Current FFR Bilstein Shock Issue!

[Stoney FFR]

Anyone care to cuss and discuss the Bilstein shock issue over here?

Factory Five has ignored this problem long enough and needs to make things right!

Stoney

[TButtrick]

Great first post there Stoney.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by TButtrick

Great first post there Stoney.

It's one of those "let's start another us vs them" threads.


Didn't we just make inroads not that long ago to stop the bickering between forums and manufacturers?

As for the topic that he would like to discuss, all he needs to do is a search as that subject has been discussed Ad Nauseum since 1999.

Oh well, two steps forward, three steps back


Bill S.

[Maricopa]

Stoney I think that occasionally the moderation at FFR isn't exactly done with 'moderation' (like in your recent case, if you're who I think you are) but in all fairness I'd like to see evidence of any of the stifling you mention in the various shock discussions.

[jolsen42]

Stoney Baby, go back to the FFForum. Dave Smith just addressed this problem.
John O

[Stoney FFR]

Dave Smith's reply is great news! That's all myself and many other have wanted. I have loved FFR for years and that is part of what made all of this so frustrating. I hope this thread will end with everyone over here seeing what a great company FFR is and how one Saturday morning Mr. Smith stepped up to the plate and started the ball rolling the right direction!

[computerworks]

...glad to see your post on ClubCobra apparently made the difference.

Dave said:

It’s Saturday morning and I was told by a customer that there was a new post on one of the discussion boards re: Bilstein Shocks breaking!

[ENTDOC]

yes, there is a veritable love fest going on over there now, nevermind that this has been going on for a couple of years now and the problems voiced to FFR for some time. Now that the talk has shifted to severe liability on FFRs shoulders, the tide has shifted and the company now has gotten a conscience. give me a break,this should have been taken care of a long time ago, and many owners have gone through countless needless hours fretting about the safety of their cars and trying new untested options handed out by FFR, none of which were cheap.

[Mikey_P]

Entdoc,

Why does it bother you so that people are loyal to a company? From your signature line you have some nice cars; do you not care for the company they are from or is it just FFR?

FFR asked and received all the broken shocks they could get last year and their engineers came to a conclusion in July. All of this was published then.

Funny the thread that started this last round was probably due to the number of coils in the spring. Something that was identified last July and recalled if I read the notice I received correctly.

What are the new, untested and not cheap options that you are speaking of that were released by FFR?

I for the life of me cannot understand what you hope to accomplish with your post other than just being mean spirited.

Just sign me,
A happy FFR owner that still runs the Bilsteins.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Mikey_P

Entdoc,

FFR asked and received all the broken shocks they could get last year and their engineers came to a conclusion in July. All of this was published then.

Just sign me,
A happy FFR owner that still runs the Bilsteins.

Actually there were some outside influences before their engineers found a problem

Also a happy multiple FFR owner (my current one is now for sale), but one who knows a little more than to blindly follow based on one forum or another........


Bill S.

[Mikey_P]

Bill,

I understand that and I believe this time it took some squeeking to get the attention needed to bring it to the forefront.

I don't blindly drink the koolaid but I also don't believe harping on something that is being addressed is productive.

I am satisfied with what I got for my money from FFR

but hey, I've been wrong before

[TexasLurker]

I had to register just to post this.

ENTDOC - Why is a non-FFR owner cruising the FFR forums and posting snarky comments? You sound like a pretentious douche.

[computerworks]

Hi Texas Lurker...welcome to ClubCobra.

Now, find a better way to phrase your question rather than as a personal insult.

Use this...in your post


thanks
ron
ClubCobra Moderator

[COBRANIP]

I'm sure Texas Lurker ment "douceur" and it's just one of those typing thingies!

[Jamo]

Maybe...cuz that was an awfully pretentious first post.

Kinda thing that makes me want to reach for a few buttons...can't wait for his second post.

[ENTDOC]

Mikey P, it bothers me to see so many guys frustrated and put in potentially dangerous situations for so long when FFR should have stood up and taken responsibility for the problem much sooner, it has nothing to do with the brand and all to do with acting in a responsible manner. Have you not been keeping up with the situation? The owners deserve better than that, and now that the pot has been stirred over there, perhaps things will improve.

Texaslurker, now let me get this straight. You joined here for the sole purpose of responding to my post, and then ask why I am cruising the FF forum? You have got to be kidding. I am going to stop short of berating you more, I do not think you could handle it.

[Mikey_P]

Entdoc,

I have been keeping up the situation since it started because I have Bilsteins on my car. If it was determined that there is an actual problem with the shocks I would do whatever I had to get the issue resolved to my satisfaction. I have not been convinced there is an inherent problem with the shock itself.

From what I've read most of the problems have been installation problems. There have been very few just out of the blue failures. The people that have had issues and called FFR for the most part have been taken care of. Of course not everybody is happy and everybody has not been taken care of to their satisfaction but since I have not been on both sides of that conversation I do not know the details. I am much more apt to take care of a rational customer than one hollering and threatening me with legal action.

