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Trailmaster...Yea or nay?

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Old 06-16-2008, 08:46 PM
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Default Trailmaster...Yea or nay?

Thinking about going with the Trailmaster 5" list: springs for the front & coil spacers for the rear..........

Anyone got anything good/bad with a JK and trailmaster???????

http://www.quadratec.com/products/16106_200.htm

I've seen the https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...ht=trailmaster but would some addtional input-- thanks!

Last edited by deconstructionist; 06-16-2008 at 08:50 PM.
Old 06-16-2008, 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by ryan37
What size tire do you plan to run? I have not had good luck with trail master in the past myself, but their jk stuff might be better.

Stock UNTIL they burn down then up to 35's ('probably') or at least 33's.

Moderate off road--no serious rock crawling up 50degree inclines

I'm looking at the trailmaster sight itself now-- not just quadratech & seeing they have a kit much like the one I linked about-- BUT with 4 springs (no coil spacers).....
Old 06-17-2008, 08:54 AM
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Deconstruct, you have a reply to the PM... Hope you don't mind but I'm going to paste some of that info in your thread here as well.

This is info from me that I PM'd him answering some questions he had...

Deconstruct, I've edited this some though and added some info that I thought of since hitting send on the PM so even though it may be partially redundant, check your PM and read this too. This is in reference to our J4611SSV kit only!!!

That kit (J4611SSV for the 4dr) has gone through some changes over time. I don't know and can't really verify exactly what version of the kit the stores currently have sitting on the shelf depending on when they may have purchased from us and how long they've been sitting on their shelf. So what you actually get depending where you buy could honestly differ unfortunately. So if you don't mind I'll let you know the history of that kit and what's going on.


Original release

We initially released that kit with front coils, rear urethane spacers, 4 shocks, and the misc little brackets needed. That was a "temporary" release basically till our coil manufacturer could get us a rear coil. That is what's pictured on the quadratech page that you linked. THE RUMORS AND TALK OF A 5" SPACER WERE 100% RUMORS. NO 5" SPACER EVER EVER EVER EXISTED. I would NEVER have even considered doing something that stupid! Every JK we've had in our shop has sat about 2" low in the front stock off the lot. SOOOOOOOO we originally created a 5" coil up front and a 3" spacer for the rear. EVERY jeep that's driven out of our shop has left sitting level.


Version 2.0

Our spring guys got us rear springs so for quite a while now though we've been shipping that kit with 4 coils, 4 shocks, and the basic needed brackets and hardware to complete the kit. My guess is that if you order from quadratech, that this is what is on their shelf and what you would recieve because they move quite a bit of our kits and I doubt their inventory is very old. I can't guarentee this though by any means.


Version 3.0 (current)

About a month or two ago we made another change to the kit. We added an adjustable front trackbar and a rear trackbar bracket to deal with the off centered axle issues many people were complaining about. This is changing the current price of the kit substantially but who knows how long it will be till that change trickles through the stores.

Because this was a fairly major change to the kit and we have a bunch of kits currently on customer's vehicles and sitting on shelves in the stores we created a kit with part number "J4611FIX". That includes all the trackbar parts needed to update any older existing kits. We're selling this at a smokin cost basically cause we realize it should've been in the original selling kits and we don't want to take advantage of people that already have purchased the kit. So with that said, if you had to order the "j4611fix" straight from us because your kit wasn't the most current up to date release it's selling for an addition $90 which is just covering our material and overhead with an absolute minimal profit for the trackbar parts.


So with that said, before you order you may want to call up quadratech or whoever you're purchasing thru and verify 100% what's in the kit. Don't rely on their description or the picture on the page. Also, you may not even want to just rely on the guy looking at the computer in front of him on the other end of the phone cause he's probably just telling you what the info is provided to him which may not be updated.

I hope that isn't super confusing? If it is and you have more questions don't hesitate to ask. I try to check this forum at least every couple days to see what's new.

Thanks,
Khris
Old 06-17-2008, 04:46 PM
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As said in the PM-- THANK YOU big time.... I hope/pray this puts to rest the rumor of the 5 inch coil spacer.

Think I'll be calling trailmaster here in the near furure
Old 06-18-2008, 06:49 AM
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If you do end up going with our kit, give us feedback once you've had it on for awhile. We actually do listen and continuously make changes to try and improve our kits.

Our kit with all the arms has gone through so many changes that the version of the kit that we're about to release has gone from a "average" trail kit to a full blown crawler kit basically...

