[dscott]

We did replace the u-joint but JAC was convinced the pinion was undersized. We also offered to replace the rack. JAC decided that the original rack we sent him was not a Flaming River rack. That was possible and I did not question his desire to have a new rack. After he returned the rack to us we discovered that his rack was a Flaming River but the name had been ground off. He had also talked to someone at Flaming River and they told him all their racks had a round pinion, the one he received from us did not. The person at Flaming River was wrong because I have another Flaming River rack here and it has a flat on the pinion. He also stated the pinion was undersized but it is the same as 2 other Flaming River racks I have here. I always take the side of the customer and gladly send them a replacement if they are not happy. I ordered a new Flaming River rack for him.

JAC has posted many times that we would not help him but that is not true. We were always good to him and tried our best to resolve any issues that came up. I did not question him when he wanted the rack replaced.

I must also state that we have the right as a manufacturer to substitute parts of equal or greater value. I can't always get the parts I need in a timely manner so I order from different companies. This isn't to reduce my cost in any way and substitute inferior product. I buy from companies that I have wholesale accounts with to keep my costs down. I actually pay more for the other brands as a rule. We have kept our pricing the same on our kits since 1990. Everything we use in the manufacture has gone up in price. I can only reduce my costs by "buying in" to suppliers and purchasing in quantity. Many of these companies require a "buy in" minimum of $5,000 to $10,000. So my best pricing comes from these companies.

When JAC returned the rack and we discovered the name had been ground off my only conclusion is that they are for some reason trying to make us look like idiots by selling poor quality products and telling them it's something else. Why would I take a new perfectly good rack and grind off the name. I'm not in to wasting money to make a customer look wrong. What purpose would that serve? JAC said this rack was in a Flaming River box. I don't have any extra boxes for racks and you sure can't buy boxes from Flaming River.

Our frames require that 7/8" be cut from the inner tie rod. They cut theirs 1 1/4" . This rack is identical to 2 other Flaming River racks that I have here. The other racks I buy are totally different.

JAC has had the mindset that we are purposely trying to rip him off. We are not. We did have several backorders that took us some time to fill but these are all from outside vendors and unfortunately I have no control over them. As an example I had rear disc brake kits on order from Ford SVO for 6 months before we received anything.

JAC has received everything he ordered from us and we have tried our best to do whatever he wants within reason. At some point you say enough is enough. I got to that point when I saw the rack he returned. We just can't seem to please him.

JAC likes to post on this site before he even contacts us for a solution. Is that right? I should at the very least have the opportunity to resolve an issue before he posts and tries to make us look bad.

The one thing that I believe in all of this is that most of the complaining and accusations are probably coming from the person that's building his car. JAC seems to be a reasonable man but I think he is caught in the middle and reacting to other people.

As a manufacturer I would be stupid to loose customers based on a part that cost under $200. If you read my responses to the original post you can see I have tried to please them even though they posted lies which by the way were never retracted even though he admitted on the phone he posted in haste before he talked to me. So I just sit back and let him post over and over about how badly he has been treated, how he doesn't get any customer support, how we sell him inferior parts, and I don't get a chance to defend myself and my company. I think not. I have the same right to respond and show my perspective after all other options are used.

I don't like being called a liar and a cheat because I'm not one. I believe in Christian values and that means treating people with respect and honesty. I go out of my way to try and please people and provide a good product at a fair value. Do we have problems sometimes, of course, but all I can do is remedy the problems and move forward.

JAC has decided to send the rack to Flaming River and I think that's a good idea. That will resolve any question as to the origin of the rack.

I truly feel bad that this situation has escalated to this point but I couldn't see any other alternative. I don't like accusing customers of trying to cheat us but the facts seem obvious in this situation. I don't know why they would have went to this extreme to try and prove a point. I just kept trying to resolve the issue with him in a professional way. He just seemed insistant that we were trying to pull a fast one and decide the best way to handle the problem was by posting here. Unfortunate for all involved.
Don