Who is SpeLab and are they reputable?

In the past couple of years, I’ve seen more and more truck owners talk about a parts company called SpeLab. They sell components for all types of diesel pickups, from Fords to Rams to Chevrolets and GMCs. Most of their prices are low—about 20% less than the established aftermarket manufacturers’—which sent me plunging down the rabbit hole to learn all I can about the brand. And from what I’ve found, SpeLab is a tangled web of knockoff parts designs, questionable legality, and Chinese origins.


Some people are OK with all of that so long as their truck still works at the end of the day. And it’s true that there are tons of daily drivers out there running SpeLab parts. But the lack of transparency is concerning for obvious reasons, especially as customers are still spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on parts, only to be ghosted by the company when they’re sent with no instructions or don’t fit properly.


I’ll explain what I found throughout the rest of this article, breaking it down into separate sections. The big takeaway, however, is this: SpeLab is a shady aftermarket parts supplier using stolen designs and AI to float a business that puts customers at risk of damaging their trucks.

Who Is SpeLab?

Well, it depends on who you ask. The “About Us” section on SpeLab’s website says:


“Founded in 2019, SPELAB is a direct and professional manufacturer in automotive performance parts include intake system, exhaust system, engine system, cooling system, interior&exterior parts etc. We are devoted to offer good pricing and good service on great products.”


That’s copied directly from the site, typos and all. I’m also curious how SpeLab can claim to be included in “Bizrate Insights Circle of Excellence” for 24 years in a row, as advertised, if the company was only founded six years ago. It’s one of those things that makes you say, “Hmm…”

It goes on to say that SpeLab sells to customers in North America, South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Notably, there’s no mention of where the company’s parts are manufactured. The website does say that there are three SpeLab warehouses in the United States, with one in Kentucky, one in California, and another in New Jersey.


SpeLab’s TrustPilot page lists a warehouse address in City of Industry, California. Google Maps shows a logistics facility belonging to Win IT America, a Chinese-owned “integrated supply chain solutions provider for cross-border e-commerce.” Another listed address shows a different business entirely on Google Street View.


Some SpeLab customers report that their parts were shipped from mainland China. Others are strongly suspicious that the parts are manufactured there as well. It’s clear in these documents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that SpeLab’s owner, Hangzhou Weihong Technology Co. LTD, is based in the Chinese province of Zhejiang.


SpeLab has a sister company named Flashark, as well as an apparent duplicate storefront called SpeTuner that sells many of the same parts. All three—SpeLab, SpeTuner, and Flashark—feature similar website designs.

Is SpeLab Reputable?

Oh, boy. Where to start with this one?


First off, any company still actively advertising emissions delete kits for diesel trucks in the U.S. is sketchy. Aftermarket shops and tuners who sold DPF deletes, EGR deletes, and software that enables engines to run without those parts have been fined millions by the federal government. But open up SpeLab’s website, and you’ll see all of the above advertised just a short scroll from the top on the homepage:

This is a giant red flag, even if you disagree with the federal government’s stance on these mods. The fact is that reputable aftermarket parts companies in the U.S. have distanced themselves from hardware and software like this, for competition use or otherwise. And yet, SpeLab is selling them, seemingly without care.


That’s not the freedom-loving flex it may seem like. If anything, it signals that SpeLab isn’t too worried about U.S. government enforcement because it isn’t based here. This has been an unintended consequence of increased Clean Air Act enforcement; the diesel tuning black market has grown substantially with companies from China, Russia, and elsewhere selling these parts to people who can’t get them from domestic outlets.


Customers who go this route run into problems when the cheaply made and cheaply sold products don’t work as intended. It’s not hard to find consumer complaints on third-party platforms and even SpeLab’s own website, claiming that their trucks aren’t running correctly after installing the parts.


This Reddit comment thread on r/FordDiesels shows a Power Stroke owner facing big problems. “Don’t purchase from SPELAB,” they write. Their customer service is horrible. I am having an issue with my Tuner from MiniMaxx, (I wouldn’t recommend them either). Both boxes and companies state 24/7 service, that’s a lie. I have been waiting for a resolution for almost 7 days. Purchase from a company that has GOOD service and stands behind their products.”


Another chimed in to say they were “having similar issues,” while yet another said they were “dealing with this exact same thing.”

A customer claims in their one-star TrustPilot review that their product questions were met with “an AI response system that is horrible and responds with nonsense.” They went on to say they “see lots of problems with no or bad communication,” adding,” if you have any issues forget about any help, your [sic] out your money and screwed.”


SpeLab apologized in its response, though it proceeded to give tacit confirmation that it uses AI to address customer concerns (emphasis mine): “We’re always here to help resolve any issues and are more than willing to assist you directly – not just through Al, but with real support.”


In addition to the questionable legality of its parts and the documented poor customer service, SpeLab has deceived customers for years by masquerading as SPE Motorsport—a recognizable name in the aftermarket truck space. I reached out to Amy Snyder, chief operating officer at SPE Motorsport, to learn more. She said this:

“SpeLab has repeatedly used our intellectual property, including our logos, customer-submitted photos and reviews, our product instructions, and even direct copies of our products. They’ve also been copying and pasting product descriptions and other copy straight from our website. Thankfully, because our site is registered and copyrighted, I’ve been successful in getting a lot of that taken down.


