Uggghh! Firm Feel?! (UPDATE: Firm Feel = GREAT customer service)

[terrible one]

What a kick in the nuts. Got the thing running, got the brakes sorted out, so all I have to do is get my belt and lines for my rebuilt power steering pump and my nice Firm Feel box, right? NO! It must have been 2 years ago now that I sent them my power steering box in exchange for a Stage 2 large sector unit. I got my nice rebuilt unit not long after that. I put it in the car shortly afterwards and it sat until now waiting for the drivetrain to catch up. Anyways when I put the aluminum piece that has the return nipple on I noticed that it didn't sit flush . . . well it looks like the box is mishapen on that sealing surface. It is very tight and I can see the little orange o-ring through the crack where they don't mate up. When I first noticed it I said "ah well, it's on the return side . . . surely they it'll be okay." Needless to say when I put fluid in the pump for the first time it came gushing out of there.  So now that I have the engine in this thing and ready to drive I get to take the F&*#&*G steering box out and send it to them. I sure do hope I can find my receipt and that they make it right Monday. I'm ready to give up on this shit now.   I feel like closing the garage and not going back in ever right now. I am so defeated now.

Edit: Here's a picture. Like I said you can clearly see the orange o ring through the gap.

[Charger-Bodie]

Hang in there. Ive had my a$$ kicked by cars all my life. You just need to step back , take a deep breath and be thankful that you have a Charger. Things will look up eventually.

[twodko]

Aww man, I'm sorry to hear this especially after the long wait and your patience. Its easy for me and 1HotDaytona to say but it will get better and they will do right by you. The only upside here is that its winter and not spring with all the car shows. Keep us posted.

[tan top]

Hang in there. Ive had my a$$ kicked by cars all my life. You just need to step back , take a deep breath and be thankful that you have a Charger. Things will look up eventually.

, does get anoying keep going over   the same job  , took my steering box out 3 times ,  & tried 4 new pumps  , striped the new pumps & put the back togeather ( steering would go stiff after running or driving for 15 minutes ! ok when cold ) ,  turned out after all this it was the  recconed box  coned being the oppertive word  from year one , not their fault just the out fit that rebuilds them  
got a firm feel no problems ,

keep with it , all be worth it once you crank the motor , slip it in drive & cruse down the street , for the first  time

[Finn]

Ive got a firm feel too, no problems yet (knock on wood). However, I do vividly remember taking my driver's side header on and off 6 times for multiple brake line and starter issues.

Hang in there buddy.  .

[terrible one]

Thanks for the motivation guys. Had a chance to cool off but it's still sucks. That's just the thing I could put it in D and drive if not for this. I doubt my car will ever even see a car show . . . I just want to DRIVE the wheels off of it! I was planning to very soon every day there wasn't snow and salt everywhere! Even got it tagged and insured! I don't even feel like going out to check, but I sure hope I can get the thing out without having to lift the engine. All of the Firm Feel success stories on this site is what made me go with them. I don't think anyone else on here has had a problem. It seems like it was a bad core and I will absolutely work with thEm and give them a chance to make it right next week, but I am still upset that maybe they let it leave without checking it. Of course there is always the chance that they will say I must have done it. We will see.

[tan top]

get it out with out lifting the engine   ,   if you have stock cast iron manifolds yes   ,  just remove starter motor   

[terrible one]

Headers here. Still don't regret it though after that sound

Anyways, I went out and looked and it would be a nightmare to get it out. But I also noticed that the piece that the aluminum return piece bolts to is also bolted onto the box (as seen in my own picture- haha) So I'm hoping I can just take the whole top piece off and have them swap with me. That would be a lit cheaper to ship too.

[bull]

I'm sure they test them but it's possible this happened after the test. I know Dick and he wouldn't have sent the thing out had he known there was any damage to it. Call him on Monday and he'll get it straightened out. If their products don't impress you their customer service will.

By the way, what exactly is wrong with the mating surface? Is there a ding in it or can you tell yet?

[terrible one]

I'm a lot less worried about it now that I know it's just the pressure valve and I can unbolt it and make the swap no problem. I found my invoice and noticed it says they have a one year warranty and it was from '08 so in all fairness they could not do anything about it. Either way, I will need a new valve assembly so we will see what they will do for me. It's nice to hear the good reviews on customer service.

Bull, the best way to describe it is it looks like it was dropped or hit with a lot of force on the upper side of the mating surface, so it isn't level. You can see in the picture if you look closely that the mating surface is flush lower down where the bolts go, but the upper part of the mating surface has been smushed back toward the firewall, leaving the "crack." The orange you see is the o ring.

