Draganfly!

[MJM_58SR]

Hello all
I'm getting a bit frustrated with Draganfly.
I've recently ordered a few bolts and they seem to do a lot of superseded to xxx which is hit and miss if it actually fits what it is supposed to do. I've even had nuts that don't fit the bolts they are supposed to fit (even though I used the correct part numbers!)
Anyone else had this problem please and can anyone give me an alternative supplier?
Thanks
Martyn

[A10 JWO]

Generally I find them ok, sometimes their part numbers don't correspond with the part they are offering. I do use their website a lot as a bit of a workshop manual. Had worse.

[berniej]

I suggest you let them know - they have a machine in their basement that I believe they use to make a lot of screwed parts, it may have a problem they're not aware of?

I have had issues with their plated parts that don't fit - brake rods in particular.
I suspect that they are turned/tapped/died to the correct thread and then plated which results in the parts seizing on assembly.

Cheers,
Bernie

[MJM_58SR]

Thanks all
Probably just having a frustrating day! Will persevere

[chaz]

yes, Ive mentioned before that manufacturers/suppliers have either run out of the correct taps and dies or use what they think is acceptable. BSF has the same tpi as BSC but different thread angles. M5 gets substituted for 2BA, I mentioned within the last couple of days a thread is a thread for stainless steel, to make in mild steel then plate they would need preplated gauges, so effectively three sets of gauging for each thread... easier to just make unplated which they do with stainless that gives the same look and no corrosion .
Also mentioned is the availability of Hexagon bar stock to make nuts and bolts from, metric is cheaper and more accessable than imperial now so its used , necessatating two sets of spanners!!
we had a bike spares shop locally who ended up selling parts only along with fastners, no servicing or bike sales. theirs was all stainless, I asked if they would do mild steel to get plated, they were not interested, even for bulk order......now gone out of business.

also remember... one place gets an order, then asks around other stockists/traders, this increases quantity of order and then a cheaper batch, so , if they get them wrong, so does every one else.
I ordered a clutch cable from Tricor as Drags were out of stock as were Wassells, they kept me waiting then after asking I found they were waiting an order from Wassels to come in. they were in but couldnt despatch as they had to re package!! the packaging was going in the bin.

As for part numbers, some parts are also referenced under different numbers for different bikes , which sometimes is the same size on others it is longer that can be cut down. Also...long winded explanation.. they can also be used on Triumphs and be listed with their number as recently found, no BSA item in stock but there was a Triumph part number that was referenced in the description with a BSA number..

[JulianS]

26 tpi cycle threads (60 degree angle) are similar but not the same angle as 26 tpi British standard Brass threads (55 degree angle).

1/4 x 26tpi BSF threads (55 degree angle) are similar but not the same as either 1/4 x 26 tpi cycle or 1/4 x 26 tpi brass. But how do you easily distinguish between them.

Some Whitworth threads are almost the same as UNC.

Another concern is whether items we buy are the correct material specifcation. You dont want mild steel wheel spindles or head bolts.

And on to part numbers - parts books are only good for around the date they were printed. The factory issued numerous parts service bulletins listing changes in numbers, superceded numbers and/or modifications to parts.( a lot of these can be found in the members area of the BSAOC site)

Some parts, when looked up in the factory master price lists refer you to a different part number.

[chaz]

26 tpi cycle threads (60 degree angle) are similar but not the same angle as 26 tpi British standard Brass threads (55 degree angle).

1/4 x 26tpi BSF threads (55 degree angle) are similar but not the same as either 1/4 x 26 tpi cycle or 1/4 x 26 tpi brass. But how do you easily distinguish between them.

Some Whitworth threads are almost the same as UNC.

Another concern is whether items we buy are the correct material specifcation. You dont want mild steel wheel spindles or head bolts.

