Yep, "Rolon" is DEFINITELY rubbish.

[Pippin]

I've just done some quick looking around and found that the Rolon crowd are based in India. However, their parent company is Reynold. see this.... http://www.renold.in/Products/Transmiss ... /Rolon.asp
Cheers,
Rob

In the light of the above, I contacted the Chief Executive of Renold plc, and this was his very prompt response:

"Renold is very proud of its quality, service and engineering and its hard won reputation is something that we continuously work to enhance. We are therefore very pleased to hear if anything is happening in the market that appears to reflect badly on us.

However Renold do not and have never made, or sold, Rolon branded automotive chain tensioners. The Rolon brand is owned by LGB of India and therefore the product people are having difficulty with is in all likelihood theirs.

Renold did make Renold branded automotive chain tensioners but we withdrew from the automotive market in 2006 and so any product with our name on it will be over 10 years old. Again just to be clear, that would not have been branded as Rolon.

I would very much like to understand where the connection is occurring in the market between Renold and Rolon branded chain tensioners so if you could help me understand that I would be very appreciative. We do however have issues with counterfeit products being sold under our name occasionally so if there are any Renold Rolon chain tensioners around we would very much like to have the details. If anyone can supply us with any information on such products I would be delighted to know so that we can investigate further.

I hope this helps you resolve your issues and if I or Renold can be of any further help please do let me know."

[Pippin]

So it appears that the manufacturers of the defective Rolon chain tensioners are: www.lgb.co.in/index.html

Anyone who's had a bad experience with these Rolon chain tensioners may wish to raise their concerns about this by email at: info@lgb.co.in

Alternatively, they may prefer to contact one or more of the following:

General Manager and Company Secretary Mr. M.Lakshmi Kanth Joshi - email: lk.joshi@lgb.co.in
Deputy Managing Director Mr. P. Prabakaran - email: p.prabakaran@lgb.co.in
Chairman Cum Managing Director Mr. B. Vijayakumar - email: b.vijayakumar@lgb.co.in (although this address is only my educated guess )

My suggestion would be to politely but clearly explain the problems you've had, why these premature failures aren't in line with the manufacturer's own quality aims - see www.lgb.co.in/quality.html - detail the consequences of the failures and ask them for their response. It may help to provide details of where the tensioner was purchased, attach photos of the failed item and any resultant damage, and provide details of any costs incurred to put this right.

[Sundowner]

My suggestion would be to politely but clearly explain the problems you've had, why these premature failures aren't in line with the manufacturer's own quality aims - see http://www.lgb.co.in/quality.html - detail the consequences of the failures and ask them for their response. It may help to provide details of where the tensioner was purchased, attach photos of the failed item and any resultant damage, and provide details of any costs incurred to put this right.

"Thank You" Pippin, for that information.
I've just done exactly as you suggested. All polite and well mannered. This was their response.

Dear Mr. Rob,
We have read your mail with huge concern and dismay.
The are well established tests after a stringent manufacturing process for rubber adherence to the metal surface.
However we shall look very deep into the whole process again .
Thank you for bringing this incident to our notice.
Regards,
P.Prabakaran

I am impressed with how quickly he answered me, considering it was 5.47 AM (in India) when he did.

Cheers,
Rob

[James467]

Hi all, I have already contacted Rolon and informed them of the issues, as have Rimmers and a lot of the major parts suppliers for our and other cars so they are fully aware of the issue.

This is a discussion that has been going on for a while now and whilst I appreciate everyone looking at this for us the club is very much on the case with this. I am currently looking for good source of quality replacement tensioners which will be available through the club soon.

I hope to be able to give everyone an update in the magazine shortly.

[GrahamFountain]

Seems I'm even more confused by there being two posts on the same point. However, I'm still confused about what the Renold plc CE said:

If Renold plc aren't connected with Rolon in anyway, what's this company info on the Renold India website mean?

"Renold plc and L. G. Balakrishnan & Bros (LGB) are pleased to announce the formation of a new Joint Venture company, Renold Chain India Pvt Ltd ("Renold India"), with effect from 12 September, 2008.

Renold India has acquired the assets and ongoing business activities of LGB's Industrial Chains Division (ICD). All key personnel associated with ICD have transferred to Renold India, and the new company will retain the Rolon brand name for all the industrial chain products formerly manufactured by LGB.

Renold plc is headquartered in the UK, and has been a leading global supplier of all types of industrial chain since it invented the bush roller chain in 1880. With 14 manufacturing locations around the world and sales representation in over 90 countries, this acquisition represents a further significant milestone in the Group's history. LGB has been manufacturing high quality chains for over 50 years, with equal dedication to excellence in product quality and customer service.

Renold India is therefore uniquely positioned to offer global experience and local expertise to meet the demands of the Indian market for technically superior products at competitive prices. In addition to the current range of high quality market leading chains produced by LGB, we will be adding a broad range of chain and power transmission products from the global operations of Renold Group that have not previously been available on the Indian market."

Graham

[Pippin]

I received the following prompt response from the CEO of Renold plc to my request for clarification:

"A little history may clear this up.

