titanpat57 said:See post #1...
first sentence...
I skipped to the good stuff I guess.
Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD
Stay AWAY from ALCAN SPRING!!!!!!
- Thread starter alaskacreeker
- Start date
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I skipped to the good stuff I guess.
Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD
Most of what I have heard of Alcan has been positive in the off-road community. In fact I was glad to see this post as I thought we lost Alcan to the 2008 downturn when so many small fabricators bit the dust. I'm glad to here they are alive and well. Sounds like they are under new ownership and back on my shopping list for Tacoma Leaves!
OP, I would NEVER order springs for a custom application without delivering actual loaded weight specs for each wheel as an absolute minimum. Probably would include desired droop, rate, etc, etc, etc... You have to handle 1 off transactions a little differently than normal retail that's why its custom. Sounds like Alcan has simply had enough of trying to help you at their expense.
OP, I would NEVER order springs for a custom application without delivering actual loaded weight specs for each wheel as an absolute minimum. Probably would include desired droop, rate, etc, etc, etc... You have to handle 1 off transactions a little differently than normal retail that's why its custom. Sounds like Alcan has simply had enough of trying to help you at their expense.
Ive heard both positive and a little bit of negative feedback about Alcan, I think the other negative feedback involved springs that werent "arched" or heated properly and had too much sag to them.
I believe some of the mini truck crowd really like their product though.
Im not sure why you sent the springs back without consulting them first about the situation, I wonder if they built it according to your specs which werent appropriate for the application, or if the specs were correct and they were out on design req's/load.
I believe some of the mini truck crowd really like their product though.
Im not sure why you sent the springs back without consulting them first about the situation, I wonder if they built it according to your specs which werent appropriate for the application, or if the specs were correct and they were out on design req's/load.
Sending something back on your own dime, without calling the vendor first is just irresponsible. The OP is attempting turning his time frame into ALCAN's problem. Due diligence falls on the buyer's shoulders, not the vendor's. If you don't ask the right questions, the answers certainly aren't going to fall out of the sky.
Communication is the upmost important with them, they need to know down to the pound you carry, etc etc. I honestly feel this is the case, take a step back and reapprouch when everyone has a moment to consider their options.
- Thread starter
- #26
This is my final message to Alcan Spring. I've let the whole deal go. I'm paying my own way through graduate school, so I don't have money to throw away, but I realize I'm fighting a lost cause.
Thank you for holding the springs & not throwing them away. Again, I apologize for not calling you immediately.
On that late-Thursday night when the mechanic finished putting them on, I walked up to the RV and the mechanic was shaking his head, saying "the springs aren't going to work, it's sagging too much." At that exact moment, I was really, really upset because the springs were already 1 day late (I had already bought a hotel for the night and sat in a movie theater all day waiting for them to be installed). The mechanic told me it would be about $350 to fix the springs, and I thought "that's crazy, I've heard Alcan was a quality product, but truly I don't know anything about Alcan and since the springs didn't hold the motor home up, I didn't want anything to do with them, thinking they could sag or cause a wreck in the future because they weren't strong enough........ so.... I sent them back immediately and was hoping to get a refund, or at least have the springs fixed to how they were supposed to be. I was really upset because I placed a lot of faith in a company I had heard good things about. I have always called/contacted all companies before I return products, I was just upset and not thinking after days and days of traveling from Alaska, waiting in hotels, and being delayed. I knew that you guys wouldn't be able to do anything about it immediately because you were so far away in Colorado, and I truly had to be home to start a new job (5,500 miles away) in less than 6 days in a slow motorhome, so I had no choice but to use all of my money to immediately buy another set of custom springs from a local California spring shop, who did a great job and got it sitting properly.
I'm sorry if I've offended you or came across as an a******, I promise I'm really not. I'm going to try to offer the springs to a friend in Colorado as a gift for his truck, because I can't afford to ship them a 3rd time and I can't afford to pay to have them fixed. I don't have any more money. I just felt like I really got the hard end of the stick on this one. I thought you might at least send me a little cash (the profit you made off me minus the man hours you put into building the springs). I'm sorry I didn't call. I've learned my lesson, and I'll call business first the rest of my life, always remembering what happened here. Sorry again for causing you trouble and you won't hear from me again.
Thank you for holding the springs & not throwing them away. Again, I apologize for not calling you immediately.