And on to part numbers - parts books are only good for around the date they were printed. The factory issued numerous parts service bulletins listing changes in numbers, superceded numbers and/or modifications to parts.( a lot of these can be found in the members area of the BSAOC site)

Some parts, when looked up in the factory master price lists refer you to a different part number.

as I was referring to, the threads supplied nowadays are generic, or what is available and closest to.

how do you distinguish?? unless you have thread gauges its nigh on impossible. Metric threads are 60 degree thread angle, a single point tool programmed correctly should reproduce BSC, BUT, metric multi point tooling, ring dies, nut dies and  and die boxes will not . I suspect some Eastern/Oriental made threads are sort of , and lost in translation. We use BSP threads to WST standard, WST being the in house version which has a tighter tolerance than BSP, tighter as used on vacuum brake applications. (vacuum holds brake off, a leak drops the brakes and applies, wheras a hydraulic system if leaks , you loose pressure and does not stop). Our sub contract companies are given the spec sheets when they quote. we have had a number of jobs rejected because threads were too loose, also some brass taper plugs are made to BSP and rattle down the holes, also , we asked for unplated taper plugs , one supplier got chromed plumbing plugs and had them stripped, As one of my other postings, they are made undersize  with a plating allowance. once stripped of chrome, they  were undersize.

[AdrianS]

I suppose if you were worried about the thread angles, then it would be wise to buy a few taps and dies of the more common sizes and run any new threaded component down these to fine tune the threads.

[Loudoun]

unfortunatly, draganfly are a nightmare, if you are local the best thing is to pop in or phone the guy on the front desk he is mustard he knows virtually everything in that place (which is packed) i have recently had several issues while this thing has been going on, by doing online ordering, some stuff turns up and some is missing then you look at the dellivery note and it says its on back order! it never turns up? thats why i tend to phone now.
good luck

[Allan G]

I have never found them brilliant but my last few orders have had to have some parts re-ordered from somewhere else. This is mostly a picking issue.

For my OIF, they have a shouldered nut for the lower headlight wire stay, one was chrome one was zinc. They were advertised as showing chrome.

I ordered some tank badge screws, some we're new with flat heads, some we're long time on the shelf and we're scabby with pozi heads.

One of the acorn nuts for the wire stay won't thread on at all.

I've had damper rod components for my 68' still with flashing still on the parts from where they have been stamped out. (I cleaned these up with a needle file)

Who ever does the packing or checks parts for QC obviously doesn't give a sh**, had it been my business I wouldn't send them out. If I was to send them back then I wouldn't even get refunded the postage so I don't bother. Instead I'll take my business elsewhere.

[Mitch77]

They have gone off the boil a bit lately I ordered a 2 1/4 bolt and they sent a superseded number that was 1 7/8 and also had to return a headlight switch cowl that was really not good condition that said I I always find them very helpful
Mitch

[idie]

I have stopped using them after wrong parts sent on may occasions. Parts either didn't fit or were on back order. I think one item which I forgot to cancel still is after maybe 5 years. Shame as they appear to do a lot of stuff.

[chaz]

I asked for an oil ring for the B40 (new piston only had top two) , rang up 6 months later for other things and they mentioned the ring was still on back order. I had sourced one from Hastings in America 2 months earlier. the problem with superceded is that the factory might have superceded for one model but not others, so they automatically change all when they change the number.
I have mentioned elsewhere, that "someone" has to put an order in, so canvasses other dealers for what they need, these new parts are made from modern materials ( read metric hexagon) , once supplied all interested parties get the same product.
I do believe they have a B40 operating arm still on order for me.. you would think , as they have the o ring and shaft annd nut, people may also want to change the arm at the same time.

[Allan G]

Well after assisting my mate stripping down his 1970 firebird motor yesterday I had a look at his pressure light switch (mainly because these new ones have the hex part on the bulbous area and the original smiths ones didn't) I then noticed his was parallel thread, I was sure that the one I bought was taper and knew that at some point they changed over. The manual isn't specific and so I did some research. The taper (NPT) was 69 only and 70 on was parallel (NPS).

On checking, Draganfly had sent out a taper thread part which didn't make the threads in the cases look very pretty to be honest. On their website they don't say either way and looks like they are just sending out any old shite in that regard too.... which is really out of order in my book, whilst it's up to me to double check before fitting (and I normally do if I think something is suspect) I didn't and I didn't have any cause to think that they would balls this up. Sadly I've also thrown away the box (the garage gets full of boxes and bags when restoring a bike).

Thankfully I had an old beaten and broken switch in another set of cases which I checked to see if they would thread down the hole.... luckily it does and tightens up. So threads not completely buggered

I've been lucky and found some agricultural shop that had some NOS smiths ones at like 4 times the price of the pattern part but I still ordered two. (Got one for the other cases then)