Fabtech sucks!

[Oatmeal]

Bear with me guys, I just have to vent and rant and warn others what to expect from them in the way of customer service or lack of it. I have a set of Fabtech lower control arms for the front of my XJ. These are actually very well made arms. They feature their version of the "Johnny Joint" and work quite well. Well, here's where it gets pretty damn frustrating. The urethane bushings are loose (worn) and need replacing, figure it's a no brainer call 4 Wheel parts (they're a Fabtech dealer) and order some new ones.....the counter guy can't find them on their database. I call Fabtech and they give me the correct part number, go to 4WPs and order them....pay in full and just in case, I order some extras for spares (total of 12). A week goes by and I call about the status of my order. The 4WPs guy says that they (Fabtech) don't sell them individually anymore (these are priced at $2.60 ea) no, now you have to buy the whole rebuild kit which consists of two bushing halves, the spherical sleeve, two big washers and the snap ring at $38 per end! X4!.......that's just plain ludicrous (I used language a bit more colorful). So, I call Fabtech and get a hold of customer service and explain my situation to the guy, he says "let me see what I can do", gets back on the phone and says, "that part # is no longer available, it's been superceded by this part number......." the rebuild kit. I tell him I don't need nor want all those extra parts....So, we go round and round and I say, "what ever happened to customer service?" he answers, "you got customer service, you got the info you needed" I reply, "customer service is finding a way around these obstacles and getting the customer what he/she wants and in this case I only want what I need, not what you're trying to sell me". I get absolutely nowhere with this guy and pretty much tell him that they can shove their products and "customer (dis)service" but, I did I find out that their bushings are made by Energy Suspension. So, I disassemble one of the ends, get the part number and call Energy Suspension. The guy says "oh, yeah that's one of ours but, Fabtech has the exclusive rights to those and we can't sell them to anyone else". AAAARGH! Was I out of line for thinking that I should be able to purchase just the parts that I need? I mean why should I pay around $160 when all that I need is $20 worth of bushings!!! Currie as well as Rubicon Express sells replacements for their joints....in fact, you can buy each part individually if you so wanted. Sorry for the long winded post, I'm just so f....ing pissed. I might as well just throw these arms in the trash because, I'll be damned if I'm going to spend that kind of money everytime the bushings need to be replaced. Rant over----------Hans

 

[BigSteve]

Ok I totally agree with being able to buy only what you need. However, if what you need is no longer sold by itself and its only sold as part of this rebuild kit then perhaps there is a reason. Maybe the rebuild kit comes with other parts that the manufacturer deams necessary to be replaced when replacing those bushings you need. Perhaps the new bushings in the rebuild kit have been updated in a way that makes them no longer compatible with the old style hardware. Or maybe they just want to make a buck while selling you what you need! Hey I never said it was a good reason. That being said you can hardly blame the guy at 4 wheel parts. He is just the poor bastard that gets stuck in the middle of what you want and what he can get you. I mean if you wanted a pen from them and he only was supplied pensils, would it be his fault? Don't get me wrong your situation sucks but it is what it is.

 

[tharlanjr]

Paragraphs... Use them.

 

[KJurasek]

That is how they make their money. Their business exists for one thing -- to make money. Unfortunately, unless they do these things to stay in business, then we would have no vendors. We choose to get into this hobby and yes it costs. I stare at my garage everyday and I am reminded how much money I have in there. One XJ almost finished and a TJ in the pipeline. I learned a lot from the XJ and hopefully I will not make the same mistakes.

Your situation is felt by us all.

 

[Darky]

Customer service isn't breaking company policy to get you something that the company no longer sells. Why should he go out of his way to save you a buck when it's likely that he could be fired for doing it?

It's stupid of Fabtech to insist on selling you a $38 kit when you need a $2 bushing, but like was mentioned, maybe there's a reason.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

I have the same lowers Hans, and I was thinking of rebuilding them only because it had been a couple years since I bought them.. now I'm thinking I'll wait until they start to show some wear. It sucks that they make you buy the whole deal, how often would the center section wear out that you need to replace it? I thought that the whole rebuildable joint idea was so it was easy to replace only the parts that wear out!

 

[DezertTitan]

That's bullshit dude. Sucks that they won't sell just what's needed & is forcing the sell for a whole kit... Sounds like a scam to make more profit. There is the chance that the kit is forced due to some obsolete parts/designs, and it forces the updated design with the bushings replacement... But the Fabtech sales guy should have explained that to you when you called him about buying just the bushings. Personally I lost all respect about 15 years ago after some bullshit in the desert (long story). I'll never buy their product.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

Ok I totally agree with being able to buy only what you need. However, if what you need is no longer sold by itself and its only sold as part of this rebuild kit then perhaps there is a reason. Maybe the rebuild kit comes with other parts that the manufacturer deams necessary to be replaced when replacing those bushings you need. Perhaps the new bushings in the rebuild kit have been updated in a way that makes them no longer compatible with the old style hardware.

what about the next time you have to rebuild it? same deal even though it has already been updated to the newer parts?

That being said you can hardly blame the guy at 4 wheel parts. He is just the poor bastard that gets stuck in the middle of what you want and what he can get you.