On that late-Thursday night when the mechanic finished putting them on, I walked up to the RV and the mechanic was shaking his head, saying "the springs aren't going to work, it's sagging too much." At that exact moment, I was really, really upset because the springs were already 1 day late (I had already bought a hotel for the night and sat in a movie theater all day waiting for them to be installed). The mechanic told me it would be about $350 to fix the springs, and I thought "that's crazy, I've heard Alcan was a quality product, but truly I don't know anything about Alcan and since the springs didn't hold the motor home up, I didn't want anything to do with them, thinking they could sag or cause a wreck in the future because they weren't strong enough........ so.... I sent them back immediately and was hoping to get a refund, or at least have the springs fixed to how they were supposed to be. I was really upset because I placed a lot of faith in a company I had heard good things about. I have always called/contacted all companies before I return products, I was just upset and not thinking after days and days of traveling from Alaska, waiting in hotels, and being delayed. I knew that you guys wouldn't be able to do anything about it immediately because you were so far away in Colorado, and I truly had to be home to start a new job (5,500 miles away) in less than 6 days in a slow motorhome, so I had no choice but to use all of my money to immediately buy another set of custom springs from a local California spring shop, who did a great job and got it sitting properly.
I'm sorry if I've offended you or came across as an a******, I promise I'm really not. I'm going to try to offer the springs to a friend in Colorado as a gift for his truck, because I can't afford to ship them a 3rd time and I can't afford to pay to have them fixed. I don't have any more money. I just felt like I really got the hard end of the stick on this one. I thought you might at least send me a little cash (the profit you made off me minus the man hours you put into building the springs). I'm sorry I didn't call. I've learned my lesson, and I'll call business first the rest of my life, always remembering what happened here. Sorry again for causing you trouble and you won't hear from me again.
- Thread starter
- #27
oh, here's my Toyota 4x4 motorhome blog if you guys wanna see what the Alcan Springs were supposed to go on
...
Living Small, but living BIG!
When I put the Alcan Springs on, the motorhome was bone stock and had nothing on it. I had informed Alcan (when I placed my custom spring order) that the springs were going on a Toyota motor home that would be loaded down with lots of gear, and I ordered them to hold 7,000lbs (more than 1,000 lbs over the stock vehicle weight).
...Living Small, but living BIG!
When I put the Alcan Springs on, the motorhome was bone stock and had nothing on it. I had informed Alcan (when I placed my custom spring order) that the springs were going on a Toyota motor home that would be loaded down with lots of gear, and I ordered them to hold 7,000lbs (more than 1,000 lbs over the stock vehicle weight).
do yourself a favor and open a credit card dispute - they will investigate in a detached manner, and they can mediate
good luck on your new job
good luck on your new job
- Thread starter
- #29
I wish a credit card dispute was an option a long time ago (this has been going on since April 26th, the day the springs arrived). It took them 1 month to build the springs, so by the time I received the springs, Alcan had already been paid and I had already paid the bill.
Why are you just walking away?
Even though you screwed up on your end, Alcan should not be totally left off the hook here.
Granted I dont think you gave them the proper weight figures to build the springs either.
But, I think Alcan should still be held some what accountable as well here if what you are telling us is all true.
But for you to tell us you have no money and that you are willing to walk away from some money that is owed to you just does not make any sense.
Even though you screwed up on your end, Alcan should not be totally left off the hook here.
Granted I dont think you gave them the proper weight figures to build the springs either.
But, I think Alcan should still be held some what accountable as well here if what you are telling us is all true.
But for you to tell us you have no money and that you are willing to walk away from some money that is owed to you just does not make any sense.
i will disagree, Alcan did what wrong?
do you have any proof they made the springs incorrectly?
do you have any proof that the ESTIMATED vehicle weight is accurate?
did the owner of the van actually weight the rear of the van on a scale?
how is Alcan responsible for any of this mess?:whoops:
oh yah, they are a business so they HAVE to be in the wrong.
anyway, i love how the van is being used. that is cool.
do you have any proof they made the springs incorrectly?
do you have any proof that the ESTIMATED vehicle weight is accurate?
did the owner of the van actually weight the rear of the van on a scale?
how is Alcan responsible for any of this mess?:whoops:
oh yah, they are a business so they HAVE to be in the wrong.
anyway, i love how the van is being used. that is cool.
i will disagree, Alcan did what wrong?
do you have any proof they made the springs incorrectly?
do you have any proof that the ESTIMATED vehicle weight is accurate?
did the owner of the van actually weight the rear of the van on a scale?
how is Alcan responsible for any of this mess?:whoops:
oh yah, they are a business so they HAVE to be in the wrong.
anyway, i love how the van is being used. that is cool.
