Patch Panels , is this the new norm ?

[cheby267]

I've installed lots of patch panels over the years , but these have really lowered the bar . I ordered these panels , a upper wheel arch and a lower rear panel for a 72 bedside , directly from AMD as I have had good luck with their panels in the past . They are Tri-Plus brand and have so many issues that the only use for them is to cut out individual patches to use in the original bedside , sure can't use them as a panel . The main two issues , besides the general shape doesn't match the original sheetmetal , are the complete absence of any definition in the shape where the lower panel curves around the rear of the bedside , and the width of the arch all the way around the wheel opening is 1/8 to 1/4" narrower than the bedside . My first reaction was to send them back , but don't know if another part would be any better and these took 21 days to get ....... so , I guess I'll just start slicing and dicing !

[TALLone71]

I had received one a while back, just like the lower rear corner that you have pictured, and also a front fender bottom, that was just as absent in shape, from a different vendor, so it must be either a bad batch, or maybe that's the new trend, I wound up cutting and splicing, I too have used a bunch of various patch panels over the years, with mixed results, more recently...on a set of rocker panels I did, the driver side was perfectly shaped out of the box, and the passenger that was shipped with it was terrible, not even close, fortunately I had another passenger one tucked away in storage

[RustyPile]

I'd be sending that chit back.. It will take a consorted effort, but if we (the public) quit accepting poor quality products, the quality will get better.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by RustyPile

I'd be sending that chit back.. It will take a consorted effort, but if we (the public) quit accepting poor quality products, the quality will get better.

Yeah, if the distributor/producer over here can manage any control over the actually manufacturer way over there. They know they can get away with stuffing a container with 'whatever' parts half way around the planet. If only they cared as much as we do.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by special-K

Yeah, if the distributor/producer over here can manage any control over the actually manufacturer way over there. They know they can get away with stuffing a container with 'whatever' parts half way around the planet. If only they cared as much as we do.

Yeah the distributors can gain control IF they put forth the effort.. What's happening now is when the product is returned, the vendor simply puts it back on the shelf and keeps "reselling" it until some poor smuck accepts it.

Look at it this way. We should return items of poor quality, refuse to compromise. When the distributor/vendor keeps losing sales and getting items returned because of poor quality, the distributor should "ball up" and tell the manufacturer no more items will be bought from them until they (the manufacturer) improves their product quality. It happened to Japan with their automobile industry. They are now one of the world leaders in that field.

[Peanut74]

Yes, these subpar parts are the new norm. If they would just fix the tooling and not continue to run parts off these washed out dies everything would be fine. But unfortunately that will never happen.

[burnin oil]

I agree with the sediment but there is one giant flaw here. Almost all, if not all, parts come from the same manufacturer and it doesn't matter who's names on the box. We can deny it but the common company in China will just stop producing them for lack of sales. Until we have a second stamper we are at their will. Let's face it, if you are on here looking for parts, how many of those panels are really being sold? This is the reality since there are only so many NOS parts to be found. I remember the days of going to the boneyard and being able to find 17 different 55-57 chevys and 100 different 73-87 trucks in the yard. Unfortunately time marches on and every day we make do with less. Are the quality of parts going down hill? YES. We just have to deal with it it. Prime example, 10 years ago I payed extra for a 3 bolt Delco starter. It shows up and the nose cone is missing machined and only 2 bolts work. We deal with it until someone has the capital to argue with Chinese casting/stamping.

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

I agree with the sediment but there is one giant flaw here. Almost all, if not all, parts come from the same manufacturer and it doesn't matter who's names on the box. We can deny it but the common company in China will just stop producing them for lack of sales. Until we have a second stamper we are at their will. Let's face it, if you are on here looking for parts, how many of those panels are really being sold? This is the reality since there are only so many NOS parts to be found. I remember the days of going to the boneyard and being able to find 17 different 55-57 chevys and 100 different 73-87 trucks in the yard. Unfortunately time marches on and every day we make do with less. Are the quality of parts going down hill? YES. We just have to deal with it it. Prime example, 10 years ago I payed extra for a 3 bolt Delco starter. It shows up and the nose cone is missing machined and only 2 bolts work. We deal with it until someone has the capital to argue with Chinese casting/stamping.

I agree with your version more than others.

Not a good thing to admit, but it's more than likely the reality.