JK-Rubi

Thanks for the heads-up. I recently got a quote in the $14-15 thousand dollar range from SLC for a bunch of work/parts I'm planning to install, but this certainly makes me want to continue my past precedent of doing all the JK work myself. I'm now 100% sure that will be the case - just need to decide between the full EVO coilover system or the Rock Krawler Pro coilover setup.

Full-Traction Suspension

Call me at the shop, You need to change your steering set up to make this drive correctly. Or send me your number so we can call you.

interceptor_1972

Appreciate the time on the phone Chris. I'll let you know how things go once I get the parts in

bstpierre

I feel like I have missed some valuable information on steering geometry and lifts.

Full-Traction Suspension

No problem, the part shipped out today.

interceptor_1972

Awesome. I'll keep my eyes open; I think over the last few weeks, I've gotten on first name basis with the local UPS delivery people

ntropy

Obviously no Jeeper wants to hear about another one having issues with mods; much of the reason we congregate here is because we like to mod the vehicles and we love them like our children.

That being said and despite the unfortunate situation here I do want to throw my hat into the ring in support of SLC's work and Sean as well. Hopefully interceptor's situation is an aberration.

I've had a LOT of work done on my JK over the past 12 months, ALL at SLC. My sig has details. Luckily, I work about 5 miles from SLC so I can get up there and talk to Sean quite a bit and see what they're doing in the shop, and I will say that the techs that have worked on my JK have done a great job.

I have had suspension, drivetrain, wheels, tires, and much armor done at SLC in the past year. My JK has run perfect every time I've left the shop, I'm thrilled with my current setup, and I am planning on having more work done by SLC moving forward. I will be attending the first Jamboree of the season with them in March.

Last, despite the bad experience outlined in a polite and thorough way in this thread, it's important to note that as Mark has pointed out, Sean has not turned his back on the customer; there is a difficulty in distance and accessibility to the shop that is in play here. I brought Sean a new Rubi last spring and at that time I myself had no confidence doing mods under the Jeep. He's been nothing short of a teacher to me, always showing me in the shop what's being done, what the variables are, describing other rigs and other owners' experiences with other products, good or bad... in short, hs is exactly what I need in a custom shop manager, and that is honesty.

Hopefully interceptor, your rig gets back to the condition you want it to be in. I applaud you for providing your experience in a way that wasn't forwardly coated with angst (even though we all know this must be a pisser, reliving it for everyone) so that we can all discuss it here like adults.

interceptor_1972

This very well may be an aberration when it comes to the volume of work done at SLC. But the things done during my last 2 visits there, which would've been clearly visible to the experienced techs worries me. For example, my 2nd visit there is when I'd bought the Teraflex UCA from them and had them install it. If you're the tech installing it, and an expert in your field, I presume you'd notice that the longer Teraflex UCA, going as short as it could, put the pinion angle off . I'd presume at this point, they'd make it a note to say "Hey, do we have the wrong arm here? Maybe we need to let the customer know that this is going to cause the rear coils to bow severely to a point of making contact with the rear trackbar and will lead to needing a rear DS soon?" Not to mention, I'm sure you'd notice putting in a wrong bolt?

Trust me, my intentions of starting this thread was definitely not to demean or put anyone down, nor was it to flame anyone. I'd done my research before choosing SLC and Sean has always been an awesome guy to talk to and very polite in all my dealings with him. They even stayed past closing hours on my 2nd visit there. But, as a professional shop that specializes in this type of work, I don't think it was a wise decision to let the JK out of the shop in the state it was in.

Mark had a good experience with the work done there, as I'm sure you have. In your case, living close to the shop just makes things that much easier. If you have an issue, it's just a matter of driving over on a lunch break and letting them work on it. In my case, I did a 3 hour trip there not because I didn't have any local options, it is more that they are a reputed shop, and a forum sponsor. So, to spend the money I did and get my vehicle back in a worse situation than I took it in was needles to say, extremely frustrating and disappointing. I understand fully that mistakes can happen - we are all human, but this thing could've turned ugly in a hurry had something broken out on the highway, driving at night.

mattonline

Interceptor, do you know if you had the same tech working on your rig each time you took it there?

interceptor_1972

I don't know which tech did the work the first time. But the 2nd time and the 3rd time I was there, I know it was a different tech.