STAY AWAY from ALCAN SPRING!!!!!!!!

[alaskacreeker]

I ordered a brand new set of custom Alcan Springs for my tiny Toyota motorhome. I ordered the springs EXTRA heavy w/ a 2" lift to support the extra weight (1,000 lbs of extra add-ons/cargo).

When I received the Alcan springs, I installed them and the springs did not hold the motorhome up at all! I immediately sent the springs back and asked for them to be either refunded or fixed.

Alcan Spring refused to fix the problem (no refund, they wouldn't add leaves to make the springs hold my rig up, they wouldn't ship them back to me). I can understand no refund, but they won't even fix them like they are supposed to be! So now, Alcan Spring has all of my money ($680) and they also have my springs (I'm 1,000's of miles away from their factory, so I can't afford to pay for shipping a 3rd time to receive a bad set of springs back)!!!

They did all of this because I didn't call them. I just sent the springs back & emailed them 2 days after I received them (because they didn't work at all on my rig that they were "custom built" for). Seems excessive to not help a PAYING customer with a BRAND NEW product that doesn't work, regardless of a phone call 2 days later.

I just wanted to warn you all that ALCAN SPRING has BAD business practicies when it comes to customer service. They might deliver YOU a brand new product that does not work, and NEVER fix it for you. My opinion would change if they would offer to fix the brand new springs so they hold my motorhome up, but they won't!!!! Stay AWAY from ALCAN SPRING!!!!!

 

[ExpoMike]

Not defending Alcan Spring but you sent a product back without calling and getting an RMA number? These were also "custom built" for YOUR rig or did you just buy a set of "off the shelf" Extra HD springs? I assume you contacted them with the total weight of the vehicle and each of the axle loaded weight?

Seems a lot of the story is missing on your end and you want to blame them. I had a set of custom springs made by National Spring and supplied them with total, fully load weight, each loaded axle weight and ride height measurements. This was for my Dodge Ram. I couldn't buy anything off the shelf from any vendor BECAUSE I had a Four Wheel Camper on the back. This is very different than an unloaded truck that gets and occasional load. Your Toyota Camper rig is WAY different than any Toyota truck and hence, needed to have the spring built specifically for YOUR rig, not a generic rig.

I hope you can get things sorted out but I am thinking there is a lot more to this and some very critical info was never supplied to Alcan.

 

[TangoBlue]

I had custom springs built by ALCAN; they took detailed information and our dialog included some questions from them about my use and application. They sent me exactly what I needed and am very satisfied with their product and service. I have other friends who have ALCAN springs and have positive experiences dealing with them and their well-made springs.

I regret you had a bad experience, but if the web-site instructions are followed and speaking with one of their reps on the phone didn't get you the items you required, I'm surprised you had such bad luck.

 

[bob91yj]

It's been a few years, but only good experiences with Alcan on some custom springs for my YJ.

 

[adventureduo]

This does sound strange. Alcan has been around forever and has always done great work. This doesn't sound like them. I would definitely give them a call and get it sorted. They've always had a reputation for making quality springs that work well.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Pretty sure not calling them and just sending springs back was a bad move. What if they never received them, or since there was no RMA they are now on someones truck and give it a harsh ride. I'd suggest calling them back and ask for someone in upper management. Tell him that you understand your part in the mistake, but would like to resolve it at easily as possible. It might just turn out in your favor.

 

[AeroNautiCal]

Interesting first post!

Your rant and rage on a forum that you just joined, apparently for that express purpose, has all the appearance of being lacking in detail, irrational and incoherent.

By your own admission, you had not contacted the supplier before shipping the items back to them, and given your attitude and approach, you seem extremely difficult to deal with as a customer.

 

[RockyMtnFamily]

I had custom springs built by ALCAN; they took detailed information and our dialog included some questions from them about my use and application. They sent me exactly what I needed and am very satisfied with their product and service. I have other friends who have ALCAN springs and have positive experiences dealing with them and their well-made springs.

x3 or whatever we are up to by now. I know that Alcan is very meticulous about getting the information about your vehicle and what you plan on using it for prior to making springs for any vehicle. They are not too far away from where I live and have an excellent reputation for a quality product. I know there are two sides to every story and I am seeing some holes in the information that you are providing. I would not hesitate to buy from them if I was looking for a set of springs to lift one of my rigs.

Kevin

 

[Regcabguy]

Alcan is the supplier of rear Dodge leafs for Don Thuren,a very reputable Dodge suspenson guy. A simple phone call would have been very helpful.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Oh I didn't see this was his first post. I take back everything I said in my earlier post. This is the kinda thing you post on a forum only after you've been on there for a while, lurking doesn't count. IMHO you are an idiot for making this your first thread, and in light of that combined with sending springs back before obtaining an RMA it seems that you need to live a little. This kind of behavior is the stuff that teenagers do when they don't get their way, run and cry about it to anyone who will listen. Trying to bad mouth a company in good standing is never a good idea, and I doubt that you've been trying to work with Alcan to resolve the issue at hand. Giving them adequate time to resolve the issue is the second step, politely informing them of their mistakes is the first. Hopefully one of their employees will get on here and shine some more light on this matter. Not that it will matter because the OP probably won't log in here again.

