Schaeffler REPXPERT visits Rayment’s Garage in Great Shelford to provide a one-to-one training session.
Schaeffler’s stated long-term aim is to equip the independent sector with the original equipment replacement parts it needs, plus the technical information and support required to fit them with confidence. This can be seen through its presence at training events such as Autoinform Live and REPXPERT Academy Live, relaunched at the beginning of Summer in Bridgend, as well as the online ‘Tea-break’ training sessions developed during lockdown.
The events hosted by the company are supplemented by training workshops on behalf of its distribution partners, as well as independent garage visits, such as one recent trip to Rayment’s Garage near Cambridge, where the REPXPERT team provided a one-on-one session for the staff.
“Although presenting our comprehensive training sessions at large events with lots of attendees is absolutely vital, it’s also great for us to take the opportunity to visit single-site businesses, such as John Rayment’s workshop in rural Cambridgeshire,” explains technical manager, Alistair Mason. “After an initial introduction to Schaeffler and its products and services, we move on to the more product and technical specific information that’s required to tackle work with confidence and, in this instance, it was LuK double clutch technology that was the primary focus of the training.
“Although John has only had to turn away work on a double clutch system once, he is an astute garage owner and very aware that the number of vehicles using double clutch gearboxes is growing rapidly, so being able to work on these vehicles is an important profit-making opportunity which could help to futureproof his business.”
The REPXPERT team is familiar with all the current variations of the double clutch gearbox, so the first real technical element of the training was to explain the principle of the system, because understanding the basic operation of the system can be a great help when going through the preparation and dismantling process before carrying out an actual replacement.
This was followed by a live clutch replacement demonstration, installing a LuK RepSet 2CT repair kit into a DQ381 wet double clutch gearbox from a VW Golf R.
Thanks to the minicam, projector and screen, John and his entire team could watch everything from their seats, allowing them to see right down in the system to understand where the various shims and snap rings are located and how they should be removed.
Once Alistair had demonstrated the clutch removal, he then went through the replacement process, including the vital measurement of the replacement shims that ensures the correct amount of free play between the clutch and the input shafts, all to a very precise VM specification that can be found on REPXPERT.
The clutch removal and replacement demonstration was followed by a discussion concerning gearbox renovation, and the potential opportunities that undertaking this work in-house using LuK GearBOX repair kits can provide. Each kit has been specially developed to repair specific, high wear applications and contains all the parts necessary to carry out a complete gearbox overhaul.
The morning session was rounded off with a detailed presentation of current belt drive system technology, as INA are the ‘Engine Experts’, with a particular focus on oval pulleys that, in common with Overrunning Alternator Pulleys (OAPs), are designed to minimise belt ‘slap’, caused by the vibrations inherent in smaller capacity engines.
Catch up
After a break for lunch, the Rayment’s team got hands-on and had a go at dry double clutch replacements for themselves, under Alistair’s instruction. Schaeffler’s Tony Yates took this opportunity to have a chat with John and hear his views on the market, the future and his feedback of the support extended by Schaeffler and the REPXPERT team.
When asked how he saw the aftermarket developing in the next few years, John gave a reply which probably sums up what many people in his position are thinking: “Hopefully, not too much!” Of course, whilst a leap into the unknowns of EVs and driverless cars is one thing, John is looking forward to other, hopefully imminent, changes: “At the moment there are certainly supply issues, but I hope that’s a temporary problem, as the aftermarket is my lifeblood and people need choice when it comes to vehicle service and repair, and I can’t see that changing too much.”
None of this is to say John is burying his head in the sand when it comes to electric technology, in fact he has been preparing for it, as he told Tony: “I have been on an EV training course to get an overview of the issues, but my feeling is that things aren’t going to change as much as the gloom merchants do. For example, I think there’ll be a massive buy up of vehicles with combustion engines as the cut off for all electric vehicle sales comes in, and they’ll be in the aftermarket for the following 10 years, so there’s still a good future for petrol and diesel engines. However, we will keep looking at EV training and will invest in the tools needed to work on them, because ultimately, that’s where things are going.”
Whilst EV training might be one way to adapt to the future, John’s business plan so far has been decidedly more down-to-earth and simple. When asked what the secret to the workshop’s 50+ years of success was, he said: “We hopefully make our customers feel wanted and that we’re approachable, that we are somewhere they can comfortably leave their car and with people who will listen to them and understand and help to explain things clearly if they’re unsure. I think it’s working because we do have many long-term customers, in fact we still have two that were with us when my dad started the business in 1970!”
As the training drew to a close, John reflected on the day and was clearly appreciative of the experience. “I’d just like to thank Schaeffler and the REPXPERT team for giving us the opportunity to host them and for giving us so much good advice, demonstrating the tools and products and showing us how we can move forward and tackle this type of work with confidence.”