“This has been a big pain and an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring of their site. SpeLab is also using our Google keywords, SKUs, and other identifiers to run paid ads to their own knockoff products, which creates even more confusion for customers.


“I’ve had people come to us upset, thinking they bought one of our products, only to find out it was an SPElabs product with zero support behind it.


“I’ve also taken action on the trademark side. We were able to get some of their trademarks removed for providing false information to the trademark office, specifically claiming they didn’t know of anyone else using ‘SPE’ in logos.”


It’s no coincidence that SpeLab’s name is so similar to an established player’s in the American aftermarket. They want people to believe they’re an American brand. And what’s more, the repeated offenses almost certainly prove it’s all on purpose.

Are SpeLab’s Parts Any Good?


There’s a reason that SpeLab’s parts sell for notably less than competitors’. Take its copycat version of the Banks Power Monster-Ram Intake, for example. The company’s 6.7-liter Cummins engine mod doesn’t fit properly, as it requires force to get it past the provided fuel injector line. One buyer even mentioned in their review of SpeLab’s intake horn that they had to bend the fuel line, and after that, they were forced to break out a grinder to make the bolt holes match up.

SpeLab copies Banks Monster-Ram


Let’s be clear: This is a high-pressure fuel line—to the tune of 30,000 PSI. Even a small crack at that pressure will lead to a high-pressure mist of diesel fuel all over hot engine components. Of all the things on your truck that you can bend and get away with it, this is not one of them.

This isn’t the only example of poor fitment, either. In SpeLab’s listing for the intake horn on its site, it includes a YouTube video by 3GuysGarage but posted to the SpeLab YouTube channel. After talking about the look and initial quality of the part for a few minutes, the host goes on to say:


“Guys, I’m going to be 100% transparent: This line does not fit the best. It’s not, like, the worst thing in the world, but compared to the OEM one, you kind of have to finagle it a little bit to get it to fit like you want it to.”


“I didn’t bend it, but I definitely used some pressure to get it into its spot,” he continued. “Keep that in mind: The supplied line takes a little bit of force to get it where it needs to go.”
Clearly, that’s less than ideal.


Various reviews across SpeLab’s site indicate that the problem is more widespread. Whether it’s poor fitment of the EGR valve on certain kits or junk tunes on the provided MiniMaxx programmers, you aren’t guaranteed a product that will work as advertised. That alone is reason enough for many people to steer clear, but the poor customer service and lack of detailed install instructions are enough to sour the experience for those who still pay SpeLab money.

How Do They Get Away With Stealing Competitors’ Designs?

As Amy Snyder from SPE Motorsport explained, SpeLab has made “direct copies” of the company’s parts more than once. Sadly, it’s unsurprising given SpeLab’s lack of transparency. This is a relatively common practice for foreign companies looking to compete at lower price points in the United States; they obtain an example of the product they’re looking to replicate, inspect it, and attempt to copy it with minimal info, resulting in low-quality parts that they can sell for cheaper than the real deal.


It doesn’t stop with SPE Motorsport, either. I mentioned earlier that SpeLab’s 6.7-liter Cummins intake horn is a ripoff of Banks Power’s popular Monster Ram. Here, you can see the two designs side by side:

You can tell from the pictures that the two intake elbows are shaped… somewhat similarly. It seems obvious that SpeLab looked at the Monster Ram, figured it could recreate the design without taking any exact measurements or scans, and went ahead with a product that might fool someone who’s never seen the real deal before.


Remember: This is the part that requires truck owners to manipulate a high-pressure fuel line just to get it to fit.
I spoke with someone from Banks about this. Using an employee’s personal name and address, Banks ordered the SpeLab copy of their Monster Ram. “Shortly after placing the order, I received an email, written in broken English,” they recalled. “In short, she said the order would be delayed a few days, but to be patient. When it arrived, the origin was in China. They didn’t even bother masking it with a U.S. address.”

Packaging for the SpeLab copy of Banks' Monster-Ram. Return address lists a Taiwan freight forwarder.


The Monster Ram was designed intentionally to maximize intake air flow for the 6.7-liter Cummins platform. It’s not just a hunk of metal with a slight bend. Heck, SpeLab even admits customers should choose Banks if they “demand brand-backed engineering and max power.”


When the copycat company itself is telling customers to choose the competition, you know something strange is going on.

Verdict

Most of everything I feared about SpeLab is true: It’s a Chinese company exploiting established aftermarket manufacturers and deceiving customers who want to save money. While this story is far from uncommon, it’s especially egregious considering what’s at stake.


It’s not like these are cheaper versions of children’s toys; the majority of truck owners daily drive their diesel pickups, and those who don’t still count on them to get work done. If they buy from SpeLab and run into fitment or installation problems, they’re likely to be left waiting for a long time. And that’s not to mention the shady business of blatantly advertising the sale of outlawed parts.


Anytime a company is so purposely vague about their operations—where they’re based and how they design their products—it should serve as a red flag. SpeLab throws plenty of those, and if you’re considering purchasing from them, you should be aware of them all. Otherwise, you might end up with a broken truck and no one on the other end of the line to help get it running again.