Funny Rancho customer support email.

[rockdawg]

The tie-rod end on my Rancho adjustable trackbar had worn out. I am changing this to a superflex style end eventually but I needed to replace it now as my jeep is my DD. So I emailed Rancho tech support (which is supposed to respond in 24hr's) this message:

Hello, I have a Rancho 2.5” Rock Crawler suspension on my
2002 Jeep TJ. The adjustable track bar tre has worn out. I have about 20K
miles on it. Could you please tell me if your end crosses over to a moog
or trw part# so I can buy a new tre at my local auto parts store? If not
how can I get a replacement? I need to replace this ASAP as the jeep is my
daily driver and it wanders too much to drive right now.

When I didnt get a response I called their tech line and got a person who gave me a moog/trw part#. I went to the auto parts store and got the part. Would'nt you know its the wrong part. The counterman went to the back and matched up the old one to the right part# which is ES2848L.
So 4 days later I get this email from rancho:

Thank you for your interest in Rancho products. The ends in the track bar
can only be obtained through one of our dealers. The part number for the
replacement part is as follows:

ball joint end - RS602612

bushing end - RS860157

Rancho team member
Vladi

So I email him back with:

Nice try VladI, after I did not get a timely response to my original email I called your tech support # and spoke to a person that gave me the trw/moog part# which by the way was the wrong #. Luckily my auto parts counterman was able to find me the correct trw part, which is ES2848L.
But thank you for the lower bushing #.

LOL
:lol:

[XEON]

What a bunch of money hungrey poops. Grr, I hate when the company is first not the customer...

[ROCKREADYXJ]

was it the exact part?

I wonder if they have a guy at Rancho that opens moog boxes and puts them in Rancho boxes?

Or maybe thay are really lazy and just send you a moog box.

I checked on that part number and it is a special order part and the other one is wrong.

[rockdawg]

The part # the guy on the phone gave me was a tre from a 1986 to 1996 dodge 1/2 ton but they gave me a lefthanded thread tre # the correct part was a right handed thread same tre. It was exact.
The reason it wore out was because the track bar was made for the 2 1/2" lift and currently I'm running 4". When I flex out the front end the tre binds. When I stretch the front end 2" i will be fabbing up a new trackbar mount on the frame to use a joint like this:

http://www.ultimatejeepstore.com/ProdImages/RE3792.jpg