Fabtech springs SAGGING!

[Recycled Racing]

In Nov 00 I installed a 5.5" Fabtech all spring kit on my Y2K PSD X. While performing a 5K mile check of the suspension system (and trying to figure out where all the body pops are comming from ) this weekend, I noticed that the driver's front side appeared to be sagging. After some closer investigation, it appears that the driver's front spring (5.5" 10 leaf) has sagged just over 1 inch .
I will be calling Fabtech as soon as they open to discuss my discovery. Has anyone else with a Fabtech kit noticed the driver's side spring sagging?



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RECYCLED RACING TEAM
"Conserve resources, recycle old racecars."
http://home.att.net/~rr-team/
Y2K X

[97Crusher]

Perhaps given your extensive automotive and aerospace background, you could design a set of springs and other equipment that actually claims to do what is says.

You got 73 posts so far, you need another 300 to become a cyber diesel expert. HA HA.

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97 F350 XLT Centurion CrewCab

[X-cuses]

RR-
I feel your pain!! We research all this aftermarket stuff to death, then buy and
install it and get to figure out all the inherent defects for the companies while PAYING FOR IT!!!
I'm to the point where stock is where I'm staying. Good luck, hope it all works out for you.

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Y2K X Limited, 4x4, PSD, 3.73LS, Black/Parchment Cow (don't tell Jimmy's cows), All Alpine with 3 Amps-8 speakers-and 2 10" subs, Movie Vision Entertainment, Fumoto, Bilsteins, Helwig rear bar, K&N, Pro comp SS, Remote start, Hands free cell, PPIII, Dunlop Radial Rover AT 285/75/16 , and the roof rack OFF

[coldair]

X-cuses, I am glad everyone did not think that way or we would be speaking the kings english right now. If they take my money d** it I want the thing to work.
Recycled Racing, remind them what a Warranty means. we recently had a company give one of our customers a run around on a warranty part till we asked for the 800 # for the attorney genrals office in their state. the part was here in a week after that. mike

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2000 Excursion limited,psd,Superchip, vdo guages, Eclispse DVD,oz+orions 1200 watts PPI, ARB front, Aubuorn ls rear 4:10's, 6" Skyjacker 35BFG KO's
Race Magnum, Maghytech,High Angle drive shaft, NRA life member, IGFA

[coldair]

Recycled Racing, I checked with Fabtech, the reason they dont just send them out is some people have already tried to send their springs back saying that they are defective just to get a 8" lift kit. Sometimes the good guys suffer because of one or two bad apples.
Thats why they test them before you get a credit.
One of my competiors took a condo job away from us by including free parts for 93 a\c units with the maintence. he did it by using other people model and serial # to claim the parts under warranty.
mike


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2000 Excursion limited,psd,Superchip, vdo guages, Eclispse DVD,oz+orions 1200 watts PPI, ARB front, Aubuorn ls rear 4:10's, 6" Skyjacker 35BFG KO's
Race Magnum, Maghytech,High Angle drive shaft, NRA life member, IGFA

[X-cuses]

Coldair-
I've read many of your posts and consider them responsible and of value; however mildly torching me for not wanting to battle my life away in the pursuit of more "mods" I find somewhat childish. Considering you expended your time in the noble task of pursuing RR's problem with Fabtech only to inform him that their policy is founded in the fraudulent behavior of others. Then to comfort RR with that knowledge and to tell him that YES he must endure the 3 or 4 week wait is ludicrous! If you truly fought the hard fight you might have suggested to Fabtech they ship RR a REPLACEMEMT spring, that way he would not be accused of any fraud and you would have accomplished something in RR's favor.
Just my $.02


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Y2K X Limited, 4x4, PSD, 3.73LS, Black/Parchment Cow (don't tell Jimmy's cows), All Alpine with 3 Amps-8 speakers-and 2 10" subs, Movie Vision Entertainment, Fumoto, Bilsteins, Helwig rear bar, K&N, Pro comp SS, Remote start, Hands free cell, PPIII, Dunlop Radial Rover AT 285/75/16 , and the roof rack OFF

[erlong]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Recycled Racing:
Just got off the phone with Fabtech. They said that I have to send the spring back to the seller, who will in turn send it back to them to be tested. If they test it and find it does show sag, they will replace it. That's great! So what do I do while the spring is in transit for 3-4 weeks?

Why is it seem that no one company can build a product that works without issues? Definately not ISO 9000 compliant!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Are the springs even for a diesel? It's normal for springs to settle a bit, but they should be about even. There's nothing like spending good money and then having your truck's stance end up ****-eyed.

