What is Billet?
Billet metal car parts are one of the latest trends in automotive. Aftermarket manufacturers offer everything from billet oil filter caps to more important internal components like billet camshafts.
Billet when relating to car parts refers to the solid piece or block of metal that is used as the raw material for machining. The items are typically shaped into the final form and size through machining which removes excess material.
This differs from the other manufacturing processes of casting or forged parts where the metal is heated and then formed via molds or compressive methods to shape the product.
The main advantage of using billet material is that it allows for durability and precision manufacturing of the finished parts. This is why billet parts are often used in high-performance vehicles, where strength, lightweight construction, and exact tolerances are important.
So, when you hear of “billet” for car parts, it usually means that the parts have been machined from a solid block of billet aluminum or steel, offering better strength-to-weight ratios and a high-quality product.
Do I need Billet parts on my vehicle?
We have found some items that would highly benefit from the billet process.
One of our most suggested billet products is billet camshafts for the PD TDI engines. The billet manufacturing method creates a harder camshaft and extends the hardness throughout the entire camshaft, not just the surface. The process helps prevent premature wear, allowing you to achieve long-term performance and reliability.
Our other favorite has been billet compressor wheels on turbochargers for the OM642 Sprinter vans.
A common cause of OM642 turbocharger failure, especially on Class-C RVs is metal fatigue on the compressor wheel. The engine design combined with the extra weight and wind resistance of Class-C configurations results in very high temperatures in the turbocharger for extended periods of time. To deal with this problem the turbocharger is built with a fully billet compressor wheel that is much more durable and does not suffer from metal fatigue. The turbocharger housing is also upgraded with a more durable design and updated VNT mechanism to work with the billet wheel.
Overall we have found a huge benefit to using some billet items on your vehicle. Do you need billet windshield wiper arms? Probably not, but we have found improvements from using billet components in more integral parts such as camshafts, flex plates, and turbochargers.