We dont know the answers to these questions ,but I would have thought new springs that were supposed to give a 2 inch lift would not have sagged 2 inches,thats 4 inches below spec
They also sagged even more on the drivers side.
I would have thought motorhome builders would have tried to get L and R sides weights as close as possible,assuming the owner hasnt done something to affect this
But I wouldnt have done it over the net. Its always better for them to see the vehicle and make their own measurements.
check out his link to the van ... that isn't a stock weight in there.
i am not saying Alcan didn't do anything wrong but at this time how are they responsible.
if the owner would have called while the springs were still on the truck then measurments could have been made. a new leaf might have been able to be shipped out.
but
mostly a scale would have made a lot of sense. most cities have a industrial weigh scale that you can rent.
i am not saying Alcan didn't do anything wrong but at this time how are they responsible.
if the owner would have called while the springs were still on the truck then measurments could have been made. a new leaf might have been able to be shipped out.
but
mostly a scale would have made a lot of sense. most cities have a industrial weigh scale that you can rent.
i will disagree, Alcan did what wrong?
do you have any proof they made the springs incorrectly?
do you have any proof that the ESTIMATED vehicle weight is accurate?
did the owner of the van actually weight the rear of the van on a scale?
how is Alcan responsible for any of this mess?:whoops:
oh yah, they are a business so they HAVE to be in the wrong.
anyway, i love how the van is being used. that is cool.
You need to read my post alittle better than that
I said the OP probably did not give the correct numbers to begin with.
I did not say Alcan was totally responsible either maybe they should have offered to spit it with him or something.
I own my own business as well so the smart ass remark about the business being wrong, well is just plan retarded
Who pissed in your corn flakes this morning
And even if the guy was off on his weight figures the springs should still not sag as much as they did regardless
I think that both parties are at fault in some way
So
ummm, i also run a business and have been self-employed for 30+ years.
why should Alcan be responsible at all?
they supplied the springs
he installed
he uninstalled
he shipped back
and then contacted them 2 days AFTER he shipped.
common sense says he should have contacted them while the springs were still on the truck.
I install springs (i build cruisers from scratch, see sig line) and when you have a concern with a supplier you call them with your concerns.
if you are in business then you know the customer is NOT always right.
why should Alcan be responsible at all?
they supplied the springs
he installed
he uninstalled
he shipped back
and then contacted them 2 days AFTER he shipped.
common sense says he should have contacted them while the springs were still on the truck.
I install springs (i build cruisers from scratch, see sig line) and when you have a concern with a supplier you call them with your concerns.
if you are in business then you know the customer is NOT always right.
Believe me I know that the customer is not always right.
The OP definitely screwed things up and was hasty with his actions
It just seems that Alcan should have been a little bit more flexible in working with the guy
This is all really dead point now anyway
The OP should not have bashed the vendor the way he did to begin with is the main point here I believe
The OP definitely screwed things up and was hasty with his actions
It just seems that Alcan should have been a little bit more flexible in working with the guy
This is all really dead point now anyway
The OP should not have bashed the vendor the way he did to begin with is the main point here I believe
I got springs from Alcan.
Had an issue with the rears.
Called them. Sent them some photos.
Both parties agreed there was some miscommunication from the get-go.
Came to a compromise both parties agreed to, and both were (are) happy.
It's not that difficult, Einstein.
There may have been the same early miscommunictaions/understandings on both sides.
The OP's actions at the end put the ball solely in his court as far as the fawk-up goes.
I will defend Alcan
Had an issue with the rears.
Called them. Sent them some photos.
Both parties agreed there was some miscommunication from the get-go.
Came to a compromise both parties agreed to, and both were (are) happy.
It's not that difficult, Einstein.
There may have been the same early miscommunictaions/understandings on both sides.
The OP's actions at the end put the ball solely in his court as far as the fawk-up goes.
I will defend Alcan
agree with your post and esp with this line.
communication is important.
being pissed i can understand but finding out how to fix the issue would have probably allowed Alcan to OFFER to try and help.
$650 for a set of springs, there isn't a lot of movement in cost there
but
sometimes a company is willing to help at a loss if the communication is polite.
nailing them on a thread in a forum as big as Mud probably didn't with the OP any love points.
communication is important.
being pissed i can understand but finding out how to fix the issue would have probably allowed Alcan to OFFER to try and help.
$650 for a set of springs, there isn't a lot of movement in cost there
but
sometimes a company is willing to help at a loss if the communication is polite.
nailing them on a thread in a forum as big as Mud probably didn't with the OP any love points.