Technical BEWARE!!! So-Cal Speed Shop 9" housings

SoCal took the profit margin, SoCal should warranty the product.

If they have 3 manufacturer that are making these, they should be providing specs and PPAP'ing each supplier. They are bidding the 3 against each other and need to verify the part meets spec in the quote or to the print.

Standard stuff with suppliers and vendors, I do it all day long.

 

Just to play devils advocate, if I was Socal, I'd ask, "Has it failed?" "Did the rear end break apart at the weld?" "Are you a certified welding engineer/inspector?" "No? Then what exactly is your issue?" I mean, your complaint is that the weld doesn't look good to you. That's it?

 

You can see it came completely apart at the welded seam.

 

I am guessing he is more concerned that the axle tubes are pulling out of the center section than what the weld looks like.

 

Yep, I can see that, but like I wrote, those are questions Socal should have or would have asked. Did they?

 

Boy, this is sad. A true "pass the buck" and to Hell with the customer.
I guess So-Cal has forgotten that the "customers" are the ONLY ones who gave So-Cal their fat wallets.

 

You have hit the nail on the head.
Another example of a company who tore the word "RESPONSIBILITY" out of their dictionary and out of their "company policy".

 

Your contract is with them, not the manufacturer / supplier. It is for them to take it up with the manufacturer / supplier irrespective of what they say now, not you. You bought a faulty / defective product that is not fit for a purpose (Acceptable quality) or as described. Obviously there are production / quality control issues that are outside your knowledge and control.
You have a right down here (Consumer law) to a full refund, replacement or reimbursement for the costs of repairing it. I see them arguing that it is not their problem due to it being abused outside what it was designed to do, causing it to prematurely fail. You relied on their expertise to sell you a quality safe product and the product did not meet a reasonable / acceptable standard.
Don't be dissuaded, check your consumer rights and enforce them.

 

... unimportant fact of the day, pertaining to core selection at Currie. They stopped using awesome factory Ford seasoned/used housings, five or six years ago. All housings are jigged new, their "Factory 9" line is all you will get. Quality control decision/dwindling supplies/cleanliness. They stopped bulk intake of their axle restorations too. That is all .... good luck to the OP, So-Cal, and HAMB-ericanos everywhere.

 

Look closely at the pics. Yes, the weld failed. There is approx. 3/4" of "weld" still holding it together at the top. It has broken/moved to the point of damaging the body.

 

They sold it "THEY" should stand behind it PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Umm..... reference my post, 6 posts up.

 

If their vendor makes a inferior product why do they use them. If you go to Home Depot with a defective item they don't tell you to contact the manufacture they give you a new one and charge back the vendor, so should So-Cal...

 

Ok devil -
Yes it has failed.
Yes it broke apart at the weld
No I'm not a certified engineer nor does it one to notice the failure. Stevie Wonder can see it, and my both my kindergartner and 90 year old grandmother can tell it's not right, that's the issue. It's not that the weld doesn't look good to me, I've never seen any broken weld that looks good.


" the devil is a liar" < thats iit




I'm guessing you didn't look at the pics.

 

All the rear ends that have be narrowed that I have been associated with were cut and welded on the ends. This looks like a factory weld that didn't have enough penetration.

 

That is very bad business on So Cal's part. An analogy that hits home with me: Several years ago I had placed concrete that never came up to strength, and the developer naturally came to me with the problem, even though I didn't make the dang concrete, just put it where it needed to go. I stepped up to the plate to keep my reputation intact. The supplier helped a bit, but it was still a very expensive and time-consuming ordeal for me.

That's business, and that's how it is supposed to work.

 

This was my thought too. It's a FoMoCo OEM weld (that could be 40+ years old). It's essentially a wrecking yard "core" housing, cleaned up, painted and loaded with new bearings, etc. Even at that, if for example, Currie, supplied it, they missed the bad weld during teardown/inspection. IMHO, it would be the same as a rebuilder missing a flaw in a water pump or steering box, etc. core casting that they cleaned, painted, rebuilt and sold as a "rebuilt part". If that rebuilt part fails (because they used a bad core as a foundation for the product), they should stand behind it. In this case, SoCal should have a well enough established relationship with Currie to not have any questions asked if they ask for a replacement for their (SoCal) customer.

 

I know Currie was buying 9" rears from a small town family owned junk yard in Minnesota 20 yrs ago Cause they were giving double what any locals would ... So that's a pretty big sweep 2000 miles away from Anaheim ..approx

Pretty sure currie just uses new housings now .. I think I called them a couple years back about narrowing a old housing and didn't really care to talk to me

 

This housing was constructed with all new parts. The weld definitely did not have any penetration, but Ford had nothing to do with it other than the original design.

 

They won't replace one housing with a failed weld, but feel fine loosing the sale of future housings to everyone who reads this post. Guess the T shirt and cap sales will cover it. Bob

 

$1000 for a bare housing.what a joke.i will roll the dice with craigslist

 

The same thing happened to a friend of mine on the way to the LA Roadster show. They did repair it though! This was not an isolated incident! Check your So Cal rear end housing NOW !

 

If I am not mistaken, several years ago some one bought a front axle from Total Performance and the king pin boss broke off, this was before Total Performance made their own axles. It was a Challenger Equipment built axle, ( Jim Kirby ) the person got no satisfaction from Total Performance, ending up suing both parties, and I believe that is what put Challenger Equipment out of business. The problem could have been solved just by replacing the axle and make the customer happy.

 

Get an 8-3/4 mopar.

 

Lots of stories about aftermarket and Ford housings that have come apart (cracked at the weld). And I have never had one fail using either one. I guess I would expect So-Cal to honor the repair or ship me a new housing and have me return the failed one for inspection. They have recourse with their vendor due to their volume. If that is not their policy then I would repair the housing and let it be known their service policy as you have done on the HAMB.

 

That's exactly what I warned them about, others with the sane problem. This could have been much worse, I built this car for my wife and it regularly has both my children in it. I am thankful I was the one driving, at slow speeds, close to home rather than on the freeway with the family in the car. This is no different than what happened to Magnum, except they stood behind their product and did their best to inform customers.

 

Yes, they have recourse with their vendor, as another pointed out, I have no contract with their vendor, only with So-Cal who sold me the housing. Letting others know about their customer service is secondary, I created this post so others are aware of a possible problem and can have it checked before any serious property or personal damage can occur.

Feel free to spread these pics and information on other sites, for that purpose.

 

The fact that you built it for your wife nulls my middleman comment.

When you had earlier said that you are a dealer for SoCal sounded like you made a profit by selling the axle that SoCal did the same, that someone else made. So IMO that put you in the middleman making money on a part that your shop either sold to a customer or installed (and sold) to a customer.

Now that you say it was for a car you built for your wife, makes you simply the consumer. Completely different in my eyes.

It's a shame that SoCal COULD easily rectify this, but won't. I hope you can force them to make good.

 

I did not think it was relevant, but to clarify, the car was built at home by me for my wife. There was some metalwork needed on the body that led me to the shop I "work" at now that is a dealer. I can see how my post was confusing.

 

It's all good. To me the difference is who all is making money on the sell. Seeing now that you are just the consumer, I totally agree with you. I just posted your pics and story on my Facebook.