LeftCoastKiteboarding
Active member
Happy weekend guys,
I'll ask the question first: Any recommendations on a quality drop pitman arm for my 2002 F350 4x4? Mine has failed and I'm not all that impressed with the cast garbage from Rough Country. I'd love to find something that is quality metal and machine work that would last. Have to replace it and will order a new Blue Top steering box at the same time since I'll be in there.
Thanks!
The backstory and a pretty scathing review of Rough Country parts and customer (dis)service.
On Friday I was parallel parking out front after work and as I backed into the space heard a loud clunk. New sound I had not heard before. I looked briefly under the front end but a cold beer was calling my name so let it go for the day.
Saturday morning I hopped in to go get an alignment since I put new wheels/tires on last week. Pulling away from the curb I heard the same sound so I pulled into a parking lot and had a look. Where the drop track bar bracket bolts to the frame I found that one of the two bolts was sheared off and the other had backed completely out and was hanging literally by a thread. Shop is only 2 blocks away so I limped in and they put it up on the rack. Not only had the 2 frame bolts failed, in the center where the bracket bolts to the frame crossmember the 'weld' had failed. There is a round length of tube that is welded to the bracket and a large washer is welded over the frame end of the tube so a bolt can be threaded through the bracket and the frame crossmember and hold everything together. Basically, that joint where the washer is welded to the tube section takes all of the force of that joint. Thins is, instead of welding that washer (or plate or whatever you want to call it) all the way around where it meets the tube, it was welded only about 30 degrees around, making a weld joint about 3/4 of an inch long instead of full perimeter which would have been almost over 4 inches of weld. (1 1/2" diameter tube section.)
The washer par was pulled away from the tube section of the bracket and the weld had almost completely failed.
I called Rough country and explained that the lift kit is about 3 years old, I had the receipt, and that the truck has not been wheeled, I haven't curbed it, have only been on paved roads. I explained that the weld was not completed etc.. Basically he told me to pound sand, they wouldn't warranty it and pretty much hung up.
The shop pulled it all apart and welded it up correctly and put everything back together with grade 8 bolts. On top of that the cast pitman arm that came with the kit has gotten so sloppy on the steering box shaft that it will not stay tight. Obviously Rough Country isn't going to deal with that either.
I didn't choose this Rough County lift kit, it came on the truck, but there's not much to it so I figured it'd be ok. They've been around and according to the customer service tech it's all made in the USA. It's just springs, the pitman arm, and the track bar bracket. What could possibly go wrong.... Not very impressed with their quality or service.
Pretty much has me questioning if I should just throw it all away and start over.
I'll ask the question first: Any recommendations on a quality drop pitman arm for my 2002 F350 4x4? Mine has failed and I'm not all that impressed with the cast garbage from Rough Country. I'd love to find something that is quality metal and machine work that would last. Have to replace it and will order a new Blue Top steering box at the same time since I'll be in there.
Thanks!
The backstory and a pretty scathing review of Rough Country parts and customer (dis)service.
On Friday I was parallel parking out front after work and as I backed into the space heard a loud clunk. New sound I had not heard before. I looked briefly under the front end but a cold beer was calling my name so let it go for the day.
Saturday morning I hopped in to go get an alignment since I put new wheels/tires on last week. Pulling away from the curb I heard the same sound so I pulled into a parking lot and had a look. Where the drop track bar bracket bolts to the frame I found that one of the two bolts was sheared off and the other had backed completely out and was hanging literally by a thread. Shop is only 2 blocks away so I limped in and they put it up on the rack. Not only had the 2 frame bolts failed, in the center where the bracket bolts to the frame crossmember the 'weld' had failed. There is a round length of tube that is welded to the bracket and a large washer is welded over the frame end of the tube so a bolt can be threaded through the bracket and the frame crossmember and hold everything together. Basically, that joint where the washer is welded to the tube section takes all of the force of that joint. Thins is, instead of welding that washer (or plate or whatever you want to call it) all the way around where it meets the tube, it was welded only about 30 degrees around, making a weld joint about 3/4 of an inch long instead of full perimeter which would have been almost over 4 inches of weld. (1 1/2" diameter tube section.)
The washer par was pulled away from the tube section of the bracket and the weld had almost completely failed.
I called Rough country and explained that the lift kit is about 3 years old, I had the receipt, and that the truck has not been wheeled, I haven't curbed it, have only been on paved roads. I explained that the weld was not completed etc.. Basically he told me to pound sand, they wouldn't warranty it and pretty much hung up.
The shop pulled it all apart and welded it up correctly and put everything back together with grade 8 bolts. On top of that the cast pitman arm that came with the kit has gotten so sloppy on the steering box shaft that it will not stay tight. Obviously Rough Country isn't going to deal with that either.
I didn't choose this Rough County lift kit, it came on the truck, but there's not much to it so I figured it'd be ok. They've been around and according to the customer service tech it's all made in the USA. It's just springs, the pitman arm, and the track bar bracket. What could possibly go wrong.... Not very impressed with their quality or service.
Pretty much has me questioning if I should just throw it all away and start over.