Guinea Pig - KMT 15% Reduction pulley

[MAFFA]

Okay so i'm never one to follow the norm & I like to try stuff out. Especially if it can save you a few quid on the way.

Whilst searching the internet I found the KMT 15% reduction pulley that is supplied by Kavs Motorsport in Slovenia:

Products*-*KavS Motorsport Mini Tuning

This pulley is £40...yes £40 including delivery!!!

I'm sure you'll agree that it bears quite a resemblance to the m7 16% pulley that is selling for £80 before delivery.

I'll let you know what the story is when it arrives. If it looks bad quality i'll just sell it on but if not then I could have potentially saved myself about £50!

Cheers

MAFFA

[Paul_Devon]

I was thinking about getting one of these but the seller said he didnt have the reduced size belt. What did you do about the belt? Please let me know how you get on as I will order mine depending on your outcome.

Thanks

[DaFlake]

The belt can be any vendor and does not need to come from the selling vendor. Also, there are many using a stock belt with a 15%. I recommed a reduced belt but the stock runners are out there.

As for the pulley... I would be cautious and inspect it carefully. You may be saving a few quid for the pulley but if it spins and chews up the SC shaft, you might be forced to replace the SC. Just not worth it in my opinion.

[MAFFA]

DaFlake - I understand where you're coming from and I will definately be inspecting the pulley carefully. I definately don't want to chew up the supercharger.

On the other hand i'm definately one for trying alternatives to modification. Without someone trying these things then they will never gain any respect in our marketplace and we will be forced to continue paying over the odds for exactly the same product...if of course it is basically the same.

As an example when I had my Impreza I was one of the first to try & test a front mount intercooler found on ebay for less than £200. People said it was crazy at the time but within a few months everyone had to have one as it worked as well as a £1000 alternative I think in the end I gained a reliable 50% power increase for less than 1/4 cost other people paid

I just want to push the boundries & try stuff other people wont.

MAFFA

[MAFFA]

Oh & Paul i'll just be getting a pulley from somewhere else. MED do a Goodyear one for £15

[r1_kde]

Had a KMT pulley on my old celica which I put an M45 on and it was a direct copy of the alta model or any other on the market, it was within balance and was well manufactured. I had no problems with it.

[MAFFA]

That's good to hear

Well if it turns out to be good then I will be confused why anyone would pay £80 upwards for one?

MAFFA

[r1_kde]

for a brand and the fact that it is not produced in a non EU country.

[NeuroBeaker]

Quote: Originally Posted by r1_kde (original)

for a brand and the fact that it is not produced in a non EU country.

Does that actually matter?

Providing the parts stand up to the same technical specifications, tolerances, etc... brand is purely for posers, rather than drivers.

[r1_kde]

from a tolerance point of view and roundness the part is ok, though I am sure that if you investigate the grade of material used, while it is sufficient the grade may be lower. Also consider the fact that material supply in the USA and UK is alot more per ton.

You recieve the component in a RAW finish, though it could be zinc plate and passivation apposed to a powder coat as offered by other suppliers. The grade of bolt supplied is non marked and may therefore not be a BS / ISO standard bolt, again this may be tested but not confirmed to a standard which could indicate a lower grade.

Infact the one I recieved a few years ago from them was finished in a very cost effective gold passivation which would eventually ware and leave a raw steel which would rust... same can be said for the more expensive.

So the comparason could be the following:

lower grade and cost steel, vs medium grade steel or stainless
lower quality gold passivation finish, vs powdercoat
lower grade, non bs iso bolts, vs graded bolts
No known brand, vs branding and come back
lower staff costs and overheads, vs higher and tax

I think thats the differance

[MAFFA]

Quote: Originally Posted by r1_kde (original)

So the comparason could be the following:

lower grade and cost steel, vs medium grade steel or stainless
lower quality gold passivation finish, vs powdercoat
lower grade, non bs iso bolts, vs graded bolts
No known brand, vs branding and come back
lower staff costs and overheads, vs higher and tax

I think thats the differance

I suppose without proper scientific tests you'll just never know. I personally believe that a lot is to do with branding & mark-up & that the quality difference of a lot of these products is minimal. What people are prepared to pay in the UK & US for a brand is lot higher than that of Slovenia i'm sure. Plus i'm sure they are already just piggybacking off the market research that has already been done in this area so they don't have as much in the way of costs to claw back by elevated prices.

These again are just guesses

MAFFA

[patsf1]

well said maffa i like risk . i dont want too cause offence to anyone but i think people who critisize the product you are trying are scared for the big brand manufacturers losing business, which means less money for those guys. if thats the case anyone who is willing and takes their free time to make a performance part at a lower cost and works, they should get a piece of the action. more importantly if one company can charge a lower price why are all the other companys ripping us off?? its that simple you know what people say..... money talks and it does in this forum.. just an opinion not trying to cause offence!!!!!

[r1_kde]

Well being the only one here to have actually used them I can clearly provide the evidence that it worked, though being a senior design engineer I have also looked at the product in detail and my findings for the cost reduction are in line with the product. it is a lower cost based product through materials and finish.

I fully agree with the fact that others are charging more but this is the way with everything in the world, hence items from china are lower cost than here - most materials I spec from china always seam to be of a lower grade unless we state BS or an ISO.

Try this one, support your country and pay a little extra to keep some here in a job... dont buy the copy buy the original. (my niggle)

If you want to know the actual cost to produce the pulley drop a post and I will get it quoted in the UK and some easten country and show you the "real" cost

[MAFFA]

Clearly a Hornets nest has been stirred here

No actually I don't think anyone (which on forums makes a nice change) is actually taking offence, getting on their high horse etc...etc... and are actually just freely voicing an opinion.

At the end of the day I don't think anyone is wrong or anyone is right as at the end of the day it's all down to personal preference.

I would like to ask one thing though. You say that we should buy items in this country to support our local workforce but as far as i can see a lot of these pulleys are made in the USA & are just sold by a UK outlet. If the Slovenian pulley's had a UK supplier & I bought it from them would that make it okay? And not to mention the amount of Mini parts that are imported from the USA direct.

MAFFA

[r1_kde]

Yeah I know what your saying about the import of products and I was not aiming it fully at the pulleys as you are very correct about most tuning parts being out of the UK.

I am not trying to stir anything up and I think its probably my engineering background that makes me want everything to be uk based. I think as a country heading for a london (finance) rescession it is important where possible to support the UK. that being said, we need to buy our tuning products too. it would be nice to see a UK member adding a proffit to the pulley but then it would not be low cost to us. sings and round abouts.

to be honist everyone is open to sell over the market and chase competition. keeping it on topic and with a brief explanation, I have had one of the pullies and had no problems with it in the past, it is a direct copy of leading brands and cost has been taken from material and finishes of the product, though my experience would lead me to state "after 5 years the products will look almost identical"

I would adivse if you take the pulley you use lock tight as I had the bolts start to come loose after 5k miles.

All I suppose I need to say is I have told you the product is good and why it is a lower cost now its your discression to choose a UK, USA or Slovenian product, bearing in mind that ultimatley it is not a widely known brand and it will stand out at any service being gold passivation

I hope this helps, if you get one then put a review of the product on for others