Has anyone else bought parts from Randy's Ring and Pinion

[kycarnut]

   Last summer I bought a set of gears from Randy's Ring and Pinion and when I went to install them I found they had sent me a 28 spline pinion that of course won't work with my 10 spline yoke. So I called them to see if I could exchange it. At which time they said all their pinions were fine spline but, of course, they had a yoke in stock that would work for $154.46. I was right in the middle of the project and just told them to go ahead and ship it to me. It was cast and looked like my original so I went head and installed it.
   
   Then about 6 months later while driving back from a cruise in my car chucks the drive shaft at 80 mph. I instantly assume a U-joint had give out even though they where replaced with new ones at the sametime I did the rear end. When I finally got the car home and looked it over I found that the bolt head had broken off one of the u-joint straps and allowed the driveshaft to spin out and other then missing the caps the u-joint it's self was fine.

   At that point I called Randy's and explain what had happen the person I spoke to was a little less then friendly and told me he couldn't understand how a bolt would fail but after futher discusion he offered to let me seen the yoke back so they could inspect it. So I do and a little time pass when I get a message from some "Tech" guy that says the yoke didn't fail it had to be another part of the drivetrain. Well that did it. All I wanted was someone to admit that their part had failed but everyone just wanted to blame me the customer. So I finally filed a complaint with the BBB and all of a sudden they decided to refund my money but here's the kicker they still claim their part didn't fail.

   So now my concern is that the gears I bought from them maybe the next part to fail and that would be catastrophic. So I was wondering if anyone else is running Yukon Gears from Randy's and if the have had any Problems? Thanks for listening. Greg

[70charginglizard]

Have not dealt with them personally but they are only 30 minutes from my house and I will probably be dealing with them in the next year or two so I hope I don't run into the problems your dealing with but to avoid the shipping costs it only makes sence for me to deal with them.

[elacruze]

Randy's has an excellent reputation. I've never heard anyone say they didn't get service, on any board I've seen-they do an enormous amount of 4x4 stuff as well as race car stuff. They are likely to get my business when I order a driveshaft to accommodate my GV overdrive.

I assume the straps and bolts came with the yoke. Did you torque the bolts to spec with a torque wrench? If not, you really can't blame Randy's for the failure. They don't manufacture the bolts, and I wouldn't expect them to stand behind a part which is as likely to be over/undertorque failure as component failure unless you can say you did your part to insure correct installation. 

[moparguy01]

i used them a few years ago, ordered a set of 3.55 gears, they sent me 3.73's in a 3.55 box. then i had to ship to them then they shipped out another set. Which is holding up my project, and it was wrong too. same problem the second time. third time they got it right though, only about 3 weeks later than I needed them. I'll use Dr. Diff from now on. At least he knows his stuff.

[firefighter3931]

Greg, the Yukon gear set is good quality stuff....doesn't matter what Vendor you purchase it from 

I use Dr Diff for all my drivetrain needs. He built the Dana for me and i just placed an order for a new HD driveshaft & 1350 yokes/U-joints.

On the rear ykes i like to use one with u-bolts (as opposed to straps) to secure the u-joint. 



Ron

[kycarnut]

I assume the straps and bolts came with the yoke. Did you torque the bolts to spec with a torque wrench? If not, you really can't blame Randy's for the failure. They don't manufacture the bolts, and I wouldn't expect them to stand behind a part which is as likely to be over/undertorque failure as component failure unless you can say you did your part to insure correct installation. 

It sound like you work for them?? That was the exact ex cuss they gave me and not to be a SMART A_ _ but I'll tell you exactly what I told them "I will gladly provide the tools and service manuals that I used to install this item for inspection. However, in turn, I would like for Randy's to provide an independent resource to remove the broken bolt and the remaining bolts for strength testing to make sure that they meet US specifics." I may not be the sharpest tool in the box but I know how to torque down a bolt. Thanks Greg

[John_Kunkel]

When I finally got the car home and looked it over I found that the bolt head had broken off one of the u-joint straps and allowed the driveshaft to spin out and other then missing the caps the u-joint it's self was fine.

How is the failure of a bolt somehow the fault of the yoke?

[Challenger340]

Just my experience, I've dealt with Randy's lots over the decades.
Never had a problem 

As for Yukon stuff, only used 2 sets, both are running, seem to be good quality and easy to set up, also a 

Dunno what to say here ?
I wouldn't be worrying about the gears ?
Just a Bum Bolt ?

