Belltech Drop Spindels Ever Seen Problems Like This LOOK!!!!!!!

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <wunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> I don’t normally start threads like this but I thought these photos needed to be shown. I recently ordered a set of Belltech drop spindles for my 57 Chevy, they were back ordered for a few weeks and arrived Friday. The first spindle I unwrapped looked great but the second one, not so much.

I have been a machinist for 40+ years and seen my fair share of shady repairs/ patches but this might just take the cake? It looks like the original forging had some porosity/ pitting that they attempted to weld and blend. There is a spider web of cracks coming from the first location that was welded, those cracks go all they way up the radius on to the seal area. The second spot (looks like a black dot in the photo) is a void in the forging almost ¼” deep. I can see grinder marks from where they attempted to smooth out the rough casting.

I have never used a Belltech product but any company that would allow a product like this to leave their factory and be shipped to a customer has no place on my car.

So now I’m left looking for a replacement, any suggestions for another manufacturer??

 

Looks like "outsourced" (read:Chinese) crap to me. Hard to believe any reputable company would even try to "repair" it!

 

That is unfortunate Bell Tech would send out a part like that. I have had Bell Tech products on most my off topic vehicles, never an issue and have been completely satisfied with their stuff. I say call them up and give them a chance to make things right. This spindle comes down to one persons bad judgement somewhere on the line, I don't think it is the companies overall vision of customer service and quality products.

 

send that puppy back-that's just sad

 

Present day quality is a race to the bottom !

 

X2......THAT is inexcusable. "Paging the shipping department, your presence is required in the bosses' office FORTHWITH!"

 

I have been involved with Bell Tech since Jim Ewing owned it. I sold hundreds of spindles for trucks through my dealership and never had one come back or look like yours does. I am retired now and out of the business but I think I would want to talk directly to the owner about this product that you received. As stated above that is "INEXCUSABLE"

 

Phone the company, and send it back

 

It's scary to imagine it could have go unoticed but like the others say,get hold of Belltech and I'm sure they'll sort it out.

 

I've unfortunatly had this happen twice, from 2 different companies. Back in the day I ordered a long arm suspension kit from rock krawler suspensions for my jeep. It was apparently welded by a third grader. I screamed at the owner of the company and sent it back, he gave me a new kit, but the kit was very poorly engineered, and they claimed "power coated" - when I got the new kit, the paint was still sticky. I also had this happen with speedway motors on a front disc brake kit. One of the chinese rotors had a major flaw in the casting - similar to your spindle. It was where the inner bearing race installed. Here's the cool part......Due to some goofy circumstances, I had the rotor for about 2 years- but never drove the car. I ordered some other parts from them and I mentioned the bad rotor in the comment box and they contacted me and exchanged it 2 years after I bought it! Speedway gets the thumbs up!

 

I sure hope that you make them spring for the shipping both ways. Somebody knew it was a defect before it was sent out.

 

id call the company on that one , i wouldnt ever want to ship a part that looked like that if i was in charge , all its good for is a door stop , or a paper weight

 

No question that a call and giving them an opportunity to make it right is the only reasonable step to take. I wouldn't even think about bringing it out public first unless they didn't take satisfactory steps to make it right first.
If you did something wrong, or screwed with someone in a manner that made them mad, is it your wish they would go tell everybody else on the planet first before they came to you, alone, and discussed their grievance? Of course not! Then why do people do it for companies? Companies are nothing if not just the people who own/work there.
Handle it like a man. My .02....

 

I would send them both back and buy from another vendor. I have a friend at work that had a set of Belltech spindles on his 90's Chevy pickup and they broke right in front of the race. Left him stranded.

 

I wouldn't send them back until you've Emailed them pictures of the defect. That way you control the evidence until arrangements are made for replacement.

Frank

 

No way would I trust them!!!!!

 

Had a set of beltech on the front of my 90 GMC that broke also.

 

Were they ordered straight from Belltech ?

 

They were purchad from Summit, but they were packaged and shipped direct from Belltech. I already contacted Summit and they will give a full refund, no questions asked.

Does anyone know of another company that makes tri five drop spindles? I'v tried heights, you have to use their tubular A arms.....

 

What about fatman?

 

yuck!!! so much for quality control.

 

storm king,your .02 cents is about what its worth. A company letting a product like that even leaving their premises should be made public.That is about the poorest workmanship on a product and dangerous too.I commend the OP for posting the info.He had pictures to prove his claim,not just spouting off with false accusations.Wrong is wrong no matter no matter how nice you want to be.

 

That is besides the point. What? No one is allowed to make any mistakes ever? Must be nice to be perfect. My point doesn't change. That poor parts were shipped is indisputable. I'm sure BelTech wouldn't be in business if this was a common occurance. So, the corrrect action still would have been to either approach Bel Tech with this one on one, or Summit, I guess, before impuning their entire product line over what most likely is a simple mistake on the part of one employee.
You never addressed my greater point. Suppose you, brad chevy, did something on someone's car that didn't work as expected (although based upon your post, you NEVER, EVER make mistakes) and instead of the person bringing it to you to see if you'll make it right, he posts it here, on this board. Look, here's a picture of the work brad chevy did on my car. See, it's not just spouting off, here's pictures to prove my claim that everything brad chevy does is crap....how's that work for you bud?

 

I'll never hire brad chevy!

 

That is just BS !! Belltech screwed up big time, and you would have the customer keep his mouth shut -- so maybe other customers wouldn't know about their lousy incoming inspection?

Sure, give them (or their distributor) the chance to correct it, but let your fellow Hamb'ers be aware of the problem at the company.

 

You didn"t make a greater point except bashing the guy for showing a shitty product sent to him by a reputable company.And I"m sure the product was handled ,inspected and packaged by more than one person.Nobody (never) makes mistakes.If I did work on someones car and it didn"t work properly and they posted it on this board,big deal,I would still make it right to the best of my ability.There you go bud!

 

I wouldn't be one bit surprised if the part of the spindle that accepts the bearings (and rotor) would have had a piece of cardboard wrapped around it (and taped) when it arrived from China.


It is (in my mind) quite possible that the flaw and repair were both done in China and when Belltech "repackaged" it, the flaw was hidden from their view ... Just saying.


One other thing ... I am not familiar with Belltech products (or what they are made out of) but it is my understanding that factory spindles are not made of cast anything, they are forged steel ... and for a very good reason. (I repeat ... "it is my understanding", that does not mean that I am correct).

 

How do you know Bell Tech screwed up? No doubt the part is F-ed up and should not have hit the shelves. BUT, how do any of us know who is at fault? I've known of a dickhead who bought a cheap part (Chinese mini starter) at a swap meet, found it to be junk, ordered a better one from Summit, put the new swap meet part in the box and return it to Summit for a refund. Now Summit gets a junk starter back that still looks new, and re-sells it to someone else. One other example, I bought a set of Duralast plug wires last week at Autozone, and upon installing them and finding an end damaged, I realize the wires are labeled Bosch. Somebody pulled a switch, I got the bad parts. Returned them, got a correct good set.

Thanks for the heads up, but take it for what it's worth, don't hold the whole company at fault.

 

How many broken spindles mentioned in this thread ?

 

Fun times when the spindle breaks and the wheel passes you!!! UHHG!!