URO TB tensioner?

dieselherb1

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Location
Va.
TDI
06 MK5,09 Mk5 CR,03 Mk4,96,2-97 B4s,98 A3,2000 A4,4 Caddies( 2-1.6TD,1.6,TDI) Chevys 6.2,6.5,6.5TD
Anyone had any experience with URO TB tensioners good or bad?
 

0die

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Location
corpus christi, tx
TDI
1996 Passat wagon B4V
a lot of stuff is made in china...I got one but havn't installed yet...looks to be built ok but I'll be taking a closer look at it before I actually do use it.
 

shoebear

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2002
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
TDI
1998 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon, 2005 New Beetle, 2013 Sportwagen
I recently replaced my TB crank sprocket. I ordered what I thought was an OEM part, but it arrived in a plain white box marked "Made in China". So I placed a rush order with idparts to get a Febi German-made sprocket, and when it arrived, I saw that it was also "Made in China".

I've had a generally poor experience with Chinese Replacement Auto Parts, but there are exceptions, like the Febi part. My rule is that I try not to buy Chinese anything, but if a major European or American company is willing to put their brand on a Chinese-made part, I'll (grudgingly) accept the part.

However, Uro is not a major Western company. I think it's a Chinese company trying to break into the Western market using a name designed to make you think they are European -- kind of like "Lights of America" is a Chinese company named to make you think it's made in the USA (with an American flag on the box to boot). LoA makes cheap products of very inconsistent quality, but I have some of their stuff anyway, because it's no big deal if a bulb fails. But personally, I wouldn't use Uro (or LoA) for anything critical, like a timing belt part. Think about it -- a failure of any TB-related component will probably trash your valves and your head. Is it worth the risk to save 10-20 bucks?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I would only use a Litens. Uro is just a name, and chances are very good it is of poor quality. The parent company is APA Industries, and was largely a British car part source prior to 2004.

They are located in Sima Valley, CA and are a well-known importer of Chinese goods.
 
Last edited:

0die

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Location
corpus christi, tx
TDI
1996 Passat wagon B4V
the URO tensioner that I have has a plastic? outter pulley part. the old one was a metal roller. it this significant or do other brands use plastic on the part the belt rides on?
 

fixit13

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Location
Dawsonville, GA
TDI
96 and 97 Passat
Not worth it. Had a similar experience and send it all back and got the real deal. Yes I was down for the week but I just could not put in parts I did not feel comfortable with. And yes one of the new parts I received was also in a box .. just white and marked from China. I did not like it but I installed it. All good so far, but you have to feel comfortable with what you are installing and who you are buying your parts from. It's worth the extra $'s.
 

0die

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Location
corpus christi, tx
TDI
1996 Passat wagon B4V
well the URO tensioner has lasted 60K...so I guess it's time to replace the belt and tensioner...

not finding many sources or options on the tensioner anymore...

Autozone is now stocking the URO brand but AZ Autohaus dropped it and only lists the SKF...

Litens seems to have disappeared? Or am I looking in the wrong places? lol
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Not ever had any issues. The last Continental branded kit I got had a Litens tensioner included with it, exactly like always.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Worldpac, a wholesaler.

But I am sure that most all the vendors selling parts here can get the same thing.
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
The SKFs I have in the shelf have Litens tensioners in them. SKF makes the bearing portion, Litens makes the tensioner.

-Todd
 

0die

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Location
corpus christi, tx
TDI
1996 Passat wagon B4V
interesting...so if I buy either an "SKF" branded part or a "Litens" branded part they are really the same...I ;m the bearing and tensioner are essentially a single unit/part...it's just how the particular retailer is branding/marketing the item?
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Last time I bought tensioners I bought SKF and they were Litens in the box. In fact it might have been a conversation here that led me to buy them knowing that they would be Litens.

As for the post by Odie about the metal pulley I have to say I've never seen a TDI tensioner with metal pulley...ever. If you're talking about some other part post up a pic of what you're referencing.

My Mk3, bought in 2002 with 96k miles on it had it's TB replaced at 65k miles by the VW dealer and it was Litens branded with VW part number with plastic pulley.

I would not use URO unless there was no other option available.

I have been tempted to buy a Flennor branded tensioner and timing belt just to see what the quality is like. I bought Flennor branded belt rollers last time I bought stuff and they were really nice quality. So much so that I bought four more when they were clearanced.

Steve
 

0die

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Location
corpus christi, tx
TDI
1996 Passat wagon B4V
As for the post by Odie about the metal pulley I have to say I've never seen a TDI tensioner with metal pulley...ever. If you're talking about some other part post up a pic of what you're referencing.
Steve
That was from 2012...lol...

as for the "metal" part...my old tensioner was metal...but my car was also an early 1996 VIN# which came with the old IDI manual style tensioner...I replaced the tensioner stud in order to install the newer auto tensioner.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=371385&highlight=tensioner+stud

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=98498&highlight=tensioner+stud

I'm just "updating" this thread since URO brand parts are looked down upon. The tensioner has lasted 60K and will be replaced with the belt change that is now due. It was a 'suspect" brand so I'm just reporting that it indeed did last and work just fine...

BTW, I had already bought the URO tensioner (and other URO brand parts from AZ Autohaus) before I had heard all the negative and suspicious comments about that brand...I decided to use it anyway and just keep an eye on it...

Ordering a kit with the SKF one this time around cause it's pretty much the same price...
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Steve, that may have been me who mentioned SKFs using the Litens tensioners.

I remember when everyone else was getting around $50 and I took a chance with Autohaus AZ and the $25 tensioner. I was pleasantly surprised with what showed up. I bought several at that price and the price soon went up, as expected.

