Kilby rant

[tommudd]

I have to think back 30 plus years ago when I started wheeling and building 4WDs and Harleys. You called on a telephone and talked to someone, then sent a money order and waited , when it came you either installed it if it fit right or tried to make it work anyway you could, because you did not want to be on the phone for an hour! Only thing I could really do was complain to Clyde ( my Dobie!) and main helper

There was no internet to jump on and start complaining to the world.
But then now a days you do have people like Brad who jump on and try to do some great PR and make things right with his products

 

[pray4surf]

Could it have been that on SATURDAY (12/5) there was no customer service that Ryan could contact??? I can understand his frustration - and would assume that (like many of us - myself included) only have the weekends to work on our trucks..

I could understand his frustration, and believe he was just looking for an immediate solution - sure he ranted a bit - wouldn't most of us?

Had this been a weekday, I'm willing to bet Ryan's first avenue would have been to contact Kilby.

There.... my $0.02

:ylsmoke:

 

[Jeep]

sounds more like installer quality problems not part problems. i'm so happy i'm out of the off-road product producing world!:elkgrin:

I'm with ya there!

 

[ryanhewitt]

Gas tank skid has arrived

I picked up the gas tank skid today without any major issues. As mentioned, the skid is pretty heavy. The box was damaged on one corner. It looks like someone drug the box, wearing through it, and eventually to the skid. The skid's powder coat is gone on one seam area. Not a big deal, I'll just hit it with some paint. Two sets of instructions were included: one page for 97 - 02and one page for 03 - 06, due to differences. I won't get a chance to install it this weekend due to other obligations, so I'm hoping next weekend. Besides the minor box issue, the product looks great and I'm looking forward to the install.

 

[Maximus Ram]

Keep us updated on the skid install.
As for the packaging, not a whole lot a company can do to prevent "rough" handling by a shipping company and its employees. I've received items that looked like when they started out probably were very well packed, but by the time they arrived, the packaging lookedlike it had been through a rock tumbler. A few passes with a rattle can and no one can tell.

 

[Jeep]

Keep us updated on the skid install.
As for the packaging, not a whole lot a company can do to prevent "rough" handling by a shipping company and its employees. I've received items that looked like when they started out probably were very well packed, but by the time they arrived, the packaging lookedlike it had been through a rock tumbler. A few passes with a rattle can and no one can tell.

Oh yeah, I recieved a Callies crankshaft for a 572 BBC that had what remained of the wood crate jammed like a cork in the balancer bolt hole, there was road rash on the counterweights, and DHL claimed the product was not packaged correctly, until I showed them the wood crate they came in.

 

[Root Moose]

I had a Hummer t-case shipped to me once. Properly packaged and everything. The shippers somehow managed to crack the case of it (packaging destroyed). ******?

Nowadays you have to have insurance. I think it is intentional on the shipper's part to sweeten their deal.

 

[Nick B]

When I mounted my steering skid I drilled the hole in the round crossmember and then taped a lock nut to a long handled wrench . The wrench was just long enough to reach the hole inside the tube and after a minute of "fishing" around I got the nut started on the bolt .
The self tapping screw/bolt supplied is a joke .

 

[ryanhewitt]

Kilby gas tank skid installed

Well I got the time to install the gas tank skid on the TJ yesterday. Overall the process went fairly smoothly thanks to the instructions. A couple of observations though. I found that if I installed the drivers side first, it allowed the filler hose to find it's way to the proper location easier. I wasn't able to slide the tank/tank skid assembly back as far as I wanted, because the tank started making contact with the vehicle. Because of this the rear diff cover/diff skid is now pretty close to the front of the gas tank skid. I think there is a little over an inch. I don't think there will be any contact, but I'll have to wait and see. To be honest I think it was close before, but didn't check before I took everything apart. The factory exhaust makes contact with the side of the skid. When the vehicle is running, I can hear/see the hanger bouncing off the skid. I placed a piece of old fuel line in between the two and that seems to help. The electrical connection is two piece, one half of the connection is on the tank, and the other is on the vehicle. Originally the tank half connector was attached to the factory skid and prevented the connector from bouncing around and chafing. I wasn't able to use the bracket on the new skid to accomplish this. It seems the bracket is a little further inboard, and the vehicle half wouldn't reach. I simply zip tied the connection to the fuel line instead. I thought I would post the install and observations for those interested. Thanks.

 

[TJ Willy]

The TJ steering box skid was the first mod on my old TJ. There were some issues but Brad took care of it straight away. Like another said, mistakes are a part of the process... it is how they are managed that makes the difference. I soon purchased the Gas Tank skid from them and loved every minute of it. I did have to shorten my exhaust a few inches to stop the rattle.

Both of those mods were circa 2004...