I do agree wholeheartedly with this statement though, i go through it all the time at work.

bottom line is don't sell a rebuildable joint if it's only replaceable. anyone want to buy some fabtech lowers? :wierd:

 

[xcm]

It's stupid of Fabtech to insist on selling you a $38 kit when you need a $2 bushing, but like was mentioned, maybe there's a reason.

they just want to make a buck while selling you what you need

nobody is saying jared the customer service rep sucks, theyre saying fabtech sucks for bundling un needed shit with the parts they KNOW wear out. this isnt bundling a pilot bearing with a clutch kit, they know you really only want the bushings.

this stuff is unnacceptable, imagine on a tj with TWICE the ammount of bushings, it shouldnt cost you hundreds of dollars to replace bushings.

All the talk of people firing up their lathes to produce RE bushings is GREAT. they all have terrible buisness model's when it comes to bushings because nobody else produces their replacement bushings... give em some competition!

 

[goodburbon]

I'd take the $160 and buy someone else's product.

I ran into this problem with my Mitsubishi eclipse. A rubber bushing wore out on the rear control arm. The replacement? $300 for a new control arm, sorry we don't sell the bushing seperately.

 

[Oatmeal]

Ok I totally agree with being able to buy only what you need. However, if what you need is no longer sold by itself and its only sold as part of this rebuild kit then perhaps there is a reason. Maybe the rebuild kit comes with other parts that the manufacturer deams necessary to be replaced when replacing those bushings you need. Perhaps the new bushings in the rebuild kit have been updated in a way that makes them no longer compatible with the old style hardware. Or maybe they just want to make a buck while selling you what you need! Hey I never said it was a good reason. That being said you can hardly blame the guy at 4 wheel parts. He is just the poor bastard that gets stuck in the middle of what you want and what he can get you. I mean if you wanted a pen from them and he only was supplied pensils, would it be his fault? Don't get me wrong your situation sucks but it is what it is.

No the guy at 4WPs was totally cool, it wasn't his fault.
No updated parts, no design changes, they just refuse to sell the bushings by themselves (even though they gave me a part #) my beef was solely with Fabtech.
I mean the arms are well built......I just can't see puting that kind of money into them. I'd just as soon throw them in the trash! Oh, and I made the mistake of posting this on Pirate as well.......I had forgoten what dicks those guys are.
I knew there was a reason I stopped posting there!----------Hans

 

[Oatmeal]

Paragraphs... Use them.

Weren't you just on Pirate? Yeah, I just learned how to do that......I'm kind of computer stupid---------Hans

 

[Oatmeal]

Customer service isn't breaking company policy to get you something that the company no longer sells. Why should he go out of his way to save you a buck when it's likely that he could be fired for doing it?

It's stupid of Fabtech to insist on selling you a $38 kit when you need a $2 bushing, but like was mentioned, maybe there's a reason.

Then tell me why, from Currie, whose Johnny Joint they copied, you can buy the individual bushing or any single part of their joints. It's plain BS, that's all------Hans

 

[scottmcneal]

Weren't you just on Pirate? Yeah, I just learned how to do that......I'm kind of computer stupid---------Hans

LOL. He was i bet.But i could read it just fine

 

[RWKHausSupply]

have you taken the arms dissasembled down to Currie and seen if they are infact a exact copy? I know full traction uses a actual johnny joint.

 

[bails85]

dude XXXX fagtech. their products have always licked balls. they are in business solely because they hook up with car dealerships and performance truck supply shops that will push their product on some guy who doesnt know shit about suspensions. as far as im concerned fabtech suspensions was a trend because they were one of the first to put out flashy lift kits. there are way better products out there. sorry about ur luck dude.

 

[silverslk]

Paragraphs... Use them.

Dude, don't be a dick. Ask Grimm......

 

[JohnX]

...they are in business solely because they hook up with car dealerships and performance truck supply shops that will push their product on some guy who doesnt know shit about suspensions.

Quoted for outright truth.

Their stuff sucks.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

Paragraphs... Use them.

Tampons, use them.

 

[bchulett]

dude XXXX fagtech. their products have always licked balls. they are in business solely because they hook up with car dealerships and performance truck supply shops that will push their product on some guy who doesnt know shit about suspensions. as far as im concerned fabtech suspensions was a trend because they were one of the first to put out flashy lift kits. there are way better products out there. sorry about ur luck dude.

Fabtech was started at Race-co Off-road....

He (Dave) installed suspensions and fabricated some parts while at Race-co...

Made a stretch-limo *thing* out of his Ford pick up truck...

Started fabricating Ford suspension components... sold exclusively at Race-co.

He (Dave) started his own shop called Fabtech and took Race-co's business...

Race-co closed. Had enough...

Fabtech thrived. Dave has the personality of a rock, however daddy was rich and therefore Dave didn't need a personality.

All this happened before and most here were still in diapers...

Ever wonder why Fabtech parts were always blue? .. ask Dave, blue must be his favorite color, along with Ford products ... Weird rich dude, that's all I know. And he was never into Jeeps.

I would stay far away from Fabtech... components engineered by non-engineers.


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