Rubicon Express just lost a customer for life!!!

Timberman · 11-19-2009, 03:15 PM

*****FACTORY KNOWN DEFECT: Rubicon Control Arm BUSHINGS*****

For those of you who have recently installed Rubicon Express lift; please know that Rubicon Express has experienced run of “Overseas” bushings which they deemed defective.

I am writing this post to vent my complete and utter disappointment with Rubicon Express. So, please understand that I am not saying that you should boycott Rubicon Express as I have, but please at least take into consideration my story before you buy another one of their products. I am a firm believer in that you can tell a lot about a company by how they act when things get rough.. I am also very “Customer Centric” in my beliefs as well.. If you go and beyond for a customer, you will have them for life.. Get complacent; they will be gone before you even know it.

Ok, enough of the babbling:

Last April I decided to purchases Rubicon Express control arms (Lowers and Uppers front and rear) because I was such a huge fan of their products and I felt that I would have a lift suited to my needs.. Man, I was sure correct on that; she drove like a dream and flexed way beyond my expectations.. For a little while anyway…..

All was going great until just after about 3 months of driving this Jeep on the new control arms, I discovered a clunk.. It would only occur when I would let out the clutch in 1st and 2nd gears (I even posted here with frustrations) from a complete stop. First I thought I was imagining things, but it increasingly became worse.. I could gingerly accelerate from stop without replicating the “Clunk,” but it was still incredibly frustrating.. So, I took it to where I have all of my work done (4Wheel Parts in Portland, OR) to have them diagnose the problem. I assumed it would be a motor mount or something of that nature because it was torque dependent. Well, they couldn’t figure anything out, so they just tightened up the control arms and let me go about my business.. My buddy has had this problem since his lift was installed (both vehicles done at roughly the same time) and in an act of frustration (and after several trips to 4wheel parts in Portland, OR); took his Jeep to another Shop in Portland. It took the other shop less than 5 minutes to diagnose that the Control Arm Bushings were completely shot.

Ah, the problem diagnosed, but here is where things get a little dicey.. My buddy spoke with 4Wheel Parts who said they knew about this problem from an internal memorandum, but decided to do nothing about it.. But, the person did say that they will order us a new set of bushings and everything will be good to go.. Everything is cool right?

Well, let’s focus on present day (Today 11/19/2009):

I was notified from 4Wheel Parts (Portland, OR) that I will be charged full labor to have these bushings reinstalled.. Keep in Mind that less than 3000 miles ago I paid almost $1200 for these control arms (installed) and I am now forced to either do the job myself, or eat $250 to have them done again. Normally and in many cases this wouldn’t be an issue if I was the cause of a product failing.. In this case; these bushings were part of a factory defect and Rubicon Express refuses to warrant labor or incidental costs as a result. I also must add that 4Wheel Parts in Portland, OR has offered nothing, but a full labor charge, so I am pretty much out in the cold here on both ends.. I do not posses the knowledge, ability, time, nor space to take on such a task.. There is a reason why I pay someone to do the major modifications to my Jeep and that is simply due to the aforementioned..

I appreciate the idea that this really isn’t a hard job to accomplish, but that is not the point.. The company that stands behind their product is a company I will choose to conduct business. I just had a recall done on my 2000 TJ for some manifold shield.. Did I have to pay the labor to have it installed???? No, Jeep took care of it because it was deemed a factory defect. I’m still happy with our friends at Jeep! They should have put a v8 in my JK Unlimited, but that argument is for another day..

Before this writing; I spoke with a handful of MAJOR Aftermarket 4X4 Part suppliers who all said basically the same thing: “Rubicon Express is very difficult to deal with when it comes to warranty.” I sure wish I would have known this going into the purchase of my control arms because I sure wouldn’t have purchased anything that resembled Rubicon Express. I had the pleasure of speaking with a very nice lady with one of the largest aftermarket parts suppliers in the industry who basically said that if everyone operated like WARN, the world would be a better place.. Huh, I wonder why Warn has such huge industry loyalty... I needn’t explain any further!

Thanks for reading!!

Timber

alexr40 · 11-19-2009, 03:22 PM

my RE bushings broke in pieces in about a month after installing them.... and a couple of people here using RE had the same problem.

the 4x4 shop that i purchased the Suspension from, ordered replacements and i replaced them. its being like 2 months now and they seem to be holding...

I had the same CLUNK when letting clutch out on 1st and 2nd.. i thought i had a Tranny/engine mount bad.. but was the Control arm bushings...

**NotURMailman** · 11-19-2009, 03:22 PM

Why would 4Wheel Parts install them for free if you didn't buy the parts from them?

Most companies won't pay for the labor to replace a part that fails under warranty.

Poor customer service would have been refusing to replace the bushings.

I have bought RE parts (directly from RE) and never had a problem with warranty support.