SKF, INA and NTN were all OE suppliers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I received a Litens with any of these bearing brands.

-Todd
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
That was from 2012...lol...

as for the "metal" part...my old tensioner was metal...but my car was also an early 1996 VIN# which came with the old IDI manual style tensioner...I replaced the tensioner stud in order to install the newer auto tensioner.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=371385&highlight=tensioner+stud

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=98498&highlight=tensioner+stud

I'm just "updating" this thread since URO brand parts are looked down upon. The tensioner has lasted 60K and will be replaced with the belt change that is now due. It was a 'suspect" brand so I'm just reporting that it indeed did last and work just fine...

BTW, I had already bought the URO tensioner (and other URO brand parts from AZ Autohaus) before I had heard all the negative and suspicious comments about that brand...I decided to use it anyway and just keep an eye on it...

Ordering a kit with the SKF one this time around cause it's pretty much the same price...
Haha, I went back to see where the thread started but never saw that your comment was from 2012. Your reference to the early production and the manual tensioner makes sense, the AAZ IDI cars used the same timing belt as the TDI 1.9L AHU/1Z engines but the tensioner from the earlier ME/MF/1Y 1.6 L engines.

I have had bad experiences with URO parts, which I think I've posted up here before. I'm glad to hear you did alright with the URO tensioner. I know that URO doesn't make the one they sell, it would be nice to know who does and where. For now, since there are other options I will stick with what I've gotten before I think.

Steve, that may have been me who mentioned SKFs using the Litens tensioners.

I remember when everyone else was getting around $50 and I took a chance with Autohaus AZ and the $25 tensioner. I was pleasantly surprised with what showed up. I bought several at that price and the price soon went up, as expected.

SKF, INA and NTN were all OE suppliers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I received a Litens with any of these bearing brands.

-Todd
Todd, it was your post that got me to order from AutohausAZ with that price, which as you mention went up to I think $42 almost immediately after I placed my order. I should have ordered more at the time, I'm down to one spare now and that will get used this summer.

Steve
 
Last edited:

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Sorry for the crappy image, but this is a pic of what I use:



Continental kit, with a genuine Contitech belt, Litens tensioner (with an NSK bearing inside), and an INA idler.

The kit number is TB242K3

No reason anyone should be using anything less, in my opinion. Although the Gates belts are probably fine, often their "kits" contain poor quality other components. At least with the Conti kit, you know (for German cars, anyway) you are getting all the good OEM level stuff.

FWIW, the kit is from Canada (where Litens is HQ'd), the belt is from Romania, and the idler is from Slovakia. While I know we'd all love to be able to use German made parts for our German cars, the fact of the matter is the German companies like all the rest have outsourced a LOT of their labor to other places. However I do feel that the actual company that makes the stuff, wherever the plant is located, at least hopefully brought the same QC with them. I know that may not always be the case, but I still would have more faith in a German company's part made in a non-German locale than I would some no-name part made in the same place. Even Bosch's VE pumps have been coming from outside Germany for a decade now, but they seem to be perfectly fine.
 
Last edited:

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
OH, thanks for the info on the kit. In the past I've avoided the 'all in one' kit because you never know about the quality of all the parts in the kit and I don't want a surprise that I wasn't expecting. Also, it's safer to stock hard items, like tensioners and rollers for a few years whereas perhaps it's not all that good to store TB's for that long.

I've had good luck with Conti / Continental timing belts and also Roulunds / Rodrive belts. Also at one point there was some discussion where people were advocating for Dayco timing belts.

There are still several good suppliers out there for parts, which is plus for the longevity of our cars, and as popular as these engines are I don't see parts for them going away any time soon.

And I agree with you, I think a German company will often insist on a QC level as good as that of their prior home country production when they outsource their production to other places.

Steve
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The rest of the car has been pretty much obsoleted, but the good news is, at least for timing belt kits, is that VAG made gajillions of industrial and marine engines based on this same layout, that share much of the same engine parts with the AHU. So at least those items should be around for a good while longer.
 

URO Parts Support

New member
Joined
Jun 19, 2018
Location
Simi Valley, CA
TDI
1998 Golf
Hi everyone, here's a bit of info about URO and photos of tensioner 028 109 243F.

URO Parts is a brand of products manufactured by APA Industries, which is located in Southern California. Our facility consists of a large warehouse, a massive library of OE and OEM parts (which we use to verify the materials and dimensions of our parts), a machine shop for R&D work, our sales department, a comprehensive materials and physical property testing lab, and our staff of ten full-time mechanical and electrical engineers.

Though most of our products are manufactured in China to our specifications (as are many OEM parts these days), APA is 100% American-owned and operated. Over the last decade, the company has evolved from a reboxer of commodity parts (which is how most of our competitors currently operate) to a problem-solving designer and manufacturer. We're now continuously increasing our engineering capabilities and developing our own parts that are the exclusive aftermarket alternative to OEM, or components that no longer available from any source, including the dealer. This emphasis on exclusive new product development and in-house testing is what differentiates today's URO from competitors that simply rebox inexpensive off-the-shelf items.

Here are photos of tensioner 028 109 243F. Whenever possible, we use high-quality NTN or NSK brand-name bearings in our idlers and tensioners (quality bearings are definitely worth the extra cost). Unfortunately the dimensions of this particular tensioner didn't allow us to use NTN or NSK, but this bearing is well-suited to the application and hasn't given us any trouble. Please feel free to contact us at 800-290-5555 or "sales @ uro parts dot com" (remove spaces) if you need any assistance or have any questions about our components.


 
Last edited:
Top