 

[alaskacreeker]

I did, in fact, provide Alcan with all of the information they asked me for to build the custom springs. They knew it was a motorhome, they knew I needed them built to support a certain weight (7,000 lbs), & the were supposed to provide a 2" lift. When I put them on, they didn't hold up the motorhome at all (driver side was really sagging and the passenger side was flat/no arch). I don't know anything about spring building, so you think they would have asked me for rear axle weight & if there is more weight on 1 side of the camper. I could have easily found that out for them, but I wasn't asked that so I didn't know at the time.

There is no mistake on my side of the story (I told them it was a unique motorhome, only 6 made to be exact, & the very fact they were made for a motorhome you would have thought they'd ask me more spring building questions, but they didn't. Other than sending them back before calling (which I admit, was a mistake, but not enough to justify the fact that their product didn't work as I paid it to work and literally cost me hundreds (thousands actually, 2,200 by the time I paid the mechanic in LA 2 times for 2 different sets of springs installed and a hotel room for 2 nights).

And I'm not on hear to ***** or cry, I'm on here to warn you guys of making an honest mistake and a company completely disregarding their responsibility to AT LEAST HELP in part make a situation right. I even offered to pay 1/2 of the shipping and was polite to them the whole time (talking with the owner this whole time).

You guys can criticize me all you want, but I'm just using my right of free speech to let warn people that not ALL is good with Alcan and their customer service. I'm actually a pleasant person, but just like all of you, I don't like getting totally ripped off like I have been. Hope you guys can understand.

Oh I didn't see this was his first post. I take back everything I said in my earlier post. This is the kinda thing you post on a forum only after you've been on there for a while, lurking doesn't count. IMHO you are an idiot for making this your first thread, and in light of that combined with sending springs back before obtaining an RMA it seems that you need to live a little. This kind of behavior is the stuff that teenagers do when they don't get their way, run and cry about it to anyone who will listen. Trying to bad mouth a company in good standing is never a good idea, and I doubt that you've been trying to work with Alcan to resolve the issue at hand. Giving them adequate time to resolve the issue is the second step, politely informing them of their mistakes is the first. Hopefully one of their employees will get on here and shine some more light on this matter. Not that it will matter because the OP probably won't log in here again.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

I'm sorry how about a tissue? The part that doesn't sit right is it's your first post. I've seen it a couple times on another forum I'm a member of over the years and when the other side of the story comes out it usually ends up with the first post basher sticking with his story or not wanting to work with the company because only now do they want to help him. You Violated their return policy, is it unfortunate they wouldn't just work with you? No, because if they do it for you they have to do it for everyone else too. Just chalk up the money lost as a very hard learned lesson, and remember you can't just slap it in a box and ship it back next time.

 

[chilliwak]

All I can say is OUCH!:Wow1:

 

[edlaffoon]

1) Terrible idea to make this your first post but I will chalk it up to a bad reaction. I'm not really sure what it was meant to accomplish other than rattling a few cages.

2) Some of you guys are brutal. A simple 'sorry for your bad experience, lesson learned and better luck next time' would suffice in this case. Add a little 'I have only good things to say about Alcan' for some objectivity and hit submit, no need to stoop to this level.

 

[ExpoMike]

Again, sorry you have had these problems and it sounds like you understand your mistake of sending them back without contacting the vendor first. That mistake is a costly one but one I am sure you won't make again.

As for supplying info to Alcan, I have not dealt with them personally but having talked to a couple different spring companies, none of them would even consider starting a spring build until they got axle weights at full, expected load. To do this, you place one axle on the scale (or if they are setup for multi axle weights, one axle on each scale) and weigh the end. Do the same for the other end. This gives you the total weight of the vehicle AND how much weight each axle (and suspension for the end of the vehicle) needs to support. A total vehicle weight only will not give the required info. My rig is just shy of 8500 lbs. (8460 to be exact) and I was surprised that the weight was split almost 50/50. When I originally had it weighed for springs, the rear axle (and total vehicle) weight was near 8200 lbs. When I did my original weight, I did not have the rear spare tire and swing out, food, clothes, wood, etc. that I pack for a trip. That added 300 lbs. to the rear as the front weight did not change. This explained why I was sitting level versus 1" taller in the rear when I had it original done.

What I am trying to get at is, whomever you talked to, should have made sure they got all this info, your current ride height and where you wanted to be when done. Outside of OME springs, I don't think I have seen a single spring company that ends up with the exact lift advertised. There are too many variables. The lift they rate them at might be for the one test vehicle they did. Sounds like your vehicle is very different than most and in turn, they and you should have gotten more info before building springs. Sounds like the ball was dropped on both ends.

As for getting a bunch of crap about your post, it is hard not to see this as a trolling post, being your very first and it is to bash a company. Not much different than someone who walks up to me off the street and tells me Dodge Rams are piles of crap. I am going to blow them off since I have no idea who they are. You likely would have gotten a little warmer response if your post was titled something like Unhappy with customer service from Alcan Springs. I hope you get things sorted out.