WTH - Rant on Steer & Gear Experience

[Darrah]

Must be something with steering parts. I just ordered/installed a new steering box and pump from a well-regarded vendor. First pump developed a groan within the first two days. Sent out a replacement pump (ASAP, which was appreciated), but it arrived with the box destroyed and the fill cap/dipstick shattered with pieces all inside the reservoir. Sent pics to the vendor, he said it's fine. Cleaned out the debris, installed, had a nightmare of a time getting it to build pressure, then it made a different, and worse noise. Got tired of the hassle, sent the "new" pump back and reinstalled the first one. Still groans, but at least I can't hear that over the road noise while driving. Vendor didn't seem interested in helping anymore and said "some noise is normal"... some noise being enough to annoy the hell out of myself and passengers, apparently.

Tired of the customer being treated as if it's somehow their fault; I'm a professional industrial maintenance/reliability guy that has designed, commissioned and repaired plenty of hydraulic systems... not an idiot. I do stuff correctly. Sorry... your thread touched a nerve

 

[rklewis1005]

Must be something with steering parts. I just ordered/installed a new steering box and pump from a well-regarded vendor. First pump developed a groan within the first two days. Sent out a replacement pump (ASAP, which was appreciated), but it arrived with the box destroyed and the fill cap/dipstick shattered with pieces all inside the reservoir. Sent pics to the vendor, he said it's fine. Cleaned out the debris, installed, had a nightmare of a time getting it to build pressure, then it made a different, and worse noise. Got tired of the hassle, sent the "new" pump back and reinstalled the first one. Still groans, but at least I can't hear that over the road noise while driving. Vendor didn't seem interested in helping anymore and said "some noise is normal"... some noise being enough to annoy the hell out of myself and passengers, apparently.

Tired of the customer being treated as if it's somehow their fault; I'm a professional industrial maintenance/reliability guy that has designed, commissioned and repaired plenty of hydraulic systems... not an idiot. I do stuff correctly. Sorry... your thread touched a nerve

I understand - you'd think they'd be in the business of making customers happy so they get more business. I've found a lot of part rebuilding shops are slow to respond to emails - treating them like optional. One exception is Instrument Specialties. I actually got an UNPROMPTED recent email updating me on the progress on my dash. Kudos to them!

 

[Billccm]

Some of the causes of failures is excessive use of Chinesium. At the present time we have no choice as Chinesium is the only items available.

Having said that I think the experiences I'm hearing about in this thread are more of a careless attitude.

 

[WileE]

Must be something with steering parts. I just ordered/installed a new steering box and pump from a well-regarded vendor. First pump developed a groan within the first two days. Sent out a replacement pump (ASAP, which was appreciated), but it arrived with the box destroyed and the fill cap/dipstick shattered with pieces all inside the reservoir. Sent pics to the vendor, he said it's fine. Cleaned out the debris, installed, had a nightmare of a time getting it to build pressure, then it made a different, and worse noise. Got tired of the hassle, sent the "new" pump back and reinstalled the first one. Still groans, but at least I can't hear that over the road noise while driving. Vendor didn't seem interested in helping anymore and said "some noise is normal"... some noise being enough to annoy the hell out of myself and passengers, apparently.

Tired of the customer being treated as if it's somehow their fault; I'm a professional industrial maintenance/reliability guy that has designed, commissioned and repaired plenty of hydraulic systems... not an idiot. I do stuff correctly. Sorry... your thread touched a nerve

Who, pray tell, is the "well-regarded vendor" ? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[WileE]

These incidents are becoming all too common. From garbage chinese crap parts, to careless / sloppy workmanship by slobs, and morons that throw deliveries around like they're handling junk.

 

[Kern Dog]

Dudes that post complaints but won’t post vendor names are not doing anyone any favors.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Steer & Gear should change their name to Steer Clear Inc.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

It protects you against MONGO the mover .

Just my 2 cents ….

You’ll figure it out sooner or later!

 

[Darrah]

Who, pray tell, is the "well-regarded vendor" ? Inquiring minds want to know.

Dudes that post complaints but won’t post vendor names are not doing anyone any favors.

Wasn't trying to derail his thread, and I'm not a fan of bashing vendors when they have overwhelmingly positive support.

It was BAC. Peter was fantastic in answering questions beforehand, sent out the replacement pump asap, and always responded quickly. Don't think he's a bad guy, and he obviously has great products. Everything was great until I had a problem that wasn't normal. The first, and current, pump started groaning after driving it for a few days... which Peter acknowledged was a bad pump, and sent the replacement. The second pump, after I got it to build pressure, was making an obnoxiously loud hissing noise in the cab that could be heard with windows down at 65mph. The first pump did not do this. Peter's response was that "some noise is normal", put a grease fitting on the coupler, and that there's no way for me to say the first pump didn't do it... basically told me I was wrong, even though I sent a video with the sound very obvious. I asked, multiple times, if he had any suggestions... brand of fluid, relief shims, etc.

End of the day, I pulled both relief valves and confirmed they each had one shim. I put the first pump back on and, surprise, ZERO hissing sound. Obviously something was different with the second pump that showed up with busted pieces of cap everywhere.

At the end of the day, it's not worth the stress of fighting with a vendor that wants to wash their hands of it. I have better things to do than continually change pumps... like drive my car. Plus, at $17/quart, I'm about done pouring money down the drain. When this groaning pump totally dies, I'll put on my spare from another vehicle.