How many miles are on the new sets of springs? How have you been breaking the springs in...around town driving, or have you really flexed the suspension? I'm not sure about this, but I was under the impression that you needed a different weight spring on one side of the truck (in the front for the diesel) to compensate for the weight being a little more to one side rather than centered. Perhaps you have the springs reversed, or were shipped the wrong one?

I feel your pain. I went through all of that crap too. It's like some companies don't take into consideration that you actually drive the vehicle you are modifying.

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-Eric
2000 Excursion Limited, PSD, black, fully loaded, Western Diesel chip, Viper 550 alarm w/ remote start, Alpine CVA-1005 6.5" head unit, Alpine DVA-5200 DVD player, Alpine CHA-1214 12-disc CD changer, Alpine MRV-T757 2-channel amp, Alpine MRV-F407 4-channel amp, 2 Alpine Type-R series subs (SWR-1040D), subs mounted in rear cargo doors, 21% tint all around

[Recycled Racing]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I will be calling Fabtech as soon as they open to discuss my discovery.
[/b]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just got off the phone with Fabtech. They said that I have to send the spring back to the seller, who will in turn send it back to them to be tested. If they test it and find it does show sag, they will replace it. That's great! So what do I do while the spring is in transit for 3-4 weeks?

Why is it seem that no one company can build a product that works without issues? Definately not ISO 9000 compliant!



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RECYCLED RACING TEAM
"Conserve resources, recycle old racecars."
http://home.att.net/~rr-team/
Y2K X

[scotpart]

Gentlemen, Gentlemen,

The whole purpose of this exercise is to exchange information and enlighten each other of potential problems that may plague us all.It doesn't make a bit of difference why someone buys a certain piece of equipment for their truck, that's not important. What is important is that this is actually a large focus group evaluating equipment on a daily basis. It also gives us a certain purchasing power, because when a few of us call a company to get an explanation of a policy, or information on a product, we put them on notice that their "Good Service" or "Bad Service" is being examined by thousands od potential purchasers. Don't underestimate the importance of this on an intelligent business.
Do the math. 10,000+ members who own big bucks trucks. That's a serious group.

I sure didn't pay $40,000 for a truck to have it sit in a garage while I wait for a part because the company had someone rip them off in the past. Let them work out an amenable policy that works for good customers. The other side of that coin is always by from someone that you can actually go back and
deal with.


scott

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01 Black Excursion XLT PSD 4x4 Com & Conv. group, leather, 3.73LS Tel. mirrors 305/70R16 Goodyears, Husky mats, Manik tube steps, J & J grill, K&N, Clifford Alarm

[This message has been edited by scotpart (edited 02-06-2001).]

[coldair]

Sorry guys I need to clarify a little bit.
1. Fabtech sells to distributors only, you must go through the dealer you bought the part from.
2. It is necessary to secure the return of your defective part by purchasing the replacement with a credit card.
3. Fabtech tests the replacement part before issuing credit to the dealer, who in turn must issue the credit back to you.
4. the down time is only the length of time it takes to change the spring before sending it back.
5. Recycled Racing, is there anything unusual that could have caused the spring to sag? a large heavy tool box in the car on that side perhaps?
Well the good news is you can get the part before removing the truck from service the bad news is you must secure the safe return for warranty with the use of a credit card, but that is SOP for most companies. mike


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2000 Excursion limited,psd,Superchip, vdo guages, Eclispse DVD,oz+orions 1200 watts PPI, ARB front, Aubuorn ls rear 4:10's, 6" Skyjacker 35BFG KO's
Race Magnum, Maghytech,High Angle drive shaft, NRA life member, IGFA

[Recycled Racing]

Mike.

nothing on the truck which would cause the drivers corner to sag. I do know that Fabtech does not make a diesel spring. They say that thier spring is good for both diesel and non-diesel. I was once told that they were running about 800lb/in spring rate.

When the weather clears up, I am going to pull the front springs an have them measured under load to see if they are suffient for the vehicle weight. I'll also swap them and see if the other spring sags while on the drivers side. I need to find a 4 point scale an weight the truck. I think that the driver front is significanty "heavier" than the pass front.

Thanks for the comments - i'll let you know what happens.

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RECYCLED RACING TEAM
"Conserve resources, recycle old racecars."
http://home.att.net/~rr-team/
Y2K X

[MR Clutch]

RR
I dont have aftermarket springs, but I have had the factory frt left spring replaced twice for the same reason, sagging as much as 1.5 inches. Maybe its a design problem in the x frt end?