NOTE: Articles in this series were written in an order that might make "skipping around" confusing. If you didn't start at the beginning, you might want to CLICK HERE.Over the years we've read online comments or been asked why our fuel system kits are more expensive than some of the others on the market. We have needed to put this in writing for a long time, just to save us the time typing or answering it over and over again. There are a number of reasons why our product might be more expensive than someone elses, the list below shows the biggest reasons.
#1 - MADE IN THE USA is Extremely Important to us! There will NEVER be a day that we don't strive to increase the amount of Domestic material in our products. It kills us to think about the stuff that used to be made here, that is now ONLY available as an "imported" product.
- ALL Driven Diesel Crimped Hydraulic Hose Assemblies are MADE IN THE USA
- S.S. Braid over Teflon Hose is US Made
- Black Covering over S.S. Braided Hose is US Made
- Crimped Hose Ends are US Made
- Hose Assembly is 100% US Labor
- ALL Driven Diesel CNC Bent S.S. Tubing is Bent, Flared and Assembled in the US
- Fuelab Fuel Pressure Regulators are US Made
- ALL Driven Diesel Custom Stainless/Aluminum Parts are US Made
- All Driven Diesel Bracketry is Cut/Bent/Welded in the US
#3 - Some materials are just more expensive than others:
- Driven Diesel S.S. Braid over Teflon Hydraulic Hose is More Expensive than others Rubber Pushlok Hose
- Adding an Additional Abrasion Protection Layer Over our S.S. Braid Over Teflon Hose Increases the Hose Cost
- MOST Driven Diesel Brackets are Cut from T-304 Stainless Steel for Superior Corrosion Protection. Non-S.S. Brackets are Powdercoated.
- Driven Diesel Filter Brackets are "Multi-Piece", Requiring a Backplate (additional material) that Adds Installation Flexibility/Adjustability.
- Many Driven Diesel Brackets feature PEM Threaded Inserts/Studs for Cleaner/Easier Installation
- The Driven Diesel Dual Filter Bracket is Constructed from Multiple TIG Welded Pieces for the Most Compact Fit
- Click Image at Right - The Quality is Apparent!
- Coupling S.S. Braided Hose with CNC Bent S.S. Tubing is More Expensive than just using one of those
- Driven Diesel Uses CNC Bent Tubing Sections for Durability in Tight or High Heat Areas
- Using S.S. Braided Hose Provides More Flexibility for Expansion/Contraction/Vibration
- Fitting Choices can Quickly Drive Price Increases
- Using Sweeping 45°/90° Hose Ends in place of Sharp 45°/90° Fittings Costs AND Flows More
- Click Image at Right - Pricing is for #6 Fittings, #10 are Significantly More!
- Sweeping Fittings Take More Space, Forcing Sharp Fittings in Some Cases
- We Limit Sharp 90° Fittings Before the Injectors As Much As Possible
- 3/8" S.S. Tubing/Fittings/Hose is More Expensive than 1/4" Tubing/Fittings/Hose
- Driven Diesel Switched to S.S. Braid Over Teflon Hose for Fuel Compatibility
- Pushlok Hose is Sized by ID, S.S. Braid Over Teflon Hose is Sized by OD
- To Maintain a Similar ID Required Upgrading to Larger 3/8" Tubing/Fittings/Hose
- Some Competitive Products Rely on Fuel Pressure Management from an Expensive Aftermarket Pump (sold separately)
- Some Competitive Products Support Distribution Fittings or Regulators by the Tubing, Not a Bracket
- We KNOW of One "Competitor" that Literally Purchased Driven Diesel kits to Duplicate (their idea of R&D)
- Some Competitive Products come with "Build-it-Yourself" Wiring Harnesses, Unlike our "Ready-to-Install" Product
- Some Competitive Products use Fuel Pumps that are not Rated for Diesel Fuel, and have No Warranty with Diesel Fuel Use
Author: Dennis Schroeder - Co-Owner of Strictly Diesel
Dennis has been Designing, Building and Supporting Aftermarket Fuel Systems for 7.3L and 6.0L Powerstrokes since 2001.