Check your sportsmobile wiring!

[1leglance]

I think it is important for everyone to know a few facts...
there are 3 Sportsmobile locations....Indiania is the original, Texas and then Sportsmobile West in Fresno.
It is SMB West who sponsors this forum, and they do it more to support the community than to generate sales....having spent a ton of time with Alan, Liz, Jonathan and the rest of the folks at SMB West I can say that they are top notch people. However their primary concern is building rigs not hanging on the forums.

There is a huge difference in the 3 operations and the buying public should know that before getting a SMB.

It would be nice to know which SMB location did the work listed above...was it a ground up build or something rushed on a used van...and a bit more background work.

I always crack up when someone comes on a forum with a problem and has not contacted the company. How can they help you if they don't know there is something wrong?
Coke, McDonalds, Toyota...all huge companies but none of them can fix something if all someone does is post on a forum or 2.

I made 3 site visited while my van was built and every step along the way SMB WEST did an amazing job and the work was excellent.

Looking forward to more details from 4x4tour and the result of him contacting whichever of the 3 SMB locations did the work.

 

[Herbie]

It would be nice to know which SMB location did the work listed above...was it a ground up build or something rushed on a used van...and a bit more background work.

I won't try to cover the circumstances of the build, but the OP did say on the Sportsmobile Forum thread that the work was done by Sportsmobile WEST.

 

[billwilson]

I think it is important for everyone to know a few facts...
there are 3 Sportsmobile locations....Indiania is the original, Texas and then Sportsmobile West in Fresno.
It is SMB West who sponsors this forum, and they do it more to support the community than to generate sales....having spent a ton of time with Alan, Liz, Jonathan and the rest of the folks at SMB West I can say that they are top notch people. However their primary concern is building rigs not hanging on the forums.

There is a huge difference in the 3 operations and the buying public should know that before getting a SMB.

It would be nice to know which SMB location did the work listed above...was it a ground up build or something rushed on a used van...and a bit more background work.

I always crack up when someone comes on a forum with a problem and has not contacted the company. How can they help you if they don't know there is something wrong?
Coke, McDonalds, Toyota...all huge companies but none of them can fix something if all someone does is post on a forum or 2.

I made 3 site visited while my van was built and every step along the way SMB WEST did an amazing job and the work was excellent.

Looking forward to more details from 4x4tour and the result of him contacting whichever of the 3 SMB locations did the work.

I am pretty sure fresno
and would a rush job with a used rig
get different service (a jagged hole)
AND pay the same price....

as for hangin online
GOOD customer service and repeat business
is a product of listening to clients

email is free
30 minutes a week to send to everyones clients
anyone get emails from SMB?

ask GoWesty how much of thier business
comes from thier monthly email LOL

 

[thedjjack]

I just put a fibreglass hightop on my van (cut the top and re-glassed together to go from a dodge onto a Mitsubishi Delica L300).

It took all of about 10 minutes to cut the roof section out (drill 4 holes from the inside out to mark the corners, caulk line between corners, cut off wheel on grinder and a perfect straight clean cut, touched up with a sanding disk).

I still have to finish the interior (foam tiles are for insulation).

Seriously that is horrible looking. My profession is not installing roofs on vans (this is my first roof install in a backyard under a tent). No reason I can see for the cut to be like that!

Outside:

 

[Roonie]

Since we aren't seeing other sportsmobile owners showing pictures with better craftsmanship, I am leaning toward this being a typical installation.

The fact they would use a self tapper screw ANYWHERE on a $100,000 + rig is a TOTAL Joke!

HORRIBLE design implementation!

IMO, there is not a single excuse for that type of work, other than they hired a new guy and let him take the truck home to build it when they realized he was a tweaker.

The reason why your not seeing any other pics is probably because 99% of owners have no reason to peel back the lining in this place to look nor have any reason too. Also it is not structural only cosmetic which is usually covered by a cloth lining.

The self tappers as I understand it hold the plate that holds the tent fabric in place. Not structural. The real structural part are two big metal I-beam like slots that the lifting mechanism sits in on the sides. At least that is how it looks on mine.

 

[4X4TOUR]

And what holds that guttered track on to the van? I dont see any other bolts, aside from them. In any case, I will have to do some fabrication to address the issue.

The other side has about a half-inch of metal before a drilled hole in encountered. So, one side was done peroperly, the other... not so much. There really is no excuse, maybe ineptness... The wiring? Don't get me started on that one...

And no, Bill, the wire is in fact where it was as depicted. Like Commander Worf said to Jean-Luc Picard, "If you were any other man, I would kill you where you stand..."

 

[mtnbike28]

[/QUOTE]


That is a cool van, don't post a picture like that and run away, do you have a build/van info thread yet?

 

[Toolman]

It is pitiful to think you pay a "professional" to do a job and that's the quality of workmanship you get..

It's taking me a long time to do my own conversion, however this is evidence that I made the right decision to do so. It's also taken the enthusiasm out of SMB's for me...When I saw one on the 405 yesterday, instead of my normal excitement... I kinda felt sorry for the guy, spend $100k + and you'd never know what you bought until you tear it apart and thoroughly examine it :yikes:..

I would ask for my money back, because there really is no way to repair or replace a roof that has been hacked away like that... or the confidence in their workmanship... I don't care if the guy that did was drunk, stoned, or cross eyed.. WHERE WAS THE SHOP FOREMAN ?????

There is no excuse. PERIOD.

Don't get me started on the 10lbs of self tapping screws in installed in zig zag formation.

 

[r_w]

Obviously none of you have bought a new house. same sh! tty quality, way more money.

I can understand missing the grommet, done it myself on blind holes. But I caught it in self QA.

That roof cut looks like on-the-job training.

 

[thedjjack]

That is a cool van, don't post a picture like that and run away, do you have a build/van info thread yet?

Build tread soon...just have to get some photos off a friends camera

 

[4X4TOUR]

Obviously none of you have bought a new house. same sh! tty quality, way more money.

I can understand missing the grommet, done it myself on blind holes. But I caught it in self QA.

That roof cut looks like on-the-job training.

Not me, how can I understand two holes drilled, a plastic grommet put in one (for the wire) and the wire going through another drilled hole? That was done by someone in a hurry, not wanting to snake the wire properly, not to mention lack of use of a wire loom.

Additionally, if you zoom in on the last bolt, you'll see the nut is cock-eyed. Will take a closer pic.

 

[4X4TOUR]

Here's the corner bolt. Are you kidding me?

Anyone says this is ok, will you buy my van when it's done?

 

[r_w]

Not me, how can I understand two holes drilled, a plastic grommet put in one (for the wire) and the wire going through another drilled hole? That was done by someone in a hurry, not wanting to snake the wire properly, not to mention lack of use of a wire loom.

Additionally, if you zoom in on the last bolt, you'll see the nut is cock-eyed. Will take a closer pic.

I didn't say it was OK, just that I can see how it would happen.

The sawzall hack is completely unacceptable. My son cut better than that when he was seven.

 

[Saline]

The channel mount in my SMB doesn't look like the one pictured that's for sure. What a hack job!

 

[Toolman]

Where is the sponsor ??? Has anyone noticed that this is the most activity the SMB thread has received since SMB West became the sponsors of it. Not much going on over here lately.

Ignorance is bliss.