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Message to all stud kit customers, past, present, and future.

27K views 189 replies 43 participants last post by  RippyPartsDept 
#1 ·
In business there are never legitimate excuses for anything that can go wrong.

-illness
-supplier shortage
-error in machining
-ups lost packages
-pulled over by the cops on the way to ups and could not make the deadline
-employee called in sick
-power outage

Reason I say this is because I receive emails like this:
Hello, I ordered one of theses tud kits and was very pleased until I tried to use it. The shoulder bolts will not fit the jig and worse they are not concentric. I measured the shoulder and found they are .746 to .752 diameter then I rolled them in a V block and found the thread is off center by about .030 These two things make the jig useless. Can you please tell me why you would send me something that you obviously did not try to assemble and secondly what I am supposed to do now.
I need to put this motor together so I need an answer soon.
Also what is the point in having a text me post that you do not answer?
I do not have time to box this shit up and send it back to you so that you can send me something that I clearly will not need by the time I get it.
You owe me the value of this "fixture kit".
Oh and I will be sure to let everyone know how good a product you sell. Thanks for nothing.
Clearly you knew you sent me a nonfunctional piece of shit.
Some alignment / fixture plates have been sent out that are not within spec. I don't know what shifted, I manufactured a plate yesterday and everything lines up except the tapping hole. Now that is has been brought to my attention I can correct the error.

A new jig is being constructed as of this minute to correct this problem. It will be DEAD on center, all four holes. No tolerance, no play, no B.S. Nobody needs to pay $549 for something that is not manufactured within spec, but at the same time I don't need people accusing me of purposely selling non functional shit. That is not my intention.

Some orders have been delayed because this HAS to be corrected before any more orders ship. People cannot understand delays- I get yelled at when I lift the phone. So I stopped answering my phones about two days ago. My stress level is so high right now I'm about to snap.

I was in Ontario until two days ago and I have no way of remachining anything without the equipment to do so. Now I'm here at the main shop where I have what I need to take care of this.

MY COMMITMENT TO MY CUSTOMERS

It is my job as the developer, builder, and distributor of this product to provide a working product that works flawlessly, and ship on time. I am well aware of my responsibilities and will do whatever necessary to fulfill these responsibilities.

Right now, if you're waiting on an order, it WILL ship either today or Monday. It will be a quality product and the jig will be 100% accurate.

If you have been shipped a kit where the holes do not perfectly line up, send me an email with your name and address, and date of receipt of the kit and I will send you return instructions. A new plate and bolt set will be sent to you at no charge. It is my responsibility to correct this.

QUALITY CONTROL

It is impossible to account for certain errors sometimes. We have suppliers that sometimes screw up and the screw ups are so minor that they are not visible but will greatly affect the performance or use of the kit. We will check everything to ensure to the best of our ability that everything is within spec and you will not have problems. From now on, after every 10 plates the jig they are constructed on will be checked for tolerance, wear, etc.

Each kit will contain a production # and manufacture date. I have yet to figure out how to engrave this, but a certificate will be sent with each kit with this information. If there ever is an issue we can track it back to the last time tooling was changed, etc...

THE BIGGEST STEP TO AVOID SUPPLIER ISSUES

Is to become our own supplier and keep a stock of no less than 25 kits on the shelf at once. Certain things we cannot produce but the studs, the alignment plates, any machined part will be produced in my shop.

I know what it's like to have an engine apart and wait for studs. THREE weeks last year I was completely out - nice suppliers huh? They did not care.

PAYPAL

Will no longer be offered as a payment method. The $4k they're sitting on right now that I cannot access would very easily purchase a new set of thread rolls that I need right now- and then some. I can't afford to have money tied up like this. From now on, payment by cert. cheque or VISA/MC over the phone.

ORDER TRACKING

I will rehire a receptionist because I desperately need one. I just got another employee started in the shop. Until then, please send all requests to my email for order tracking.


In all honesty I need to slow down a bit and live differently. I had four hours of sleep for a number of nights in a row and two days ago I slept for about an hour, woke up, and my heart was not beating normally and I was short of breath. I may give up the work on the cars once I get the vehicles finished that I have here at the shop.

Face it, 1.7M+ of these engines have been produced and my shop can only handle currently about 100/year for repair. With a bulletproof method of repair under patent pending status, I need to do WHATEVER it takes to make sure this repair is available to all Cadillac owners and repair shops. It would be a real shame for anyone to have to resort to an inferior threaded insert because I cannot deliver on time.

Everyone please remember I started this with nothing more than $300 and a personal collection of tools (and a 1950's Atlas lathe). I am not a multi-million dollar company that can give away free stuff, eat express shipping costs all the time, etc. Maybe that day will come I don't know-

I will do whatever I can to help my customers and get the ordered kits out the door ASAP, with accurate parts. There are many people that want to see my business fail, many that want it to succeed. I have been called everything under the sun as I'm sure a few of you remember from a voicemail message I posted a link to. It's up to everyone whether they want to believe it or not but I am doing my very best for my customers.

Please bear with me, accurate alignment plates are being constructed right now and orders are beginning to ship again. They are shipping from Winnipeg- I-29 is flooded. This may also pose a delay but that is something I cannot help. I have pictures where my truck is treading water- big time. From Fargo to Grand Forks I-29 has been closed for a few days already. My shop is only 5 miles from the Red River, I'm lucky I haven't been flooded out yet.

I will post more later after the workday and show everyone what I'm up to and what I'm going to be doing to increase production speed and accuracy. UPS and lost shipments- I'm not sure yet how to handle that. 5 lost since December.
 
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