opinions on products from a new company

[lil_red_wagon]

Im tryin to get everyone's opinions on buying products from a new company. I have bein fabricating parts and doing mods to all sorts of vehicles for years now. A business partner and I am trying to open a shop. We will be fabing parts like skids, bumpers, tire carriers, control arms, track bars, etc... We will be offering very competive prices. Not only will we be selling the parts we will also install and do repairs. My biggest concern is people not trusting our products and/or work. We will be testing our products in real world secenaros. Everything will be tried tested and approved before it is offered. The reason this is in the Red River Chapter is im just tryin to get opinions here because it will happen in AR. Mods if this needs moved please feel free to. Not trying to post a comerical post just asking a question.

 

[xxmidianxx]

Well the way I see it is that you will have to gain people's "trust". Mainly by getting your products out there and having people useing them... other than yourselves. I also see the point of having your products "tested and approved" by you guys first but a 3-party tester would be better.


On that note... I will test ANY product, well almost any ( I love me Clayton Long Arms) product you guys would be willing to donate to be tested.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

yeah i know im lookin into doin that. i just dont know the best way to go about having 3rd party people do it. dont know if i should do some kind of drawing or certain registrants at a off road park or sell a few to some people for like cost in materials or something.

 

[x2elite]

I think that is a great idea. I would be interested in helping test them out, and even be willing to help design them. If you make good products that are obviously beefy, then people will buy them.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

i already have some thought of and made havent tested them yet first trip out will be next weekend with them and ill see how it all works and see what i need to strengthen havent made the gas tank skid to test yet but will be orderin materials this week. as long as things go right will be testing it in gilmer tx on the 7th. this weekends test will be on the rock rails

 

[ExTankerGuy]

PM sent.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

responded to pm

 

[lil_red_wagon]

what kind of products would anyone like to see at a affordable price? we will also be able to do cutsom stuff. it may take a little longer on that but we should be able to do most.

 

[90Blue_XJ]

what kind of products would anyone like to see at a affordable price? we will also be able to do cutsom stuff. it may take a little longer on that but we should be able to do most.

Bumpers and long arms.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

i have a short arm design already made. havent started researching the long arm yet. i do have a design made for a rear bumper and swing out tire carrier that i will be testing next weekend. as in front bumpers what are you lookin for? pre-runner stye or winch bumpers? with or without stingers?

 

[xxmidianxx]

Roof rack(s) with sliders would be nice.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

what do you mean by sliders? where you can move the rack its self or sliding bars inside the rack to secure items in the rack?

 

[trail rate this]

I think he means tree sliders. I'm just over in middle TN. I fabricate most of my own parts too. I would love to help you test some parts.

I bore TB's. I've built tube doors, sliders w/ tree guards, brush guards, tube fenders, traction bars, etc.....

Next I want to build a rear bumper w/ tire carrier, and a roof rack.

Looking forward to seeing your products.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

oh ok i know what hes talkin about. would roof sliders that mounted to drip welds be a good idea too?

 

[xxmidianxx]

oh ok i know what hes talkin about. would roof sliders that mounted to drip welds be a good idea too?

Yeah, um sorry I wasn't clear on that one. But using the drip rails is what I was talking about for a mounting surface. I am sure you will need to tie them into one another for strengh reasons also.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

yeah i got researching and seen what you where talkin about yeah i can do somethin like that. i got some dimensions tonight and ill work on it and see what i can come up with

 

[MischiefMan]

The UGLY Side of Business

Selling things at cost with the agreement for testimonials is not a bad idea.

Not to be a wet blanket or anything, but the part of my brain that lives in the law office wants to shout, "Be careful of product liability!" We live in a sue happy country where too many people are trying to make a quick buck off of misfortune. Having components such as long arms fail at highway speed could be deadly. Seek the advice of an attorney. It's a sad fact that businesses MUST spend money being defensive.

Save all data concerning research and development so that you have proof that you are competent if you are ever sued.

Take the time, and be careful that you are not infringing on someone a patent that belongs to someone else. Take the time to patent your own stuff so that others cannot steal your original designs.

Making your own stuff and stuff for friends is fun and rewarding. Making things for the marketplace is different world. It brings its own set of heartaches and rewards. It can be done though. Look at Erik Buell. He use to hand build motorcycles based are the Harley engine in the barn behind his house. He now mass produces American-made sport bikes.

That being said, it seems to me that items such as armor (skids, rock and tree sliders, belly pans, etc.), recovery, roof racks, and anything that else is not required to meet state or federal standards or could easily cause death or injury would be a safe place to start.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[xxmidianxx]

Re: The UGLY Side of Business

Selling things at cost with the agreement for testimonials is not a bad idea.

Not to be a wet blanket or anything, but the part of my brain that lives in the law office wants to shout, "Be careful of product liability!" We live in a sue happy country where too many people are trying to make a quick buck off of misfortune. Having components such as long arms fail at highway speed could be deadly. Seek the advice of an attorney. It's a sad fact that businesses MUST spend money being defensive.

Save all data concerning research and development so that you have proof that you are competent if you are ever sued.

I would say spend the $500+ and get the L.L.C. so they can't go after your personal things.

That being said, it seems to me that items such as armor (skids, rock and tree sliders, belly pans, etc.), recovery, roof racks, and anything that else is not required to meet state or federal standards or could easily cause death or injury would be a safe place to start.

Job security for me!

 

[trail rate this]

Re: The UGLY Side of Business

Selling things at cost with the agreement for testimonials is not a bad idea.

Not to be a wet blanket or anything, but the part of my brain that lives in the law office wants to shout, "Be careful of product liability!" We live in a sue happy country where too many people are trying to make a quick buck off of misfortune. Having components such as long arms fail at highway speed could be deadly. Seek the advice of an attorney. It's a sad fact that businesses MUST spend money being defensive.

Save all data concerning research and development so that you have proof that you are competent if you are ever sued.

Take the time, and be careful that you are not infringing on someone a patent that belongs to someone else. Take the time to patent your own stuff so that others cannot steal your original designs.

Making your own stuff and stuff for friends is fun and rewarding. Making things for the marketplace is different world. It brings its own set of heartaches and rewards. It can be done though. Look at Erik Buell. He use to hand build motorcycles based are the Harley engine in the barn behind his house. He now mass produces American-made sport bikes.

That being said, it seems to me that items such as armor (skids, rock and tree sliders, belly pans, etc.), recovery, roof racks, and anything that else is not required to meet state or federal standards or could easily cause death or injury would be a safe place to start.

I wish you the best of luck!

I agree, check your state laws. Look into a business general liability policy.

 

[lil_red_wagon]

oh i have bein it will be a good while before suspension components are made. mostly the armor will be made in the beginning and pretty safe and not like somethin that could/would fail goin down the highway(as long as parts are installed correctly)