It is advisable, if you plan to have someone install your parts to buy the parts from then and you are much more likely to get a full parts and labor warranty.

If you bought, let's say a new engine and paid me to install it would you expect me to install the next one for free if that one blew up under warranty? I don't think so! But, if you paid me to install an engine that I provided I certainly would!

alexr40 · 11-19-2009, 03:25 PM

NotURMailman he said that he bought the control arms, and had them installed in 4WheelParts

"So, I took it to where I have all of my work done (4Wheel Parts in Portland, OR) ..."

"I was notified from 4Wheel Parts (Portland, OR) that I will be charged full labor to have these bushings reinstalled.. Keep in Mind that less than 3000 miles ago I paid almost $1200 for these control arms (installed)..."

BILL G · 11-19-2009, 03:26 PM

Have you contacted RE directly?If not I would call them.It seems like 4wheel parts is your problem not RE.

**NotURMailman** · 11-19-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexr40

NotURMailman he said that he bought the control arms, and had them installed in 4WheelParts

If that is the case, that he bought them from 4Wheelparts and they installed them he should have had to do noting more than take the Jeep to 4Wheelparts and they should have handled it. I understood it to read that he bought the parts somewhere else.

**lumpster** · 11-19-2009, 03:31 PM

After all the control arm bushing crap ive heard about RE, i hope they go under. what a terrible company, with no backbone what so ever.

I bought a set of RE control arms once, i wish i would have bought Currie, and Currie will be the set that i put on this jeep.

Timberman · 11-19-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotURMailman

It is advisable, if you plan to have someone install your parts to buy the parts from then and you are much more likely to get a full parts and labor warranty.

I have had 4Wheel Parts in Portland, OR do ALL of my major work.. I have spent more than I care to admit there this year.. I had a vision for my TJ which was accomplished.. It wasn't cheap, but I now have my dream jeep.. Which isn't really in drivable condition at present..

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotURMailman

If you bought, let's say a new engine and paid me to install it would you expect me to install the next one for free if that one blew up under warranty? I don't think so! But, if you paid me to install an engine that I provided I certainly would!

Rubicon Express and 4Wheel Parts both knew about this problem.. So, I am lost as to your logic here sir?? I paid 4WP to provide me with control arms which they installed....

krawler510 · 11-19-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL G

Have you contacted RE directly?If not I would call them.It seems like 4wheel parts is your problem not RE.

4 Wheel Parts was a MAJOR pain in my butt with my lift and tires.

Timberman · 11-19-2009, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL G

Have you contacted RE directly?If not I would call them.It seems like 4wheel parts is your problem not RE.

Yes sir, my last ditch effort was with Rubicon Express today.. The guy was nice enough, but he just basically recited their warranty policy..

**NotURMailman** · 11-19-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timberman

I have had 4Wheel Parts in Portland, OR do ALL of my major work.. I have spent more than I care to admit there this year.. I had a vision for my TJ which was accomplished.. It wasn't cheap, but I now have my dream jeep.. Which isn't really in drivable condition at present..

Rubicon Express and 4Wheel Parts both knew about this problem.. So, I am lost as to your logic here sir?? I paid 4WP to provide me with control arms which they installed....

As stated, it was a mis-understanding on my part. If you bought the parts from them there should have been no charge. But, I would be more upset with 4WP than RE. At least RE replaced the parts, why didn't 4WP totally warranty their work?

catalog · 11-19-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL G

Have you contacted RE directly?If not I would call them.It seems like 4wheel parts is your problem not RE.

x2 You have hardly tried anything to understand what is even going on before your flame thread. I would agree 4 wheel parts is bad not RE.

OH and BTW bushings are cheap. we put A LOT of demands on them with what we do to them in our jeeps off road, ESPECIALLY with a short arm lift.

**lumpster** · 11-19-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catalog

OH and BTW bushings are cheap. we put A LOT of demands on them with what we do to them in our jeeps off road, ESPECIALLY with a short arm lift.

So your saying its a poor design? Maybe RE needs to fix the problem, because factory bushing last a long time and they are rubber.

ScottHarr_TJ · 11-19-2009, 03:42 PM

Have you tried contacting RE directly before this like noturmailman mentioned. 4 wheel parts isnt responsible for RE's bushings unless you bought the RE control arms through 4 wheel parts. (which i think is the debate above) before you post something like this I would at least contact the company to see how they respond to you rather than a bunch of hear say of how the company deals with warranties.

personally i have had no problems with my bushings much less RE in general. Did you grease the bushings on a regular maintenence? If not that can lead to premature failure.

Im not bashing you in any way, but you need to do more research before you post a thread bashing a very reputable company.

**Hussler** · 11-19-2009, 03:46 PM

in the 4x4 world alot of business is word of mouth, so i would take to RE directly before you go trashing their customer service. my hand throttle broke and i sent them a picture via email and a copy of the receipt, had one en route by the next day, with no need to ship back the old one