Local shop won't use my parts

mattyice2

mattyice2

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
242
Location
York County, PA, United States
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?
 
Not sure anyone can tell you that, you have to call around.

You can get some spray to loosen them and let it sit for a few days, lot of folks suggest Kroil, leave it a few days.

If that didn’t work, I would find a place that isn’t a chain, maybe just pay them to get the bolt off, you take it home no shocks, and put them in yourself, if the liability is an issue. Worth a try, if you can’t take the steps to cut it out etc.
 
cpwolf said:
Not sure anyone can tell you that, you have to call around.

You can get some spray to loosen them and let it sit for a few days, lot of folks suggest Kroil, leave it a few days.

If that didn’t work, I would find a place that isn’t a chain, maybe just pay them to get the bolt off, you take it home no shocks, and put them in yourself, if the liability is an issue. Worth a try, if you can’t take the steps to cut it out etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks I'm sure they will take the bolts off at least
 
flyinfish said:
Find another shop. I can't see there would be a problem if you're supplying them with new parts.
Click to expand...

Besides liability, the shop is losing out on upcharges on parts they can order, so it's less lucrative for them to take the job with customer-supplied parts.
 
Take the bottom bolts out then grab the shock and pull it towards you, the shaft will snap off. After that you can put a set of vise grips on the shaft to keep it from spinning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dr. Internet and Alatex
xXDavidCXx said:
the shop is losing out on upcharges on parts they can order, so it's less lucrative for them to take the job with customer-supplied parts.
Click to expand...

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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mattyice2
dmbeck said:
Take the bottom bolts out then grab the shock and pull it towards you, the shaft will snap off. After that you can put a set of vise grips on the shaft to keep it from spinning.
Click to expand...

Probably my ignorance, but why do this? You can put a vice grip on the shaft without pulling and breaking stuff off? I'm jut not following.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Elyse8743, DougyintheBushies and freedom_in_4low
cpwolf said:
Probably my ignorance, but why do this? You can put a vice grip on the shaft without pulling and breaking stuff off? I'm jut not following.
Click to expand...

alot of times the vice grips cant get a grip on that hardened steel shaft to keep it from spinning with a rusted nut.
 
It's either that or cut the shaft
cpwolf said:
Probably my ignorance, but why do this? You can put a vice grip on the shaft without pulling and breaking stuff off? I'm jut not following.
Click to expand...

Factory shocks have a sleeve over the shaft. You can obviously cut the sleeve and accomplish the same thing. But when youre trying to do something as simple as remove front shocks and the 5min job turns into 30 min of cussing, breaking a shock in half is a small victory and frustration release haha.

You can also cut the shaft or cut the bolt off with a sawzall, I've never done it this way but it seems like space constraints might make this harder than you describe. Or I could be completely wrong, like I said, I've never done it this way. There's a lot of ways to accomplish the same thing, none of them should be this hard to just remove a shock but obviously we've all experienced this frustration.
 
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.
Click to expand...

In fairness, that's a business. Running a small business is not as easy as it sounds, and they're providing a service. Free country for anyone to decide to buy the parts and do it themselves. I don't begrudge a person providing a service.

Like walking into a steakhouse and handing them a ribeye, and asking them to cut the price.
 
cpwolf said:
In fairness, that's a business. Running a small business is not as easy as it sounds, and they're providing a service. Free country for anyone to decide to buy the parts and do it themselves. I don't begrudge a person providing a service.

Like walking into a steakhouse and handing them a ribeye, and asking them to cut the price.
Click to expand...
Had a shop and the small jobs are the ones that bring bigger jobs. I don't have an issue with not accepting customer parts but make sure to state that up front. I don't agree with the ribeye comparison to new shocks as food can actually make you sick and the restaurant could be sued over it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: srimes
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?
Click to expand...

It's a relationship thing.
 
Top Bottom
Back