Local shop won't use my parts

mattyice2 said:
Aye aye aye. So, I attempted to replace my front shocks. Got two new Ranch 5000X's. I attempted to put them in, but when I tried to take the bolts off the top of the old ones, I couldn't get them off with regular tools. The top bolts on the old shocks are pretty rusted. I went down to the local shop and asked them to replace them, and they said they can't because of liability issues. What the heck? Who still does? What about the Jeep dealership?
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Trone Service Station located at 2400 W Market St, York, PA 17404 will replace them and use your parts. This is where I take my vehicles when I don't feel like doing the work myself. Small family owned shop, 3 mechanics, a father and son and one other guy. Been going here for years now. They are on vacation this week though, will be back on the 13th.
 
mattyice2 said:
I might give that a go
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That's exactly what you should do. Give it a quick HARD pull and the shaft will snap. Then the top part can be removed from the top.

Another way is to hold the shaft with vise grips and use a breaker-bar with a 1/2" drive deep socket, that'll do it too.
 
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I have a mechanic friend that described your situation: Would you go to a steak house, bring your own steak. Have them cook it, then complain it wasn't cooked correctly?

It's really up to the shop. Many will let you bring your own parts, many will not. If they buy the parts, they can return to their vendor, etc. If you bring the shocks and they break one, are you going to ask them to pay you retail to replace it?
 
tr21triton said:
just wait until you get to the rear shocks. those can make a preacher cuss ! either way the fronts are easy !!!! start spraying the rear upper ones today if you plan on changing them next month :ROFLMAO:
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I don't always have trouble replacing shocks on a TJ, but when I do, I end up cutting the fronts AND breaking a bolt off in the rear.

Fortunately I'm only 1 for 3 for having that problem.
 
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When I worked at a shop, it wasn’t always about the parts but taking in jobs the owner already started. Never failed that they royally messed something up. My boss would be upfront and disclose that the labor cost will go up if we had to fix their mistake.

No warranty on parts brought in either.
 
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tr21triton said:
just wait until you get to the rear shocks. those can make a preacher cuss ! either way the fronts are easy !!!! start spraying the rear upper ones today if you plan on changing them next month :ROFLMAO:
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Yep. And it's still a coin toss. I sprayed mine down for months, all four snapped.
 
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flyinfish said:
There's the real reason, for this shop anyway!

They can order them in, inflate the parts cost and then say we'll have to add shipping to boot.
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Not lecturing, but is only one reason- but here is another-

If they provide them, they know they are are the right shocks for the vehicle - or at least know what they got, and from where.

I’m a contractor, I’ve been on jobs where the client said “they had everything” - the 2/8 door (32”) was actually a 28” door (thats a 2/4 door), it swung the wrong way, and was the wrong height-

Here I was with $100,000 of equipment and guys there doing nothing-

Shops want control.

Also they don’t want opened boxes, missing parts and the unknown- the shocks look right but are for the wrong lift height, so they went on and were fine - until it cycled.

At the best they are off the hook if you provide parts- that can be good in some cases, and real bad in others.
 
I have had a shop install parts I supplied before without any big deal. Their only caveat was that they obviously would not warranty the part if it gave trouble. Unless it was clear that they boogered up the install, in which they would warranty their work, and the part if it was toasted. I thought that was all fair.
 
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AndyG said:
Not lecturing, but is only one reason- but here is another-

If they provide them, they know they are are the right shocks for the vehicle - or at least know what they got, and from where.

I’m a contractor, I’ve been on jobs where the client said “they had everything” - the 2/8 door (32”) was actually a 28” door (thats a 2/4 door), it swung the wrong way, and was the wrong height-

Here I was with $100,000 of equipment and guys there doing nothing-

Shops want control.

Also they don’t want opened boxes, missing parts and the unknown- the shocks look right but are for the wrong lift height, so they went on and were fine - until it cycled.

At the best they are off the hook if you provide parts- that can be good in some cases, and real bad in others.
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No doubt as a contractor you can have unforeseen issues with pre-purchased doors, windows and other items for that matter.
I have no problem with not allowing customer parts as long as the customer is made aware so they can decide on how to proceed.
 
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Vinman said:
If you take your parts to a shop for them to install do you take your food to a restaurant for them to cook?
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Works great in the Fl Keys... take the fish you caught into most restaurants and they'll cook them up for about half what the menu item costs.
 
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