Props to Rusty's Offroad

[Eddy_AL]

In reading through all the different offroad forums, I have seen both praise and complaints for Rusty's Offroad. Since they are close - 30 to 45 minute from my house- I decided to go with their products knowing that returns, issues, etc would only require a quick drive instead of shipping. Plus, I want to support Alabama businesses when I can.

I had the day off today. I have Rusty's steering conversion on Old Blue. Even after new ball joints and wheel hub assemblies, I still have dead spots. I originally decided to replace the TRE's with heim joints. I headed up to Rusty's shop fully intending on spending money. Once I told him what I wanted, the fellow in the office at Rusty's came out and gave Old Blue a thorough going over. Eventually, he figured out that it was my steering gearbox. With over 200,000 miles, I was going to replace this anyway.

The point is, I was ready to spend money. They could easily have just smiled and sold me what I thought I needed. Instead, they took the time to check out my problem and found out that I didn't need to drop the cash on the heim joints.

I will continue to give these guys a chance whenever I can. So far, they have been nothing but honest and helpful....

 

[jeepgeek2002]

theres always pros and cons at a 4x4 shop. look at 4 wheel parts.. they had a horrible rep til last year they started fixing thier issues and now they seem to be doing a lot better.
Rustys is the same way.. its hit or miss with them. I like thier long arms others dont.. i think for the money Rustys is like Rough Country. Both companies have improved what they sell and they offroad what they sell.

Good job Rustys ..

Mark

 

[bosco01xj]

I think Eddy was talking primarily about the customer service rather than the product.

I've had nothing but bad luck with 4wd shops in Middle TN. I went to 4 wheel parts near my current place of employment looking to buy new front shocks for my xj. Come to find out they don't carry any in store. I've never heard of an offroad shop not carrying any shocks in store. Also he said he could order them and then have them there in 14 days. I told him I could order them online and get them delivered to my house in less time than that. Then I left.

EOR is another one that's frustrating me. They are NEVER open. I wonder how these guys stay in business. Their store hours say they are open until 3PM on Saturdays. I've gone there two Saturdays in a row before 3PM and on both occasions they were closed. I also went there looking for shock tabs. They had three of four little pieces of metal for my purpose. The guy tells me they usually have 100 of them. He said they should have more the following week. Keep in mind this is a fab shop. Great customer service would have been as follows, "Looks like we only have three tabs here. Give me a second and I'll get one of our fab guys to cut another one out." I would have given them my money. I also feel like I'm a burden when I walk in. No one greets me or says hi anymore. Its unlikely I will give them any more business.

 

[Team Willys]

I think Eddy was talking primarily about the customer service rather than the product.

I've had nothing but bad luck with 4wd shops in Middle TN. I went to 4 wheel parts near my current place of employment looking to buy new front shocks for my xj. Come to find out they don't carry any in store. I've never heard of an offroad shop not carrying any shocks in store. Also he said he could order them and then have them there in 14 days. I told him I could order them online and get them delivered to my house in less time than that. Then I left.

EOR is another one that's frustrating me. They are NEVER open. I wonder how these guys stay in business. Their store hours say they are open until 3PM on Saturdays. I've gone there two Saturdays in a row before 3PM and on both occasions they were closed. I also went there looking for shock tabs. They had three of four little pieces of metal for my purpose. The guy tells me they usually have 100 of them. He said they should have more the following week. Keep in mind this is a fab shop. Great customer service would have been as follows, "Looks like we only have three tabs here. Give me a second and I'll get one of our fab guys to cut another one out." I would have given them my money. I also feel like I'm a burden when I walk in. No one greets me or says hi anymore. Its unlikely I will give them any more business.

Well since you aren't going to give it to them, you should come to me!!! lol.

 

[256offroad]

EOR is another one that's frustrating me. They are NEVER open. I wonder how these guys stay in business. Their store hours say they are open until 3PM on Saturdays. I've gone there two Saturdays in a row before 3PM and on both occasions they were closed. I also went there looking for shock tabs. They had three of four little pieces of metal for my purpose. The guy tells me they usually have 100 of them. He said they should have more the following week. Keep in mind this is a fab shop. Great customer service would have been as follows, "Looks like we only have three tabs here. Give me a second and I'll get one of our fab guys to cut another one out." I would have given them my money. I also feel like I'm a burden when I walk in. No one greets me or says hi anymore. Its unlikely I will give them any more business.

thats cause they have been real busy with buggys lately and the KOH buggy.


jimmy is a real nice guy. he will go out of his way while he is wheeling at a park to check on a customers rig that is there.

 

[trail rate this]

thats cause they have been real busy with buggys lately and the KOH buggy.


jimmy is a real nice guy. he will go out of his way while he is wheeling at a park to check on a customers rig that is there.

Keeping past cutomers happy is key, but pissing off the new customers doesn't get new money in the doors.

Anytime I've been in EOR I haven't been acknowlegded that I was even there. The only way to get acknowledged at EOR is to wave money in thier face.

 

[256offroad]

The only way to get acknowledged at EOR is to wave money in thier face.

yeah.... sadly enough that is how every major offroad fabricator is in the south east.


wide open designs doenst even talk with you unless you bring him 20k cash.


but back on topic. on rustys.

i have had good luck with them as well..... it sure is nice that they are so close.

 

[Blaine B.]

How did you set the Rusty's steering up to not have a dead spot?

 

[Eddy_AL]

We'll see after after I get the new steering gear box in. If it is still there, guess I'm left with going to the heim joints despite what they said.....

It's an XJ, no matter what anyone says, we all know it's a never ending battle.....

We love it. We're sick that way....

 

[Blaine B.]

I've been happy with everything else from Rusty's except their steering conversion.

I snapped one of their cast TRE's in half. Thank goodness it happened in my garage and not on the road. Another one of them is slopping around really bad right now.

Had to pay $260 for the steering and then about another $250 for Moog tie-rod ends.

Even so I get alot of slop. I set the tierod up with the draglink tierod end on the FRONT of the tierod, not on top. If it were on top it seems like the tierod ends would definitely bind when at full droop.

I haven't installed my drop pitman arm yet, I am hoping that resolves alot of the problems, so that the draglink isn't at such an extreme angle. I did install my go-fer-it over the knuckle inserts in October but haven't driven the XJ more than around the block since then.

We shall see. Wishing I just got the factory ZJ steering and called it a day. Would have saved a lot of money and frustration.

 

[256offroad]

i love my rustys steering conversion! its about 6 years old and havent had a problem. still running the ol worn out tie rod ends.... only problem i have had is it has taken a BEATING and bends REAL easy.... so i am about to sleeve it.

 

[ruger81]

X2
I seen this thread and had to comment. i recently purchased the 6.5 long arm kit from rusty's. I installed it and realized i got one wrong bolt i was really pissed. so i call first thing in the morning on a monday they put rusty himself on the phone he sent me out an entire hardwhare kit free he was really nice. i love the kit and will buy again.

 

[Blaine B.]

Is that the older design that has the different passenger side tierod end that the draglink attaches to? More like the JCR 1 ton steering setup or the Rugged Ridge steering setup.

Their newer design rids that and has the draglink connect to the tierod instead of the tierod end. I can see where they are coming from by only having two different tierod ends on the entire steering system versus three different ones but I don't think it works as well in the end.

I got all sorts of deathwobble when I switched to the Rusty's steering. Never had DW until then. And the funny thing is, it deathwobbles without any input from the steering wheel because the tierod end rotates back and forth. Very annoying especially after I had it aligned and nothing changed.