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

[alaskacreeker]

I'm over it now. I was just pissed because I paid $1,000, and now I don't even have the bad springs to show for it, I have absolutely nothing. Yep, I know I made a mistake by not calling them immediately. I was so pissed when I put them on and they didn't fit that I wasn't thinking straight. The mechanic that put them on said it would cost about $350 to fix each spring... and I thought, screw this. They already don't seem like a quality product because they are not holding up my ride after being custom built, so I didn't want anything to do with Alcan. I sent them back for a refund, was denied that because I didn't call immediately. That was understandable (but hard to swallow because I had to buy other springs... essentially paid for 2 sets of custom springs). Then I asked if he could please fix them like they were supposed to be, and he basically told me hell no, pretty much yelling at me on the phone and repeating "you didn't call me, you didn't call me". I apologized a thousand times, but he still wouldn't do anything for me. Then finally a few days ago he said he was going to just throw my springs away because he didn't have room to store them any more while I decide if I want to pay $350 to ship them again (a 3rd time!).

So, there is the truth, and nothing but the truth.

You can judge me however you want, but don't come crying to me if you buy from them, and something is wrong with your springs, and they don't help you (maybe not even help you even if you do call). I feel I was screwed over bad because of a simple mistake and I'm here to say something about it because the better business bureau won't.

Here's my blog if you guys wanna see the rig they were going on...

www.timmystoyota.blogspot.com

Anyway, sorry if I pissed anyone off. Just venting that this company has no mercy for a mistake on the customers side at all, even with a brand spankin' new product.

 

[leelikesbikes]

i dig your style dude

awesome camper and it looks like your a certified ************ whitewater kayaker to boot! that sucks about your springs, sorry for all the negative nancy's, after checking out your blog you seem like a cool dude, hopefully you get the spring thing figured out, im sure it wont stop you from having more awesome adventures!

 

[rxinhed]

Um, can I ask some to-me-obvious questions, please?

From this:


To this:


According to your blogspot pics, it appears that you're already overloading the Toyota chassis with the camper, your numerous outfit racks and gear. Quite a bit of difference and additional roll center for the roof mount gear. The rear axle does not appear to be one of the heavier Toyota full-float '1-ton' axles that came on their commercial offerings. The commercial trucks typically had flatbeds, service bodies, etc. and spring packs with 8 - 11 leafs to support user loads. Thirdly, the Toyota commercial trucks were dually.

My questions:
1. Have you looked into the commercial trucks to source parts from?
2. When you contacted Alcan, did you give them a picture of the truck?
3. How far over GVW is your rig?
4. Well, things like rear anti-sway bars, air-lift springs, and such occur to me that could aid your plight.

Russell

 

[UHAULER]

Sometimes ******t happens and it can't be worked out.

Do you think the company thought you had an average toyota motorhome without all of your add ons ? I checked out your blog and your camper is cool but it sure has a lot of extra weight, huge rear bumper with big box hanging way out, kayak rack on top.

I do think it is crazy to order springs with out the rear axle weight and side to side bias and even then I would want a semi local spring builder who could actually see the rig in person.


Good luck, Hope you get it worked out, and post some trip reports with lots of pics.

 

[alaskacreeker]

Nope, this rig is different (doesn't have the problems that the 5 lug motorhomes had). It is one of only 6 made with a single rear axle, stock 4runner running gear. Yep, it is loaded down now, but when I put on the Alcan springs it looked no different than the 1st picture, bone stock at 5,980 lbs. It's a bit over the GWVR, but all of these Toy motorhomes are the second you throw a couple of humans and some camping gear in them. I just pay careful attention to going slow when I have passengers (she's not fast anyway), check the tire temp by feeling and slow down if the tires are too warm, check the axle w/ my hand and slow down if it starts getting hot, just normal precautions for having a loaded vehicle. It handles great. The spring company that made the current springs that are on it (a no-name California spring shop) did an excellent job. I answered all of Alcan's questions when I placed a custom order for the springs. They knew it was a motorhome and they knew I was going to have it very loaded down (I told them I wanted the springs built for 7,000 lbs of carrying capacity). I wish I would have known to ask them about the rear axle weight, but I knew nothing of spring building, so I didn't know any better.

