w hat ’ s th e B u z z ?
New MEYLE-HD control arm bushing for Ford and Volvo models
New registration statistics show that Ford
and Volvo models are enjoying greater
popularity among car drivers. To allow car
owners to continue enjoying their driving
experience, Wulf Gaertner Autoparts has
recently added new solutions to its range
of MEYLE-HD full-rubber control arm
bushings to fit the Ford C-Max I, Focus
C-Max, Focus II, Ford Kuga and the
Volvo C70 II, S40 II / V50. With the latest
additions independent workshops are
able to offer value-added repair services
for an ever wider array of vehicle makes.
“Unlike their OE counterparts, the MEYLE
bushings are made from steel and highgrade natural rubber, dispensing with any
fluid”, says Sven Nielsen, technical director
at Wulf Gaertner Autoparts. “Because of
the bushings’ major influence on driving
comfort, many OE parts feature a relatively
flexible hydro bushing – at the expense of
durability, as heavy load resulting from
hitting a pothole or emergency braking, for
example, can pre-damage the bushings,
eventually causing them to spring a leak”,
Nielsen continues. The loss of fluid will
affect the part’s stiffness characteristics
with a detrimental effect on steering
precision, which can result in a variety
of possible consequences, including
unresponsive steering, brake judder and
reduced driving comfort – all of which
require immediate action. As the new
MEYLE-HD bushing does not require any
fluid there is no risk of premature failure
due to leaks. It may be damaged, however,
as a result of improper installation.
Lead acid batteries – a recycling success story
When you think of the most commonly
recycled products in the world, things like
cans, glass and newspaper might spring
to mind.
However, it is a little known fact that
something as seemingly unrecyclable as
a lead acid battery is actually among the
most recycled products globally. Managing
director of First National Battery, Russell
Bezuidenhout says, “In South Africa, more
than 90% of scrap lead acid batteries are
recycled. That’s compared to just 70%
of beverage cans, 30% of plastics and
just 26% of glass bottles.” This high rate
of recycling is primarily due to the efforts
of battery manufacturers that invest in
collecting and properly recycling lead
acid batteries across the country. This
year, First National Battery established
a dedicated recycling division, Scrap
Battery, to facilitate this process. Scrap
Battery collects used lead acid batteries
from over 120 Battery Centre outlets and
other pick up points around the country
on a regular basis. The organisation also
offers a free collection service for high
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volumes of used lead acid batteries
and pays a highly competitive rate for
this scrap. “There are many compelling
reasons for recycling lead acid batteries
including the conservation of natural
resources, saving energy in the production
process, protecting the environment from
potentially harmful chemicals and creating
jobs in the process,” says Bezuidenhout.
Coinciding with the launch of Scrap
Battery, a new interactive website www.
scrapbattery.co.za has been launched to
bring the battery recycling process to life.
“Most people have no idea what happens
to their car battery after it is replaced,”
says Bezuidenhout. “The new website
serves as both an educational platform
and awareness tool.” To find out exactly
where to drop off your used lead acid
battery or to see if you are eligible for free
collection service, call Scrap Battery tollfree on 0800 333 462.