian suppliers on ebay and get mine for free. That's just ridiculous.
Before the inevitable "you should buy it here" thread starts, I'm all for supporting an Aussie supplier but I'm sorry. When you can buy 4 of exactly the same thing in the US for the retail figure in Australia there's a price issue with the local stock. I've worked in the import industry in electronic components so I have more than a little bit of an idea about bulk freight costs & adding taxes & margin.
Warranty support doesn't even come into it, I can afford to buy 3 or 4 spare airbags and still break even.
Dave
PS. To the pedant who dobbed me in to the moderator for "advertising my website in my signature" blind freddie could have worked out I don't own geocaching.com if they'd had a look at it. If I owned geocaching.com I'd be living the high life, I'd be a rich american named Jeremy & I wouldn't be quibbling over a few hundred hard earned. Before you dob people in, at least make sure they are actually doing something wrong.
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