[elacruze]

I assume the straps and bolts came with the yoke. Did you torque the bolts to spec with a torque wrench? If not, you really can't blame Randy's for the failure. They don't manufacture the bolts, and I wouldn't expect them to stand behind a part which is as likely to be over/undertorque failure as component failure unless you can say you did your part to insure correct installation. 

It sound like you work for them?? That was the exact ex cuss they gave me and not to be a SMART A_ _ but I'll tell you exactly what I told them "I will gladly provide the tools and service manuals that I used to install this item for inspection. However, in turn, I would like for Randy's to provide an independent resource to remove the broken bolt and the remaining bolts for strength testing to make sure that they meet US specifics." I may not be the sharpest tool in the box but I know how to torque down a bolt. Thanks Greg

Hey, no offense intended nor taken. No, I don't work for them.

Asking how you torqued a bolt which failed after 6 months of use is a fair question, that's why everybody asks.
FWIW if the failure had happened in my car after 6 months, it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask for warranty. 
The failure could have been due to many things other than the bolt itself too. Maybe the yoke didn't fit the u-joint perfectly, and when it settled in the torque was relieved and allowed a work failure. Maybe you had bad luck with road debris and it just got knocked off.

Maybe the bolt was actually defective-but straps and bolts are notorious for problems in hard usage, that's why everybody changes them out to u-bolts or billet caps as I have.
I'm not saying you shouldn't be P.O.'d about the damage, just be realistic about Randy's' obligation to do something about it.

[kycarnut]

How is the failure of a bolt somehow the fault of the yoke?

The way I look at it, and stop me if I'm wrong, but if the manufacturer provides a part ( which in this case included the straps and bolts) then that makes them responsible if they fail. I think to many people have the   WAL-MART syndrome in which they no longer expect GOOD service they just expect service. Meaning when you go to Wal-Mart you just expect the clerk to know where the items is not to have a knowledge of what the product is and/or does. It maybe the I expect to much of Companies today. 

[elacruze]

How is the failure of a bolt somehow the fault of the yoke?

The way I look at it, and stop me if I'm wrong, but if the manufacturer provides a part ( which in this case included the straps and bolts) then that makes them responsible if they fail. I think to many people have the   WAL-MART syndrome in which they no longer expect GOOD service they just expect service. Meaning when you go to Wal-Mart you just expect the clerk to know where the items is not to have a knowledge of what the product is and/or does. It maybe the I expect to much of Companies today. 

Well, no, merely providing a part imputes no responsibility beyond accepted industry engineering and suitability for purpose. In this case, Randy's isn't even the manufacturer. Liability and Warranty are contractual concepts, which both parties must agree to and sign off on (legally not physically). You did that by receiving and installing the parts.

Apart from legalities, what would you do if you sold a car to a guy across town you didn't know, and 6 months later he came back asking you to make right the damage on a failed u-joint strap bolt?
Please keep in mind while reading that I realize no profit in defending or prosecuting either side of this argument, it's merely a debate.

Just my opinion; feel free to disregard it-Yes, you expect too much.

[Brickster]

We sell and install hundreds of parts from Randys every year and we rarely have a problem and when we do they have taken care of us.
I would also like to take this oppertunity to offer our services to you folks looking for a driveshaft or differential components. www.dansdriveline.com

[ACUDANUT]

 Okay I am a little lost. BUT a strap ? I thought we all use u-bolts ?  What does a strap look like ? It does not sound safe ?
  I think they are all over priced. A complete third member 8 3/4 rear cost me 1100 bucks 10 years ago.

[Ghoste]

MOst of them came with straps.  It's basically a flattened strip of metal about 3/8 inch wide with a curve in the middle that would match the curvature of the u-bolt and then coming out to an ear on each end that lays across the face of the yoke.  A bolt goes through that and into the yoke.

[John_Kunkel]

The way I look at it, and stop me if I'm wrong, but if the manufacturer provides a part ( which in this case included the straps and bolts) then that makes them responsible if they fail.

Not if the bolt was overtorqued. It's real easy to put too much grunt on a 1/4" bolt.

[resq302]

To be honest, a couple years ago, I was installing a new set of straps from good ol Mopar and  the head of the bolt pretty much snapped off with little effort.  No, I was not even to the point of torquing them down, just getting them a little over snug and off came the head.  Luckily, there was enough of the thread remaining once I took the strap off that I could unscrew out the stud part and no damage was done to the threads or the new yoke.

Im thinking it could have been the way the bolt was cast which is no faulty of Randy's company.