[bull]

And you don't think you might have dropped it or dropped something on it or maybe knocked it over at some point since 08? Not trying to lay blame but I'm just looking at it from a third party perspective. Anything could have happened to it unbeknownst to you or Firm Feel. Any "little helpers" in the house who might have dropped a bicycle on it out in the garage?

[terrible one]

Yeah, I am sure they will look at it that way too. Sucks. Yes, I am sure that I didn't drop it, and having no help is my trademark. I had it sent out when I was doing the suspension and steering, and as soon as I got it back I put it in the car. It has been bolted to my k frame since '08, not tossed around from place to place or anything like that. No proof though so I'm sure I can count myself in for paying for a new pressure valve.

[elacruze]

Man that sucks, but it's only a machine and can't help itself.

The first time I drove my Charger with the 440, I wiped out the cam in 50 miles.
The second rebuild only lasted about 200 miles-the shop that ground the crank left the last rod journal a bit large, and I being young and impatient only plastigaged the front half of the crank.

I punished the car and myself by pushing it in the garage and covering it up for 9 years. I was so disgusted I didn't even pull the dipstick before walking away from it.

Now I'm in the reassembly stage of the final restoration, and optimistic. (My firmfeel box is still in the package they sent it to me with)

[Belgium R/T -68]

 4 years, every free minute of time, 50K and then the new tranny blew after 16 miles.
Yes, I know the feeling.

Per

[Cooter]

So how'd you like to do this type thing for a living and hve this sh*t happen and you can't get paid until the "Warranty" part arrives?
Or how about having the customer supply his/her own parts from Frim Feel and having this sh*t happen only to have the customer blame YOU as it HAD to be "Installer Error"?

Or, how about doing this sh*t ll day long, then coming home and Expecting something to go right(Which was the first mistake when messing with cars), and the same thing happen all over again?

I know it can be frustrating at times, but if it were easy, everybody would be doing it..Hang in there Bro. things will work out...This is why I leave the stock gear box in place and low and behold, after sitting for over 20 years, it leaks!? WTF was I thinking, that I might get lucky and it NOT leak? Oh well, out comes the steering column AGAIN for the 5th time...

[charger2fast4u]

that is a real motivation killer but atleast your almost done with it.and worth it when your driving it. i'm still in the disassembly stage in my restore i got plenty of downers to come my way but at the end of the day it's my charger and is well worth the hardballs it throws my way. let us know how it turns out with firm feel and your situation i'll be getting a stage 2 when the time comes. post some pics if you dont mind

[tan top]

So how'd you like to do this type thing for a living and hve this sh*t happen and you can't get paid until the "Warranty" part arrives?
Or how about having the customer supply his/her own parts from Frim Feel and having this sh*t happen only to have the customer blame YOU as it HAD to be "Installer Error"?

Or, how about doing this sh*t ll day long, then coming home and Expecting something to go right(Which was the first mistake when messing with cars), and the same thing happen all over again?

I know it can be frustrating at times, but if it were easy, everybody would be doing it..Hang in there Bro. things will work out...This is why I leave the stock gear box in place and low and behold, after sitting for over 20 years, it leaks!? WTF was I thinking, that I might get lucky and it NOT leak? Oh well, out comes the steering column AGAIN for the 5th time...

yeah thats is true ,  would spend 9 hours a day in the paint booth , then come home & spend a nother couple of hours  working on my charger after dinner till 11ish at night , & weekends when doing mine , last thing you want iis the new , reconed parts to be no good  

[bull]

It's kind of exciting to see what part will fail first, and how many parts total, once you fire your car up for the first time after a 9-year restoration. No?

[terrible one]

Well you guys were definitely right about the customer service, which makes all the difference in the world to me. Dick is a really nice guy and almost before I had even finished my story he offered to send me a new valve out. He didn't want the old one sent or anything, and only requested that I send a check for $10 their way to cover shipping and the hassle.   I don't think I've ever dealt with a nicer guy. Needless to say, I'm very happy with the support I received from them and in hindsight it is a very minor thing that will be easily corrected. I was just ignorant about what I was looking at! I would gladly do business with them again.   Now I just have to wait and will hopefully get to see how my Stage 2 box feels soon  

[tan top]

thats good  to hear !! all sorted 

[bull]

  Yea, I've always been more than happy with FF. Lucky me to be within driving distance of the place.