Arnott Suspension is arguing that when it comes to suspension, you need to choose wisely.
Not all parts are created with the same research, standards, and quality when it comes to suspension. Vehicle owners and mechanics have three primary options when replacing suspension components:
■ Original Equipment (OE) parts
■ Premium aftermarket parts like Arnott
■ Low-quality or counterfeit parts
Which option delivers the right value? Let’s break it down by performance, durability and cost-efficiency.
OE suspension parts: OE parts are designed and manufactured by the original vehicle manufacturer or suppliers. These parts are built to precise specifications and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet performance and safety standards. However, due to branding and dealership markups, OE parts often come with high costs.
Low-quality aftermarket parts: While OE parts are reliable and designed to meet initial vehicle requirements, real-world usage over time can expose issues that were not apparent during development. Once in production, manufacturers rarely optimise these parts, leaving potential weaknesses or limitations unaddressed.
Low-quality or counterfeit suspension suppliers often replicate OE designs but use inferior materials, lack proper quality control, and skip essential testing steps or certification. By purely copying OE parts, these components also inherit the same potential weaknesses.
The imitation of OE designs can make low-quality parts harder to spot. However, there are several red flags to watch for, such as poor-quality rubber, missing or incorrect serial numbers, lack of certification, unauthorised sellers, unusually low prices, no brand background information, poor reviews, or inconsistencies in packaging or labelling. Purchasing low-quality aftermarket suspension parts isn’t just a financial gamble, it poses a serious risk to drivers, customers, and your business. Some of the risks include:
■ Premature failure: Leaving vehicles stranded in the best case and creating serious safety hazards when a part fails whilst driving.
■ Poor ride quality: Resulting in discomfort, instability, and unpredictable handling.
■ Increased wear on other components: Leading to a chain reaction of costly repairs and higher long-term expenses.
■ Legal and liability risks: No customer support plus potential damage to your business reputation.
Premium aftermarket parts: Arnott offers a smarter approach with premium aftermarket solutions that not only match but often exceed the performance of OE parts, all while being more competitively priced. With a catalogue of over 800 high-quality suspension products covering nearly 600 vehicle models across 40+ brands, Arnott offers the most comprehensive suspension solutions on the market, covering more than 90 per cent of air-equipped vehicles.
Our engineers analyse OE designs in-depth, identifying failure points and opportunities for improvement. Using advanced 3D mechanical design software and high-end 3D printing, we create prototypes that undergo rigorous real-world testing on company-owned vehicles. Every component is put through thousands of test miles to ensure unmatched quality and durability.
Once a part passes every test and meets our high standards, we manufacture it using premium materials – including aircraft-grade aluminium, heavy-duty crimping rings, improved seals, premium-brand rubber air sleeves, and polyurethane bump stops. Arnott’s quality and production processes are TÜV and ISO certified, ensuring superior performance and reliability.
Let’s take a look at some examples of Arnott’s optimised OE designs.
Arnott’s (A-2724) redesigned rear air spring for Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211/S211) and Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (C219)
Eliminates the OE reservoir: Arnott’s innovative design eliminates the OE air reservoir by integrating its functionality within the air spring itself. In the OE design, replacing a faulty air spring requires disassembling and lowering the entire subframe to loosen the reservoir bolts – a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. With Arnott’s solution, this complex disassembly is no longer necessary, saving mechanics up to seven hours of labour.
Stronger, more reliable lower mount: The OE air spring’s eye mount is delicate and requires precise alignment with the rear axle using special tools. If not installed correctly, the mount can tear off during operation. Arnott addresses this with a solid metal lower mount that is much stronger and incorporates the correct installation angle into the design. This guarantees easy, error-free installation and helps prevent costly failures.
Arnott’s (A-2780) Redesigned Rear Air Spring for BMW 5- Series (F07, F11)
Arnott’s rear air spring for the BMW 5- Series (F07, F11) is engineered to exceed OE standards for quality, reliability, and performance. The OE design includes a top folding edge and umbrella cover that traps dirt over time – leading to increased leak risk and reduced lifespan. Arnott has removed the rolling piston with a seamless design, making the dust cap redundant while maintaining OE-level ride comfort. This redesign reduces the likelihood of leaks and extends product longevity.
While OE parts offer quality and lowquality aftermarket suspension parts provide cost-efficiency, Arnott delivers both: premium suspension solutions that go the extra mile without breaking the bank.
