[kapilamuni]

Hi guys,

I purchased a set of airbags from popular seller Is....4x4 and here are few pictures what I got.


Dunlop trade mark there with 'Made in ENGLAND' but name 'DUNLOP' missing.
I have adoubt about it being not genuine though the seller claims its genuine Dunlop.

 

[Rowant]

Hello. I think that the Dunlop trade mark symbol tells you that it is a genuine Dunlop item. Maybe the full name is omitted for manufacturing reasons.
Personally I trust this seller to be up-front and honest and you can accept that you have received genuine Dunlop airbags.

Regards Rowan

 

[ice-tray]

The ‘D’ logo is Dunlop’s trademark. Those are the real deal.

 

[Atticus]

My car came with one Firestone and one Arnott up the front. I replaced them with Chinese ones. Never again!

The originals were both fine anyway. I will buy one more second hand Firestone from my wrecker and test them out.

My question is: Are the Firestone ones original equipment; just another version of original - that is, not Dunlop?

Tom

 

[dave3d]

I can see the Dunlop logo so they must be genuine. There is a law called the Trades Description Act in the UK. It means that items must be exactly as described or it is breaking the law. The penalties are pretty severe. One man businesses on Ebay run from a back bedroom seem to get away with it, but a big established business with a name will not deliberately pass off fake items. The law will catch up with them and they will be doing jail time.

 

[kapilamuni]

I still doubt it.
1.Dunlop name is part of the logo with D, not only the D. (this is a common tric used by fake manufacturers)
2. Dunlop is now owned by Sumitomo and Goodyear. They use logo in full " D DUNLOP ". Even then to have the D only they got to have a new mould. What for?
3. Doubt they would manufacture an air spring for a niche market like P38.
4. After 2014 Dunlop does not manufacture tyres in ENGLAND let alone an air spring.
5. It came in a Eurospares bag not a Dunlop one. Any seller would happily sell it in a Dunlop bag.

Seller of course is the cheapest & quick in delivery but not always genuine.
Once he sold me a Hella starter motor for my P38 which the site said new, genuine part. But when I got it, its clearly marked remanufactured. On inquiry , they wanted me to return it. I couldn't do it as the shipping cost was higher than the total cost I paid in the first place. He sold me Terrafirma shockabsorbers, made in Taiwan even the rubber bush is painted.
A VC coupling said to be OEM came from Br..tpart.

Yet I buy from him as cheapest & quick delivery. Before ordering I usually check ebay fake prices with shipping.

 

[Richard_G]

They haven't come in Dunlop bags or boxes for at least 9 years now. Usually they come in a Britpart box as Britpart have the buying power to buy in bulk direct from Dunlop. Quite a lot of parts are being supplied through Eurospares these days but I have a feeling the parent company of Eurospares is the same company that now own Britpart.

 

[ice-tray]

I think island4x4 would be in serious trouble if caught selling knockoff Dunlop bags

 

[TheoR]

For replacements parts for an old vehicle like P38s, parts are often made now by non-original manufacturers. For the first 10 years when parts were originally designed with the development of the P38 and started rolling out of production, original parts suppliers were obligated to supply service parts. Beyond 10 years, typically, parts supply responsibilities are handed over to an outfit specialized in manufacturing service parts.

Typically, for service parts, manufacturing process is scaled down quite a bit so to make it economical to make parts in small batches. It's all very possible that a new mold/die is developed at this stage, altering the design slightly from the original design. I haven't looked into the ownership structure of outfits like Britpart/Allmakes, but I bet those outfit just license the name/design of parts design and logos, and manufacture the parts themselves. If design licensing is non-exclusive, it's also all very possible that some Chinese parts manufacturer licensed the Dunlop name, and making the parts cheaply in China. I've seen similar arrangements with Lucas Electric brand components.

 

[ice-tray]

They are stamped made in England with the Dunlop logo. Probably would be easy enough to call Dunlop for an answer on the subject.

 

[kapilamuni]

They are stamped made in England with the Dunlop logo. Probably would be easy enough to call Dunlop for an answer on the subject.

Word 'DUNLOP' alone is not the genuine Dunlop logo. It's with 'D' and 'DUNLOP' together makes the real logo.
If they don't manufacture tyres in ENGLAND would they manufacture this air spring? Even if they did, why drop a part of the logo? not possible.

I raised this because we all buying parts claim to be OEM, GENUINE but are not so.

