Bad News for Rubicon Express Customers
- Thread starter Brigitta
- Start date
Lewybrewing
Observer
Damn.....
Scott Brady
Founder
Innovate or die - bummer.
NOMADIC_LJ
Explorer
They make a nice product. I hope they are able to return. Hate to see this kind of thing happen.
AmericaOverland
Explorer
How do you mean, innovate? As in move out of CA to a cheaper state and all the top-level people lower their salaries? I'm just interjecting with no knowledge of this company (sadly, I don't own a Jeep), so I hope it wasn't for those reasons and hope for the best for the company. It's bad to see an American company go under. Good luck to them!
The Adam Blaster
Expedition Leader
I purchased a 4.5" kit for my XJ because they were supposed to be of much higher quality than most other brands out there.
After installing the kit I had brutal bump steer and I had to purchase adjustable links, and had significant work done on the front end to get it back to proper function.
I ws disappointed that I bought a kit with supposedly everything included, I had to replace components that came with it costing me more money.
I have no interest in people losing their jobs, but I couldn't care either way if RE stayed in business or not...
After installing the kit I had brutal bump steer and I had to purchase adjustable links, and had significant work done on the front end to get it back to proper function.
I ws disappointed that I bought a kit with supposedly everything included, I had to replace components that came with it costing me more money.
I have no interest in people losing their jobs, but I couldn't care either way if RE stayed in business or not...
No lift kit comes with any thing for the steering, except for maybe a trac bar, so you would have that issue with any lift. I'm pretty disappointed with this news, as I was hoping to upgrade my 3.5" springs to 4.5" springs.
Jim K in PA
Adventurer
RE was having supply problems all last summer and fall. My son bought a 3.5" lift kit for his YJ, but they could not supply the shocks. They were on "back order", and had been for months. After waiting about 6 weeks, we sourced shocks of equivalent dimension and function elsewhere. They credited his account for the shocks they could not supply. A credit of - get this - ~$12/shock. Seriously?
They also sell two different spring packs for the leaf suspensions. The one they advertise heavily is the imported (from India) spring. The US sourced spring kit is their "Heavy Duty" kit, and is about 30% more expensive.
It wil be interesting to see if they can even get reorganized enough to reopen. I suspect they will merge with another firm, much like what happened to Nth Degree.
They also sell two different spring packs for the leaf suspensions. The one they advertise heavily is the imported (from India) spring. The US sourced spring kit is their "Heavy Duty" kit, and is about 30% more expensive.
It wil be interesting to see if they can even get reorganized enough to reopen. I suspect they will merge with another firm, much like what happened to Nth Degree.
Scott Brady
Founder
zjsheller
Observer
I have their 4.5 RE lift on my Zj and it has performed flawlessly! Perhaps there were some installation issues?
Seriously too bad about RE. Hope they can find a way to pull it out. This country needs more small businesses like theirs.
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stomperxj
Explorer
I bought the 6130 kit for my XJ and its a great kit. Everything was included, installation was a breeze and it performs very good on and off road. I hope they stick around too...
My experience is that it's certainly premature to assume they went under because of product issues (although it sounds like there may have been some) or business practices. A lot of companies that have great products and adhere to ethical business practices don't make it either. The simple, brutal truth of the matter is that a lot of people simply don't know how to run a business and manage the expenses/overhead well enough to make it work. I have been working with small businesses (up to $15 million in annual revenues) for a few years now. The best part about my job is I get to learn from others mistakes without it costing me any money.
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
Beyond that, there is still the issue of the rapidly changing economy. A business model that worked just fine a couple years ago may not work at all in the current economy.
Hopefully the 'reorganization' that RE is going through will set them up for success in the current market, and allow them to adapt to the ever-changing consumer demand.
The Adam Blaster
Expedition Leader
In regards to my personal experience - I did 90% of the install in my garage with friends, had a shop complete it along with other repairs that were needed on the XJ.
I then had BRUTAL bump steer, had one specialty 4x4 shop look at it, they sent it to a place that specializes in front end work, and he said the steering specs were WAY out. The camber/castor were completely off, and that's wht we had to buy adjustable links, and at least one other component to get the specs back in line.
And on a more basic note, the kit did not come with some hardware, I had to source that locally.
The actual manufactured components (links, trac bar etc.) seemed beefy enough for my tastes, I was more dsappointed in the total package, and the need for so much adjustment and additional components when I thought I had bought a complete kit.
I think the lack of replacement nuts and bolts for the rear bothered me the most. Small cheap parts (from a mass-production point of view) that ended up costing me an afternoon, and about 50 bucks.
I then had BRUTAL bump steer, had one specialty 4x4 shop look at it, they sent it to a place that specializes in front end work, and he said the steering specs were WAY out. The camber/castor were completely off, and that's wht we had to buy adjustable links, and at least one other component to get the specs back in line.
And on a more basic note, the kit did not come with some hardware, I had to source that locally.
The actual manufactured components (links, trac bar etc.) seemed beefy enough for my tastes, I was more dsappointed in the total package, and the need for so much adjustment and additional components when I thought I had bought a complete kit.
I think the lack of replacement nuts and bolts for the rear bothered me the most. Small cheap parts (from a mass-production point of view) that ended up costing me an afternoon, and about 50 bucks.