 

[493 Mike]

Wasn't trying to derail his thread, and I'm not a fan of bashing vendors when they have overwhelmingly positive support.

It was BAC. Peter was fantastic in answering questions beforehand, sent out the replacement pump asap, and always responded quickly. Don't think he's a bad guy, and he obviously has great products. Everything was great until I had a problem that wasn't normal. The first, and current, pump started groaning after driving it for a few days... which Peter acknowledged was a bad pump, and sent the replacement. The second pump, after I got it to build pressure, was making an obnoxiously loud hissing noise in the cab that could be heard with windows down at 65mph. The first pump did not do this. Peter's response was that "some noise is normal", put a grease fitting on the coupler, and that there's no way for me to say the first pump didn't do it... basically told me I was wrong, even though I sent a video with the sound very obvious. I asked, multiple times, if he had any suggestions... brand of fluid, relief shims, etc.

End of the day, I pulled both relief valves and confirmed they each had one shim. I put the first pump back on and, surprise, ZERO hissing sound. Obviously something was different with the second pump that showed up with busted pieces of cap everywhere.

At the end of the day, it's not worth the stress of fighting with a vendor that wants to wash their hands of it. I have better things to do than continually change pumps... like drive my car. Plus, at $17/quart, I'm about done pouring money down the drain. When this groaning pump totally dies, I'll put on my spare from another vehicle.

Well, that sucks!
Mike

 

[moparx]

"MONGO like candy !".................

 

[Some Car Guy]

Wasn't trying to derail his thread, and I'm not a fan of bashing vendors when they have overwhelmingly positive support.

It was BAC. Peter was fantastic in answering questions beforehand, sent out the replacement pump asap, and always responded quickly. Don't think he's a bad guy, and he obviously has great products. Everything was great until I had a problem that wasn't normal. The first, and current, pump started groaning after driving it for a few days... which Peter acknowledged was a bad pump, and sent the replacement. The second pump, after I got it to build pressure, was making an obnoxiously loud hissing noise in the cab that could be heard with windows down at 65mph. The first pump did not do this. Peter's response was that "some noise is normal", put a grease fitting on the coupler, and that there's no way for me to say the first pump didn't do it... basically told me I was wrong, even though I sent a video with the sound very obvious. I asked, multiple times, if he had any suggestions... brand of fluid, relief shims, etc.

End of the day, I pulled both relief valves and confirmed they each had one shim. I put the first pump back on and, surprise, ZERO hissing sound. Obviously something was different with the second pump that showed up with busted pieces of cap everywhere.

At the end of the day, it's not worth the stress of fighting with a vendor that wants to wash their hands of it. I have better things to do than continually change pumps... like drive my car. Plus, at $17/quart, I'm about done pouring money down the drain. When this groaning pump totally dies, I'll put on my spare from another vehicle.

I too had a less than stellar experience. I actually felt I detected an attitude on the first phone call, but it only set off a tepid indicator in my brain and things went ok so I filed that away. I placed an order, trusting he would get me the correct parts and save me the trouble. I like supporting small businesses and it seemed to be in his wheelhouse. Opened up the box and one part was what I expected, the other required major reworking of my totally stock car in order to use it.

I thought about it and for a 50 dollar part and it being a small guy, I cut him some slack and said nothing. I put the effort in and ordered the correct parts from rockauto and went on with my life.

I went back to the well again at a later date and he basically said he’d helped me enough and blew me off.

Right into the waiting arms of a vender that supports this site. Got my parts the first time there. I’m only hard to deal with if you make it that way.

 

[Billccm]

Carmen is getting up in years and I noticed he tended to be cantankerous when I spoke with him. Having said that, a friend who's restoring a 1959 Mercury convertible found that Steer N Gear was the only shop to take on the steering box rebuild. He lives in Cincinnati and drove up to Columbus to do business with Steer N Gear. We will see how the finished product turns out soon.

 

[rklewis1005]

Well they received my pump back from whoever they originally delivered it to in NC. I hope they made sure it was my pump before shipping it to me yesterday. I'm going to be upset if I get a box of rocks or something on Saturday. Still no apology for the dinged up parts or their screw up. I'll be thankful when I have my pump back. After reading some of the comments I'm worried about the quality of parts in the rebuild and if it will be good

 

[rklewis1005]

Ok, so I received my pump back today. Happy that I was able to get my original back; however disappointed again in the quality - see pictures. It appears fluid leaked out and dissolved the paint. I'll let them know on Monday.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Demand your money back.

 

[Billccm]

Power steering fluid should not have removed paint?

 

[AR67GTX]

Wow - that’s ugly. Good grief.

 

[AR67GTX]

Power steering fluid should not have removed paint?

Not sure. I bought a steering pump last year and left it sitting in the box until I installed it this winter. Some fluid had seeped out of it and the paint felt kind of soft but it didn’t lift like that. Cleaned it with detailer spray and installed it and the paint seems to have survived, hardened up and still looks OK. But possibly fresh, cheap lacquer wouldn’t do so well.

 

[rklewis1005]

It's just disappointing that instead of ready to install parts, everything I got back needs refinishing & repainting.

I'm now expecting leaks based on lack of care in the overall process I can't say I'll be recommending them based on my experience so far. Maybe I'll change my mind once installed in 6 months to a year.