Counterfeit parts rock South Africa’s trucking industry

A shadow looms over South Africa’s trucking sector, as a flood of counterfeit rocker, equaliser, and torque arm bushes threatens to unleash chaos on the roads. These substandard parts, masquerading as high-quality polyurethane components, pose a grave danger to truck operators and other road users alike, leading to catastrophic suspension failures and potentially devastating consequences.

Rob Russell, managing director of Polyflex Urethanes – the original pioneer of polyurethane suspension bushes – has sounded a dire warning to the industry. He reveals that while these counterfeit products are marketed as durable, cost-effective alternatives, they fail miserably to meet the stringent demands of mechanical suspension systems. 

“In recent times, it seems the strong demand for polyurethane bushes has caught the attention of syndicates that have begun flooding the market with counterfeit or similar-looking inferior products. In the worst instances, what we are seeing is not polyurethane at all. It is plasticised PVC, which looks similar to genuine polyurethane bushes but lacks the key properties required for dynamic applications demanded from truck suspensions,” Russell explains.  

“PVC is fine for gumboots or static applications, such as plumbing or electrical components, but it’s not designed to withstand the stresses of mechanical suspension systems,” he adds. 

The domino effect of failure 

The fallout from using counterfeit bushes can be staggering. Misalignment caused by failed bushes leads to accelerated tyre wear and rapid tyre degradation, while it also creates greater rolling resistance, increasing fuel costs. Furthermore, failed bushes cause expensive suspension damage, wreaking havoc on critical components like rocker pins, rocker boxes, springs, and even the truck’s chassis itself.

A single failure can cripple a truck, leading to staggering costs for cargo recovery and repairs. On South Africa’s vast road network – or worse, across borders where salvage operations become nearly impossible – these failures spell disaster for trucking operations.  

Small savings, massive costs

The consequences of choosing counterfeit parts are already being felt across the industry. Sergio Moreira, managing director of leading truck alignment specialist Rig-A-Line, has witnessed the damage first-hand. 

“We’re constantly having to carry out unnecessary and costly repairs to trailers because operators fall victim to these inferior bushes,” he laments. “The cheap products look so similar to the genuine ones that it’s very deceiving, especially for those untrained in recognising the difference between materials. Unfortunately, the materials used in the inferior items lack memory, load-bearing capabilities, and essential cut-and-tear properties needed for proper performance.” 

In contrast, genuine Polyflex bushes have stood the test of time, surviving South Africa’s harshest conditions for over three decades. “With millions of bushes successfully supplied to the market, there are no better bushes to protect your trailers,” asserts Russell.

Polyflex is urging consumers and distributors to exercise caution and to purchase bushes only from trusted suppliers. This vigilance is the only safeguard against counterfeit products that can undermine safety, destroy equipment, and drain resources. 

The lesson is clear: a small initial saving on subpar parts can snowball into enormous costs. For South Africa’s trucking industry, the choice between counterfeit and quality is a choice between ruin and resilience.