I've learned my lesson and moved on. If anyone is in the Grand Junction, Colorado area and is interested in a set of Alcan springs made for a Toyota 89-95 pickup/4runner and wants to pick up my springs, give me a hollar. They will probably work fine for a rig under 5,980 lbs, because they didn't hold my rig up at all. I might give them to you (you'd just pick them up from Alcan spring) because I can't afford to ship them back to me and then pay Alcan to make them heavier for my rig.

Maybe a trade for a trade, or I might even just give you the springs, who knows.

 

[blakeape]

I had a set of front and rear custom springs made by Alcan for my 1996 Tacoma when I did a solid axle swap on it years ago. They rapidly fatigued, settled, and "S"ed out really bad. I did and do 4 wheel this truck pretty hard, but after spending a lot of $ and the springs rapidly failing Alcan was totally unwilling to work with me or even attempt to rebuild them. Alcan will never get a dime from me again.

 

[alaskacreeker]

This is my final message to Alcan Spring, I've taken a deep breath & let it go. As a grad student paying my own way through college, I don't have money to throw away at all, but I felt this was a battle for a lost cause, so this is what I wrote...


Thank you for holding the springs for me and not throwing them away. Again, I apologize for not calling you immediately.

On that late-Thursday night when the mechanic finished putting them on, I walked up to the RV and the mechanic was shaking his head, saying "the springs aren't going to work, it's sagging too much." At that exact moment, I was really, really upset because the springs were already 1 day late (I had already bought a hotel for the night and sat in a movie theater all day waiting for them to be installed). The mechanic told me it would be about $350 to fix the springs, and I thought "that's crazy, I've heard Alcan was a quality product, but truly I don't know anything about Alcan and since the springs didn't hold the motor home up, I didn't want anything to do with them, thinking they could sag or cause a wreck in the future because they weren't strong enough........ so.... I sent them back immediately and was hoping to get a refund, or at least have the springs fixed to how they were supposed to be. I was really upset because I placed a lot of faith in a company I had heard good things about. I have always called/contacted all companies before I return products, I was just upset and not thinking after days and days of traveling from Alaska, waiting in hotels, and being delayed. I knew that you guys wouldn't be able to do anything about it immediately because you were so far away in Colorado, and I truly had to be home to start a new job (5,500 miles away) in less than 6 days in a slow motorhome, so I had no choice but to use all of my money to immediately buy another set of custom springs from a local California spring shop, who did a great job and got it sitting properly.

I'm sorry if I've offended you or came across as an *******, I promise I'm really not. I'm going to try to offer the springs to a friend in Colorado as a gift for his truck, because I can't afford to ship them a 3rd time and I can't afford to pay to have them fixed. I don't have any more money. I just felt like I really got the hard end of the stick on this one. I thought you might at least send me a little cash (the profit you made off me minus the man hours you put into building the springs). I'm sorry I didn't call. I've learned my lesson, and I'll call business first the rest of my life, always remembering what happened here. Sorry again for causing you trouble and you won't hear from me again.

 

[redthies]

I'm over it now. Anyway, sorry if I pissed anyone off.

Rants happen. We all get angry at others and ourselves. Maybe edit your title to take the "cursing" out of it?

I think I am in a pretty unique position to say you seem like a decent human, as I actually met you and talked with you about your Toy-mo-ho in Whistler on your way home from LA. Don't know if you remember, but you were parked near the McDingus "restaurant" in Whistler village.

You have the springs sorted out now? I hope so. You have a great rig, and the lifestyle to really enjoy it. Welcome to ExPo.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

It's a bit over the GWVR, but all of these Toy motorhomes are the second you throw a couple of humans and some camping gear in them. I just pay careful attention to going slow when I have passengers (she's not fast anyway), check the tire temp by feeling and slow down if the tires are too warm, check the axle w/ my hand and slow down if it starts getting hot, just normal precautions for having a loaded vehicle. It handles great.

From your blog....
"Did we make it? Yes. Should we have made it? Probably not (and almost didn't when I found a roofing nail in my near-flat rear passenger tire)! Once we loaded all the people and gear into the RV, I did a test swerve on a back road going about 45 mph. Whoa. If any animals run out in front of us, I wish them luck, cause I DEFINITELY am not going to swerve around anything. To say the motor home was top heavy was an extreme understatement,"

Seriously...You must not check the tires too often. Careful attention is swerving with 5 passengers and an admittedly overloaded rig on a public road at 45 mph. Wow, I am glad you are not near me when you are risking your passengers and any other traffic's lives.