We actually do try to fix issues!!! We'll admit we're not perfect but we do stand behind our product and make changes as needed to improve them.
Old 06-18-2008, 08:05 AM
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While he sounds very nice and helpful, I doubt I would ever buy from a manufacturer that rushed a crap setup to market. It sounds like they were trying to get anything out there just to get some sales while they let the first customers act as their testing department. I understand making changes to product as needs arise, but they have completely changed the product. the whole process seems sketchy to me. Good luck to you and to trailmaster. I hope I'm wrong.
Old 06-18-2008, 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Phishjeep
While he sounds very nice and helpful, I doubt I would ever buy from a manufacturer that rushed a crap setup to market. It sounds like they were trying to get anything out there just to get some sales while they let the first customers act as their testing department. I understand making changes to product as needs arise, but they have completely changed the product. the whole process seems sketchy to me. Good luck to you and to trailmaster. I hope I'm wrong.

LOL! I hear ya...but then again what manufacturer HASEN'T rushed a product or two to market? All it takes is a purview of this JK forum and ya' REALLY gotta wonder--> after 50 years of making jeeps....do ya' think they could turn out one that DIDN'T have a problem? From painkillers & heart meds to shocks and vehicles--- all do it to SOME extent. I was raised with the notion to NEVER buy a 'new model' car/rig/jeep/etc. until its been on the road a year or two....problem is NOW with that thinking-- the models change completely almost every two or three years.

I remeber trailmaster from 'back in the day' where they were pretty much standard with the big trucks with only Superlift and what?....... not many others out there. SOMEONE has to be the guinnea pig: I'm glad I'm not going to be it--- but it also sounds if you read his post-- they are making good to thier customers who were the early 'testers'.

I cant seem to justify a $400-500 Budget boost kit when for the same price I can get that extra clearence and 4 new taller springs all the way around......

The AZ/Mountain time thing is killiing me.... I dont get off work in time think I might have to make a special 'up early' call
Old 06-19-2008, 06:30 AM
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So are you faulting us for trying to improve existing kits? Also are you faulting us from learning from our mistakes and try to make good on them as needed? I'm sure anything you've ever built in your garage or work has been 100% perfect everytime it's gone out the door. You've got to realize a difference in the budgets and testing capable between OEM and aftermarket. We do our best but sometimes a vehicle that rolls out of here 100% fine in our eyes is proved to not be functional by the general public once released. At that point we make the needed changes and try to make it right for future sales and also work with those that already have our product. I guarentee you it's probably A LOT more common then you think in this industry and many others. You just don't see many company reps like me come out and say it...

We could easily just sit back and let the original stuff continue to sell with no changes. I mean we do still have the 3 local jeeps running around on those kits with none of the upgrades. We're located in a small community and I see them around on the streets every couple weeks. The owners of those 3 jeeps have never come in to complain about any issues. Then again, they may use their jeeps different then you guys?

Khris
Old 06-19-2008, 07:06 AM
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Actually, let me clarify a little more... We have in house urethane capabilities here. Turn around on a mold and production run of parts takes maybe a week the first time. So, we knew we were going for a 5" front 3" rear on this kit. A three inch spacer in the rear imo wasn't anything crazy or out of this world scary. New coils take 12-16 weeks to get from our supplier. So we shipped for about 3 months with a rear spacer. That's the only difference from the 1st to 2nd version of this kit.

For the 3rd version, like I said, we still have the original 3 jeeps running around this area with no complaints or issues but from all the feedback we made a running change and added the trackbar bracketry.

Khris
Old 06-19-2008, 05:19 PM
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Khris-- thanks for all the responses. I WAS able to call and talked with "Jack" in tech today who said/confirmed much of what you had said.

I ordered the kit (J4611SSV) http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...99.23189.0.0.0

About the only two things that surprised me (if you care to know or want to pass along to d' boss) is that there was no mention on the site that the rear trackbar is both bolted AND WELDED on: no super biggie but looks like now I need to find a welder quick............ Second-- what's up with the no phone sales-orders?

But MANY thanksagain for your input & give Jack the word too his help was greatly appreciated.


I have NO idea when I can get this thing on: for this exact moment in time it looks like my rubicon trip may be delayed with the jeepers: I cant get one days off of the 4 needed to go with the group Guess it serves me right for being a 'nice guy' and volunteering to work some addtional hours.

Either way- once I get started--- I will attempt to do a write up


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