 

[ice-tray]

Word 'DUNLOP' alone is not the genuine Dunlop logo. It's with 'D' and 'DUNLOP' together makes the real logo.
If they don't manufacture tyres in ENGLAND would they manufacture this air spring? Even if they did, why drop a part of the logo? not possible.

I raised this because we all buying parts claim to be OEM, GENUINE but are not so.

Other than getting a reman instead of a new alternator, nothing else you have mentions precludes the item from being OEM. Original equipment manufacturer, doesn’t mean that it will come in a LR bag. Many of the big companies you refer to package parts from the manufacturer, as Richard pointed out to you.

Also, the D on its own is also used by Dunlop from what I can see. I’m not sure why you think it has to have the word as well to be legit.

 

[TheoR]

Don't forget that molds/dies don't last forever. It's all very possible some aspect of the design changed with tooling refresh.

As for trademark/service marks, companies typically register a variety of designs. Different shape, different combination of logo/wording, color, font, etc. If you like, you can even search what kinds of trademark/service mark Dunlop, or its current trademark owner, has registered with the respective patent and trademark office.

My guess is that Dunlop brand air springs manufacturing originated in the UK, and the same operation(factory) has now splintered off and setup as a service parts manufacturer. Most likely, the operation is not Dunlop per se, but a licensed operation buying the rights to continue using the trademark/service mark of "Dunlop."

 

[TheoR]

One more thing I forgot to mention in the previous post is that Firestone is owned by Bridgestone. Has been for a very long time. No relation to Dunlop or Sumitomo.

If anything, I would hazard to guess that the Firestone brand air springs are total fakes.

 

[Richard_G]

When they were mentioned I thought the Firestone ones are likely to be copies, if they are even made by Firestone. Never seen them in the UK, just the real thing and Chinese knock offs. Maybe the Firestone branded ones aren't even made by Firestone?

 

[TheoR]

Here in the US, I haven't seen any Firestone brand ones, either, for P38 application. However, Firestone do make air springs. However, most of their offerings are for large commercial trucks and aftermarket trailer accessories for pickup trucks.

We have quite a few selections of knock-offs, along with Dunlop and Arnott option. I've recently installed a Chinese knock-off for $30. I was pleasantly surprised how well it's made. It's as well made, al least, to Arnott offerings from look of things.

 

[Richard_G]

Main problem I've found with the Chinese knock offs, is that they only have one O ring and not two so are almost impossible to get to seal on the pipe. You could probably try fitting a second O ring and they may be fine for a while.

 

[Atticus]

These have all the signs of genuine parts, or officially sanctioned clones. Strange how I could find no mention of Firestone air springs anywhere.

My Chinese springs don't leak (I think). My concern is with the harsh ride; I want to put the Firestones back to check the difference.

 

[TheoR]

That Firestone air spring sure looks legitimate. It probably is legitimate. "Airide" is an official Firestone owned trademark, btw. Firestone probably engaged in making replacement parts for P38s in the past, but probably pulled out of the market now due to the shrunken market size.

As for Dunlop air springs, I did further investigating. Dunlop is indeed manufacturing these components under a company called Dunlop Systems and Components out of Coventry, UK. If the OP cares to call them, their number is #02476 889 900. FYI, Dunlop Systems and Components do not engage in making tires. Their main business is producing air ride related components only.

About Dunlop air springs straight out of their website:

"About us

Dunlop Systems and Components was founded in 2007, following a management buyout of the Coventry-based vehicle suspensions division of previous owners Trelleborg AB. In the spring of 2014, the company moved to a new, purpose-built facility at Prologis Park in Coventry. This move ended a 95-year history at a nearby site in Holbrook Lane, Coventry."

So, Dunlop Systems and Components is probably an officially licensed manufacturer of Dunlop-named products. However, my guess is it has no relationship whatsoever with the tire producing side of Dunlop.

 

[Richard_G]

That Firestone looks more like a copy of the Arnott than a Dunlop. Dunlops don't have the metal ring around them.

Trelleborg did make tyres years ago (I used to use them on a motocross bike where they were highly regarded) but they also make a lot of rubber/metal bonded components like engine mounts and suspension bushes. Makes sense that a division of Dunlop concentrates on the suspension side as a separate entity to the tyre side of the Business.

In the same way that Border Holdings (UK) Ltd, is the parent company of Britpart but also own Allmakes who own Terrafirma.