 

[ol' scott]

Stop busting the guys chops. Have you ever had a nail in your tire or a flat tire? You must not check your tires enough either. And while I don't agree with a swerve test at least it sounds like he did it in a place where he was alone and before he hit any major highways or speeds. I bet he has a far better understanding of the limitations and handling of his truck than most people do. At least he knows what is capable of happening and he probably has a plan on how to handle it.

Welcome to Expo Tim. I really enjoyed your driving solo video. We've all been there before, thousands of miles behind and thousands ahead with no one to keep us company but ourselves. Truly maddening. Enjoy your time on the road though, it's priceless.

 

[Buliwyf]

Friends of mine had a similar Yota-home thing. They had to travel with empty tanks and carry less camping gear than the average backpacker on the AT to stay within GVWR. They got lucky and some hoodlums in the Youngstown area lit that junker on fire. May have been a crime, but they likely saved my friends hippie lifes. They upgraded to a larger fullsize machine, that while equally pathetic, was much safer to drive.

Outfit those Yota things in any way shape or form and you're going to be overly heavy and in really bad shape. Forget the animals that run out in front of you, I've never, EVER, been to a state park or campground where a kid on a bike did NOT jump out in front of me. No way could I drive your rig.

And I don't think a 7000 pound spring can be made for a 1000 pound truck. LOLz. Deos my 1ton F250 even have a 7000 pound spring??? Chances are you got the right spring, but are overloaded. The rare goofball truck deosn't help matters at all. Chances are Alcan Spring ignored you and sold the heaviest spring they could for that model Yota. There may be no real solution for that rig, other than to drop it right at the garage of National Spring for a week or two while thier techs build it up for you. $$$$$$$$$$$$

You can only legally throw so much spring at something before the tech's forced to try a larger axle. If I put semi truck rear air springs on a F450, deos that increase the vehicle GVWR. No. Can Alcan spring legally offer a spring set for weghts far above your GVWR? Would they really even bother doing such a thing? I'll bet those questions are part of the problem.

Best bet is to dump gear to get way under your GVWR, or upgrade to a Fullsize 1ton. Sell the Yota.

And if you have to level the truck side to side, that's best done with helper air bags, not the primary springs IME.

 

[chilliwak]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck Alaskacreeker. You should try these guys....
http://www.chilliwackspring.com/
They do excellent:Wow1: work!

 

[Outback]

Sounds like to me that ALCAN SPRING screwed up in building these spring incorrectly. Not sure why people are comming down on him for his first post. Is there a Forum rule for this type of post as your first? No. I understand that ALCAN SPRINGS have quality products. But everyone screws up once in a while. We are human. No big deal make it right. So he sent them back without a call first. Would I have done it. No. But then again im an Old Fart. Well at least getting there. Ive been around. He has not. Lets try and help him out. He is after all someone with simular interests and is trying to build up his Expedition Rig on a very tight budget. He went for Quality parts and hired someone who knew how to install them. Thats costs money but its sounds like he wanted it done right. So. Does anyone have a Contact at Alcan Springs who can help get him over this hurtle? Im sure Alcan Springs can make good on this. They are a top notch company after all and many of us Expeditioners give them alot of business.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

I am pretty new here too but had to say sorry about your experience with Alcan. They seems like legit folks from everything I have read. Mistakes and misunderstandings\miscommunication happen. Sucks you got the short end of the stick.

I did enjoy reading your blog and book marked it for the future. The video of the first decent of that creek was pretty cool. I like your spirit and sense of adventure. Hope you stay around and contribute more travel and river stories.

 

[David Harris]

First, it sounds to me like the OP gave Alcan all the info they asked for when he ordered the springs. How would he automatically know to add additional info about the truck that they didn't ask for? Second, a lot of companies ask to call for an RMA before sending items back, and that's fine, but the bottom line is that the springs didn't work as they should have for his truck based on the info they asked for when building them. Whether he called for an RMA or not doesn't change this fact. Alcan should fix the problem and send him the right springs, or his money back. That's only right, isn't it?

Whether the OP is in the right or not, Alcan IS suffering bad publicity here regardless, and for that very fact they should have disregarded the missing RMA and fixed the problem. Then, a bad customer experience would now be one of praise, and they would have even greater profit out of the increased reputation of giving superb customer service in such a circumstance.