Punch

Well I was out screwin around a few weeks back in a unbuilt housing complex. Lots of mud, hills etc to play around in. Well anyways, after coming up over what seemed to be a bare hill at 30mph was a wood sign advertising something. Well it ended in 4runner=1, sign=0. The wood sign did put a pretty large dent in the bumper and its pretty tore up from pushing over brush and what not off road. Well I called shrockworks to purchase they're steel bumper and they told me they build to order so it's a 60 day wait! After shipping times I wouldn't see it till the begining of november! I love the way shrockworks bumper looks since it's very full looking, but after hearing 60 days, I looking for other options. Any suggestions on places that have similar looking front bumpers?

Oh and this is what the 4runner was doing that day lol;

Rock Slide

iTrader: (1)

ARB is always another option.

Sucks to hear about the wait at SW though...

dannomite

Stick with the shrockworks. They look so much better than the ARB or TJM. Just my $0.02. 60 days will be over before you know it.

FogRunner

The only way I would order a bumper from them is if they gave me a written order contract with a discount penalty if they run over the 60 days.

If you decide to go with them when you call them to order the bumper and they say 60 days. Ask for a FIRM ship date and ask what assurances they will offer you if they fail to ship your bumper by that stated date.

I'm not going to go into specifics but you can draw your own conclusions as to why I making the above recommendation.

dannomite

Fogrunner it sounds like you have some experience dealing with them. I have not dealt with them. Perhaps my tune would be different if I had. I always appreciate fair warning about a companies service. Punch, if you do decide to go with the shrockworks let us know how things work out.

GenXr

I bought rock sliders from them for my samurai last year and had a 60 day wait, but they came in about 60 days. They told me up front about the wait.

As a consumer it is hard to wait that long for something that is never cheap. However, I've bought from Trail Tough, Rocky Road Outfitters, Addicted Offroad, Sky Manufacturing and others. These guys are small businesses and they typically don't have a lot of fabbed parts sitting on a shelf waiting for our phone call... I've had to learn that lesson. Having a lot of the fabbed products on the shelf takes a LOT of cash out of the business and ties it up in inventory, much of which gets taxed.

Although it really sucks waiting for parts, most if not all the shops above will build and sell you quality stuff.

FogRunner

I agree all the shops you stated have good quality stuff, no bones about that. And I have no problem waiting for something, as long as it is delivered on or near the agreed upon date when the order was placed.

My problem is when they play the "time game" which is where they know if they tell you the REAL time it will take you won't order it. So they tell you it will only be some much time and then when that time hits, you call them to check on your order and BAM they tell you they have a snag,supplier problem,shop moving, ETC and add more time on it. They know the vast majority of people are going to say "well I've waited this long I might as well wait a little longer"

Or they play the "order game", they wait till they have a bunch of orders before they start production so they can buy the raw materials in bulk and also have their employees build them in an assembly line fashion.

I have no problem with the above IF they tell you this when you PLACE YOUR ORDER, instead of when the day your order was supposed to be shipped as come and gone and you call them asking whats up??

I'm just recommending you ask them or any fab shop for a FIRM date your order WILL ship by. And what compensation they will make in writing on your sales order if your order isn't shipped by the above date. Also don't take the "if its not ready you can cancel your order and get a full refund and be out nothing" line. Because you are out something, the time you lost waiting for them to build your order and the time your truck was off the road.

So when a fab shops tells you over and over they are SURE they can have it out the door by XYZ day just ask them to put that it writing with a %25 discount if it isn't ready by that day and see how their tone (and delivery date) changes.

If they refuse or balk about it take your money elsewhere.

As I said earlier I'm not stating specifics ,pointing ANY fingers at any company or making ANY accusations about any company. I'm just giving an opinion on some industries business practices and ways to mitigate your loss of time and/or money

rusm

Check craigslist in your area for custom fabricators. There are a lot of guys doing really good work out there and they charge way less than a 'name brand'.

CDUFF7

really love this picture, nice!!!!

Rock Slide

iTrader: (1)

Where'd you see that??

Rock Slide

iTrader: (1)

No wonder I never saw that thread...it's in the wrong section!

cadman

Here's my experience with small time fab shops:

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum...=117353&page=7

Going to buy a welder and build everything myself for now on.

ESQ

Lucky you. I have a 90 day wait.... and only halfway through. But then I saw one the other day and the wait is all worth it

Punch

I'm going to checkout a few local welders and see if they could build me a similar one at a cheaper price.