I would be more concerned how I have them mounted, whether there was binding in the full range of movement, if I have put some grease under the seals-it on the mounting joint and generally make sure what I do is right.

I don’t normally get involved in this type of discussion because most people have already formed their opinions and no matter what I say they will not change which is exactly why I stayed out of the discussion over at FFCobra.

I do agree FFR should have made an announcement earlier or at least reprinted their findings from the first go around last year, but when you write about “trying new untested options handed out by FFR, none of which were cheap” I have to ask about it. By the way, I’m not trying to come off as an a**hole but I think enough misinformation has been broadcast so far.

I also realize I am in the minority about the shocks but we are entitled to our opinions however wrong they may be in someone elses eyes.

Mike

[ENTDOC]

mike, you are correct in that you are entitled to your opinion and i will not berate you for it, nor will you be banned here for it. As far as i am concerned, your opinion is as valid as the next guys. However, this is a serious issue, one that i went through with my SPF coupe and it can take the fun out of driving the car untill one is confident in it again. If you read the posts on the ffcobra forum, many of the guys that have had problems have had to pony up for new shocks at their expense and there are many complaints that some cannot afford to upgrade, not to mention the downtime and work involved. In my opinion, the Bilsteins are the problem and the lack of clear cut opinions on correct mounting has been confusing at best. i have no dog in this fight except for several friends that have FF cobras, but I will support those that have had legitimate issues and are concerned, since they have tended to be looked upon as non team players or whiners, it is the only way things will be corrected and it seems to have worked.

[Stoney FFR]

Originally Posted by ENTDOC

I will support those that have had legitimate issues and are concerned, since they have tended to be looked upon as non team players or whiners, it is the only way things will be corrected and it seems to have worked.

THANK YOU!

Yes, to me, one thing that gets old is how so many people jump on someone if they dare talk about a negative experience with FFR or any of the other beloved vendors. I find that it's especially irritating if that person is a MOD on the forum. Also, watch out if you post a positive experience with any vendors that have fallen from grace.

With that said, I'll say this. I have had very positive experiences with every vendor I have done business with, ffcobra endorsed or not, except for FFR on the shock issue. FFR has been wonderful on every other issue, including back orders, missing parts, damaged parts, etc. I have also had great experiences with http://rjminjectiontech.com/ , Ron Morris and Chuck's Electrics, all of which aren't ffcobra vendors.

Here is my take on the whole shock issue.

I'm not sure if there is a failure destined to happen if you do everything FFR says to do. But for me, not being sure is the problem. Every time I get up to speed and hit a bump I don't want to be worried that a shock is going to break and the front end is going to come down. Unfortunately nobody is going to get rid of that doubt for me, now that I have read about all of the other Bilstein shock failures for the past few years.

I do feel the Bilstein shocks are barely strong enough for the application when everything is perfect. There is just too much "tech" work involved for my comfort to make sure everything is perfect. I don't want to worry if one of my zip-ties on the shock hats broke loose the last time I drove the car. I don't want to worry if that last rain storm washed too much of the grease off/out of the heim joint. I don't want to wonder if the required washer on top of the shock hat is still in good condition. I don't want to wonder if I should flip the shocks body side up like FFR recommended or flip them body side down since nobody has reported a failure that way, even though that's not the way FFR said to do it.

So YES, I think Mr. Smith is doing the right thing by saying that he's going to offer a solution to the problem that will allow most people to get out from under the Bilstein shock worry. Yes, I do think he took too long to do it, but all the same he did it and that's all I wanted at this point. So once again, THANK YOU!

Yes it was crazy, hours after my first post, he announced that he was going to fix the problem.. I think it was coincidence, but it was interesting that he said a friend told him about "a new post on one of the discussion boards," which made it sound like he wasn't talking about www.ffcobra.com . I guess nobody will know for sure.

Yes, I love my FFR car and wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm happy and proud to be a FFR owner and glad that Dave Smith appears to be planning to do the right thing. Dave Smith seems to be a very charismatic and smart fellow. He's also a businessman and I know that he's probably sick to his stomach over the money the shock issue is going to cost along with all of the negative PR this has generated. All one has to do is look at the number of people that have viewed the broken shock threads. I think the last one got up to almost 5400 people.... until the forum owner closed the thread so that it would drop off the front page.

I'm sorry if my first post here on ClubCobra stirred the pot and was a bad first post. I'm sure as my car gets closer to completion I'll probably migrate further away from ffcobra (good for build support) and spend more time here on ClubCobra (good for meeting/socializing with other local Cobra Owners). Hopefully I'll have future posts that will seem a little more productive to more people.

Stoney FFR

[Stoney FFR]

I just replied with a long post and it's being held for Mod approval. What did I do to cause that?

Edit, it looks like short ones immediately post..

Stoney