Problems with Total cost involved....

X2, well said FoxSpeed, seems like you'd be doing a good service to fellow HAMBer's AND giving the individual businesses a feel for how they are doing in the market place. Constructive criticism is never a bad thing. (I said "constructive criticism").

Hoe

 

This brings up an old saying i was told when i first started in business and still holds true today more than ever with the Internet!

"A Bad Word Spreads Faster Than a Good Word"

 

There is a saying in retail, make a customer happy and they might tell 1 person. Make a customer unhappy and they will tell at least 10 people. Of course with the popularity of online forums that saying propbably should be revised to the unhappy customer telling 1000 people!

I do agree that we should all let our fellow HAMBers also know about those businesses that provide good product and good service. It would save us all money, time and frustration at one point or another.

 

And they use Volare UPPER ball joints in their LOWER tubular control arms on the Mustang II IFS. A clear misuse of parts and safety issue according to NSRA. Watch for Lower ball failure at 20K-30K miles.
I emailed them twice for an explanation - got NO response.

 

is there stuff made here?
i saw an ontario, CA address.

upside down mounts? that does sound QC 101.

 

i meant "their"...

 

I suspect sometimes it's mob rule....

 

A rerun of Rides (2004) recorded on my DVR last night. In the middle of the show, a tour of TCI! Looked like quite the facility. But the bigger the business the harder it is to manage quality control. Too many hands throughout the process that may or may not give a damn...

 

I'll date myself here but when TCI first went into business I bought thousands of dollars worth of product from them. We had a couple of minor issues over the course of 10-15 years but they were addressed quickly and to our satisfaction. If that is no longer the case it's sad because they were one of the early mass producers of hot rod chassis components that sent out quality products.

Frank

 

Been to their facility many times and their products are made in Ontario California.

Also, if you make a mistake on a post you can edit it - you don't have to do a new post to correct spelling

 

Just to clarify, Moog part# K772 is what is used which is from a '65-'73 Chrylser not a Volare/Granada. AFAIK every MII manufacturer uses these same ball joints.

I'll quote the article you are referring too since I had it handy.

"Reports of at least two lower ball joints failing"

How many MII front ends with tubular arms have been manufactured and sold by the countless companies over the years? I'd guess it has to be in the tens of thousands. I'd say two failures is easily within reason.

Having said all that, I've heard that some front end manufacturers are making the change to the K719 lower joint just in case.

-J

 

Hey-hey-----hey-----t----c-----i-------are you listening ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

I used to buy alot of 4-links from them many years ago.

My issue is with the overall size of the four links. I've always thought they were way to small and just under sized. After having a few rod ends snap my thoughts were found to be correct.

So now no TCI links for me...........

 

wierd and scary----I don't get the name.

 

It is a funny world. Tons of threads here-and I've experienced this myself-where a vendor who wants, or has, your money refuses to help, or even answer, legitimate concerns. And a hotrod parts manufacturer MUST know about the HAMB and other bulletin boards.

In my business, veterinary medicine, I get calls from clients wanting to know where their pet's lab results are almost before the blood sample has clotted. They sure wouldn't be my clients if I waited a week for them to call me about results (like my family doctor).

Not answering customer concerns is VERY poor business. It negates any good your product has and word or mouth is very powerful. Just look on this one thread how many potential sales TCI has lost. My dad, a great businessman, always told me you are only as good as the next person who walks through the door.

 

Oh,yeah. Just for fun, I thought I'd send this thread link to TCI and see what there comment was. Googled Total Cost Involved and the first FOUR links bear the message"Warning, this site can harm your computer". Great.

 

I occasionally buy TCI stuff direct. They sometimes, not always, are a pain in the ass to deal with but when you do get someone there they will bend over backwards to help. Good people in the office. I buy from them because some of their stuff is just the best, brake/clutch pedal assemblies, Model A frame horn stampings, and some hard parts. No comparison with some of the junk I,ve gotten from others. Well worth any minor inconvenience and I'll gladly put up with some minor bullshit to get what I want.

As a side note, I understand that things should fit, but hot rods are so unique you have to expect a certain amount of fitting up. I'll take a part a little oversize that I have to fit up any day. If you have a problem with fitting up something to make it perfect, you probably shouldn't be building a chassis anyway!

All in all, great company.

 

isn't free trade wonderful lmao

 

Great to see the input on this thread.
I was looking at some of their stuff, but the negative experiences of many here will keep me from doing such. It's tough enough doing a build, I don't need to deal with some companies lack of quality control or lack of customer service.

Jim

 

Well after dicking around all day Friday with the office people and 8 phone calls and over 35 minutes on hold, i finally got a hold of Evin and he was the only one that that would do anything, and was available to talk to me with out getting the run around and promised to get the missing parts out Monday. We will see.

 

Well Mr perfect, I for one am not going to spend over 9 grand on something and then have to modify it to fit, which is what they advertise it to do. and missing parts i supposed i should just go and buy them again? WRONG! I have been at this for over 35 years and know a thing or two, and have built many frames over the years, and in no way would i put something out like this was and expect the customer to have to fix my screw ups after spending their hard earned money on something that was supposed to be right in the first place.

 

Worst service I have ever gotten too!!! After I ordered only motor mounts from them ( they acted like I was bothering the hell out of them) it took 3 more calls to find out why they hadnt even been shipped yet!!! NEVER AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm just saying this a a funny coincidence, that's all

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89293

 

I have heard this about TCI before with engine mounts even being to far forward . Body mounts off , This is why I modded my old frame .

 

Wow what happened in a few years? I used to think the world of them back in the day, but it seems the quality control and customer service has tumbled a bit. I think Ed needs to do a little personal checking of his products, and maybe talk to the customers and get a little feedback, then maybe he can fix a few things. It isn't only TCI doing it there are quite a few others, maybe they have cut back on employees to cut costs but ignoring the customer that has already spent their money with them isn't right.

 

Consider using Art Morrison Eng. in Tacoma. They bent some frame rails from a modified '34 Ford design and made other suggestions for my 4 link setup. They stayed incontact during the design and fabrication and had great customer support.

 

Ya,I thought this place was about Traditional hot rods seems to be getting more and more billet buggys with there ifs front ends.

 

It is...