OEM VS Aftermarket Heavy-Duty Truck Parts

OEM VS Aftermarket Heavy-Duty Truck Parts

Your truck is due for some general maintenance you are willing to do yourself and you pull in to one of the Jackson Group Peterbilt stores for parts.  You are looking for filters an air dryer.  The parts guy looks your truck up by VIN number and give you the all-too-famous question.  Aftermarket or OEM?

Benefits of OEM Heavy-duty Truck Parts

We will start with the benefits of ordering OEM heavy-duty truck parts.  Firstly, when you purchase an OEM truck part you can be sure you are getting the right part for the application and that it will fit.  These parts are made specifically for that truck and have patents protecting their design and fit.  Generally speaking, with OEM parts you will find there is a consistency in part quality that you can't find with aftermarket parts.

The other benefit is when purchasing parts that normally use a branded logo.  OEM will have a bright, shiny, great-looking logo.  Normally the aftermarket parts will look similar in appearance, but will have a plain-looking finish where logos would normally be found.

Disadvantages of OEM Heavy-Duty Truck Parts

The only major complaint we get from customers about the OEM truck parts is pricing and sometimes selection.  Since the manufacturers spend a lot of time and money on creating their parts and patenting those products, they pass those expenses on to the customers.  Since aftermarket parts are re-engineered from the OEM parts, they are able to make them at a much lower cost.  When referring to body parts and lighting, aftermarket often offers a larger selection of parts and designs.

Benefits of Aftermarket Heavy-Duty Truck Parts

As I think all of us know, price is the biggest advantage of aftermarket truck parts.  You can often get a part that is comparable for a fraction of the OEM price.  If you are careful with the manufacturer, you can also find some aftermarket truck parts that are better quality than OEM.  There are a couple of specific companies that come to mind.  Atro Engineering makes extremely high quality poly bushing for a number of applications that work much better than traditional rubber bushings.  Another good example is replacing your OEM shocks with Monroe Shocks.  As mentioned above, lighting is somewhere you can get good quality, aftermarket parts at a better price.  They even offer a much bigger selection than OEM applications as well.

Disadvantages of Aftermarket Heavy-Duty Truck Parts

There are two major reasons why people prefer OEM parts over aftermarket parts.  Firstly, is how the parts fit.  It often occurs that in order to get around patent infringement, the aftermarket-parts manufacturers have to make subtle changes to the design.  Often times these changes make it hard for them to have an exact fit.  Generally speaking mechanics can make them work, but sometimes it is a bit of a struggle.  A couple aftermarket truck parts we have seen problems with in the past are wheel nuts and shifter knobs.  This isn't too say they are all bad, but those are a couple of select parts we have had with specific companies.

The second major issue with aftermarket truck parts is the consistency of quality.  More often than not, companies that make aftermarket parts have them manufactured over seas in order to save costs.  The quality control portions of these businesses are often not as stringent as companies who directly manufacture their parts.

Conclusion

When making the decision between OEM and aftermarket OEM truck parts, it's always best to consult with a parts specialist.  They generally have a lot of experience with both brands and can consult you on the pros and cons of each.  Jackson Group Peterbilt's parts specialists are highly trained and experienced in finding every part your need to repair your truck.  They also have a full selection of parts you can order online and have delivered directly to your home.