In 2008 Renold bought the industrial chain business of LGB in India. LGB as you may recall own and operate the Rolon brand and LGB kept all its automotive and motorcycle chain business which continues to operate under the Rolon name. LGB kept a small shareholding in the Renold India business but it is run and operated by Renold and integrated into our global supply chain operation. The industrial chain business operated under the Rolon name when it was bought but we transitioned it to Renold branded products and specifications. Therefore there was a brief time when you could buy Renold Rolon branded industrial chain in India only but that hasn't been the case for a considerable time. Renold does not have the right to use the Rolon name for any product in India or elsewhere.

I have looked at the link you sent me and whilst I can clearly see that it seems to be an old web page that I can access the Renold website from the reverse isn't true and I can't access the page from the Renold website. I need to talk to our IT team as to why this page still exists and where it sits as it should no longer be available to anyone. I will get it removed from whatever systems it is on.

I agree with your observation that this old page gives the impression that Rolon products are from Renold and so I can see where the confusion has arisen. I apologise for that.

I do thank you for raising the issue with me and I hope that I have cleared up any confusion. I will find the right contact at LGB and forward your issues to them so that they may be able to assist you further."

[xvivalve]

How about now you are on first name terms with the CEO, asking if he were able to arrange supply to the Club with a few dozen quality tensioners at wholesale price?

[AlanH]

Has anybody got a recommendation for 1850 ones?

[trackerjack]

I have a good original one in as new condition as some clown put it in a sprint engine that I refurbished (amongst other stupid actions).

[James467]

How about now you are on first name terms with the CEO, asking if he were able to arrange supply to the Club with a few dozen quality tensioners at wholesale price?

You beat me to it Alun!

[GrahamFountain]

I received the following prompt response from the CEO of Renold plc to my request for clarification:

"...I have looked at the link you sent me and whilst I can clearly see that it seems to be an old web page that I can access the Renold website from the reverse isn't true and I can't access the page from the Renold website. I need to talk to our IT team as to why this page still exists and where it sits as it should no longer be available to anyone. I will get it removed from whatever systems it is on.

I agree with your observation that this old page gives the impression that Rolon products are from Renold and so I can see where the confusion has arisen. I apologise for that.

I do thank you for raising the issue with me and I hope that I have cleared up any confusion. I will find the right contact at LGB and forward your issues to them so that they may be able to assist you further."

It's good to hear that the link between Rolon and Renold plc is not relevant to the subject. However, the problem is a bit more than a "web page", being an entire website for Renold India, all copyright dated 2016. So somebody's IT department is still supporting it.

Moreover, there really is a link from the Renold plc home page to the Renold India one, and thence to the one that Sundowner cited and the one I quoted from: If you go to http://www.Renold.com and click the world icon near the top right; then select India from the menu; it gets you to the Rrenold India home page - http://www.Renold.in. From there, the "Company Info" item on the pull-down under "Company" takes you to the page I quoted from. That's not a very direct link, but it is there, if you're a persistent bugger like what I am.

I also agree with Trackerjacks comment on the similar thread about some parts being grimmer than OE spec. I've been saying so for years, and censured more than once for being too specific about "[a] certain supplier in the east of UK". But perhaps we just shouldn't go there.

Graham

[Sundowner]

Graham,
"A certain supplier in the East of the UK"?
B*gger the censorship for being too specific....enlighten us (well, me especially).
Should you mean Rimmers, then Robsport, Wins and Quillers are all further east. So who should we (or I) avoid here? And why? (I've never dealt with Quiller, BTW.)

Should you feel the need to be discrete, please eMail me.

Being in a remote-ish part of the world, I rely on the interweb for nearly all of the information on these cars and I need all the help I can get. I've made a few mistakes in the past for lack of good information from 'educated" folk, eg: Rolon tensioners.

Cheers,
Rob

[AlanH]

Do these problems apply to the 1850 as well?

[Jon Tilson]

The "big supplier in the East" is generally the brothers R and not Robsport.

I only buy from them as a last resort and then NOS. Too much of their new stuff is iffy.

Quillers are crims. 10 foot bargepole applies.

Winns are generally ace and Robsport good folks too.

Jonners

[Sundowner]

The "big supplier in the East" is generally the brothers R and not Robsport.
I only buy from them as a last resort and then NOS. Too much of their new stuff is iffy.
Quillers are crims. 10 foot bargepole applies.
Winns are generally ace and Robsport good folks too.
Jonners

Thanks Jon.
Your advice is much appreciated.
When I bought my SPRINT, nearly 5 years ago, it had an R Bros. catalogue in amongst the papers that came with it. Almost automatically, I bought a few small items from them and all worked out OK. Ever since, I've been bombarded with their advertising, both electronic and postal, and consequently, I've bought quite a bit of stuff from them. Less so, lately.
Your remarks regarding Robsport and Wins, I agree with totally. Decent, no nonsense folk who have supplied me with quality parts.
I've also dealt with James Paddock, most dealings have been great, but one in particular, was awful.
Again, thanks for posting your views.
Cheers,
Rob