From Knuckle and Hub Assemblies to CV Axles, Ride Control and Steering, there’s a solution for service centres and their customers.
With the North American vehicle fleet continuing to age, and consumers dialing back spending in the wake of higher prices for goods and services, including vehicles, more motorists are choosing to hold onto their existing cars and trucks instead of trading them in on replacements.
This represents good news for the automotive aftermarket, since it provides greater opportunity for service and parts replacement. Yet in order for service providers and parts manufacturers to gain an advantage amid current market conditions, access to good quality and easy to install components becomes essential.
Saving labour time
At GSP North America, which provides driveline and suspension components for the aftermarket, quality, durability and saving valuable labour time are an essential ingredient when it comes to the company’s continued focus on replacement parts. GSP’s Knuckle Hub assemblies are a good example, having been consistently popular sellers for aftermarket service centres.
According to Robert Murgado, Director of Product, Americas, for GSP North America, a key factor is because, not only are they manufactured in-house with precision equipment, they also come as complete assemblies—consisting of the wheel hub, bearing and knuckle—all pre-pressed for added convenience. Murgardo notes that GSP’s innovative approach to design and engineering, “simplifies a complex repair process, providing installers with pre-assembled replacements and saving valuable labour time while turning the vehicle faster.”
Designed for Canadian requirements
Besides Knuckle Hub assemblies, GSP has also carved out a deserved reputation in providing quality CV axles, in Standard, Xtreem Duty (XD) and Xtreem Duty Plus (XDP) versions. Murgado explains that due to invaluable feedback from customers, GSP has designed CV axles specifically with harsh Canadian operating requirements in mind.
“In the Northern and Western regions of Canada, where rugged terrain and extreme temperatures as low as -50°C prevail, we recognized the need for enhanced durability,” says Murgado. He notes that in these kinds of conditions, standard CV axles can fail due to the grease’s inability to liquify rapidly enough at such cold temperatures. As a result, it places extra stress on Constant Velocity joints, causing them to fail prematurely. GSP’s solution was to engineer improvements to the grease and coating, as well as the clamps and CV boots to increase durability and protection at colder temperatures. “These enhancements were meticulously crafted to excel in extreme environments, with a pivotal focus on developing a lower drop point grease to mitigate the impact at -50°C,” Murgado explains.
Lifted vehicle solutions
These Extreme Duty CV axles have been further complemented by GSP’s Extreme Duty Plus or “Lifted Truck Axles.” These are designed to mitigate the effects of altered suspension geometry caused by installing lift kits on 4×4 pickups and SUVs. The Extreme Duty Plus CV axles incorporate a plunging bar centre design as well as 8-ball inner and outer CV joints. Designed for vehicles with lifts from 2 to 4-inches, their configuration is aimed at minimizing negative effects of CV axles operating at high articulation, due to suspension geometry that’s changed significantly from the original OEM parameters.
Murgado says that these Extreme Duty and Extreme Duty Plus CV axles are now available for all late-model truck applications, providing service centres, technicians, and their customers with a wide range of options in the Canadian marketplace.
In addition to Standard, Extreme Duty and Extreme Duty Plus CV axles, GSP also has its line of Performance Revolution Axles aimed at late-model luxury import vehicles whose owners demand top-tier performance. “These axles adhere strictly to OE design standards,” explains Murgado, “while incorporating our premium-quality clamp, boot, and grease.” Performance Revolution Axles are designed to provide customers a superior alternative to standard aftermarket products, without compromising on value compared to the Original Equipment axles installed on these vehicles.
Complete coverage
With its wide range of CV axle solutions, GSP North America is able to cover 95% of all Vehicles in Operation (VIO). “This means we can cater to 99.86% of [aftermarket] industry demand,” Murgado says, “and maintain an industry-leading catalogue driven by Original Equipment (OE) standards.” Additionally, Murgado notes that GSP is able to offer exceptional service for its customers, from both its two North American distribution centres, as well as its production and warehousing locations, due to a 95% plus fill rate. “Our customers expect nothing less than excellence across the board,” states Murgardo.
This all ties into GSP’s Complete Undercar Solution, which encompasses CV Axles, Wheel Hub and Bearing Assemblies, as well as Propshafts, Steering, Suspension and Ride Control components. “Our goal is to become the leading supplier of undercar products worldwide,” explains Murgado. That’s why the Complete Undercar Solution initiative is designed to provide customers with a holistic program that offers reduced minimum freight requirements, as well as the ability to mix and match products and quantities. All of this, says Murgado, comes with a GSP stamp of quality, ensuring that customers are getting a solid product that provides exceptional value at every stage, including manufacturing, shipping, installation and in-service performance.
