Need Help taking Falcon Stabilizer Bolt out - Falcin / Teraflex Customer service needed

[Oak]

Nightmare experience dealing with Falcon customer support. The bolt head on the stearing stabilizer stripped out when trying to change brackets. Called them to get the bolt and they sent it out. They won't tell you how to take the head off the shock to replace the bolt. They say it's proprietary info? Asked WHY would you send the bolt but not offer directions on how to replace it. I wasted a week dealing with them.





























































































































Has anyone taken apart the stabilizer and can help me avoid screing anything up?









































































































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[FitfulGoat]

The only way I was able to get that bolt out was with heat. Either a heat gun (what I used and recommend) or torch. The bolt is installed with a good amount of locktite that needs to be burned off a bit. Was able to get mine out and install the clamp style mount for the tie rod with heat and an impact (electric impact with low torque specs, keep in mind some of these parts are aluminum)

 

[Sempe-Fi Rubicon]

Yep, heat gun worked for me as well. Once the loctite was melted that bolt backed right out. I think they are torqued to 30 ftlbs. So keep applying heat till it starts moving. Keep in mind they are reverse threded, clockwise to loosen.

 

[TeraFlex]

Sorry to hear you are having issues with your stabilizer!

Regarding the stabilizer, the damaged part in question is a ball stud style heim, and is NOT a bolt. The heim joint and outer raced is pressed into the stabilizer's aluminum body cap, and does require care and the correct tools to remove or install the parts. We normally have any stabilizers with a damaged/stripped heim stud sent into us direct for repair for those said reasons. If a dealer/vendor or customer wishes to attempt the parts swap themselves and feels they have the knowledge and tools to repair it, we do send out replacement parts if requested. However, we do not have direct sharable instructions or guides on how it's done due to the proprietary nature of the stabilizer itself.

Regarding your stabilizer, if you'd like shoot us a direct message with your info and I can get an RMA created to get your stabilizer taken in and repaired for you; all you'd have to do is send it into us and I'll get the repair taken care of for you.

I do stress that care is taken with the stabilizer should you attempt to work on it yourself, for it does have a 400 PSI charge of nitrogen inside of it. The heim joint uses green Loctite on it to hold the bracket/clamp on, which is why heat is recommended on the bracket/clamp removal. Here's the instructions on clamp removal and swapping for reference.

 

[Sempe-Fi Rubicon]

There is a video on Youtube, tried to link but unsuccessful.

 

[Oak]

The only way I was able to get that bolt out was with heat. Either a heat gun (what I used and recommend) or torch. The bolt is installed with a good amount of locktite that needs to be burned off a bit. Was able to get mine out and install the clamp style mount for the tie rod with heat and an impact (electric impact with low torque specs, keep in mind some of these parts are aluminum)



[/Thank QUOTE]

I used a heat gun but it never got as loose as they said it should ...before the stud was trashed.

 

[Oak]

Sorry to hear you are having issues with your stabilizer!

Regarding the stabilizer, the damaged part in question is a ball stud style heim, and is NOT a bolt. The heim joint and outer raced is pressed into the stabilizer's aluminum body cap, and does require care and the correct tools to remove or install the parts. We normally have any stabilizers with a damaged/stripped heim stud sent into us direct for repair for those said reasons. If a dealer/vendor or customer wishes to attempt the parts swap themselves and feels they have the knowledge and tools to repair it, we do send out replacement parts if requested. However, we do not have direct sharable instructions or guides on how it's done due to the proprietary nature of the stabilizer itself.

Regarding your stabilizer, if you'd like shoot us a direct message with your info and I can get an RMA created to get your stabilizer taken in and repaired for you; all you'd have to do is send it into us and I'll get the repair taken care of for you.

I do stress that care is taken with the stabilizer should you attempt to work on it yourself, for it does have a 400 PSI charge of nitrogen inside of it. The heim joint uses green Loctite on it to hold the bracket/clamp on, which is why heat is recommended on the bracket/clamp removal. Here's the instructions on clamp removal and swapping for reference.

Man after reading your response this experience just went from bad to worse. How is it that your customer service manager Anthony didn't know any of what you just said?

I contaced you guys last weekend and he replaind back saying he would be happy to send me the bolt. I was pleasantly suprised that your company would step up like that and gave him my info and asked him to include the directions to make sure I did it right.

I received the bolt a few days later and sent him a message again asking for directions. I asked if I just need to remove the 2 alen head screws on the top to remove the cap and he said yes it should come right off.

I tried that and heard a pressure release...now I know why. I am being very cautious after having such a hard time getting the bolt and bracket apart. So I asked again how to remove the cap. He said he would reach out to your tech guys. This moring he comes back with an explanation of how to remove the bolt after I took off the cap.

So explained that isnt the issue, I need to get the cap off before I can get the bolt out. I asked him if he could get step by step instructions. Thats were things really went down hill. Then he came back and said you cant provide step instructions. I asked why would you send me a bolt knowing you can't or wont send instructions. Now he starts by saying its propiatory information and can't be shared. Then he tells me to send it in and you will fix it and send it back. Then he changes it to send it in and you will give me a repair estimate for the charge to change out the bolt....it has gone down hill from there.

So put youself in a customers place who spent over 2k on shocks and a stabilzer and ask yourself how much trust you would have at this point? I can't believe I am the first person who has ever had an issue with this bolt and to contact your customer serice department to get help.

I hope no one else ever has to go through this and learns from my experience.


Why did your customer service manager give me this direction? Since you were so clear that it should be sent in, why did he take me down the path he did? Even today your tech depart is implying I can do it and by the way, you are the first person to mention the gas issues. What a nightmare!

TODAY
Thanks for your patience. This is how my Tech manager told me how to do it. – “If he puts the stud in a vice he can smack the stabilizer with a rubber mallet and it will come out. They will then need to press the new one in with a dime size amount of grease in the body cap.”

Anthony Nichols"


YESTERDAY


To:[email protected]

Thu, Dec 15 at 1:55 PM

Just received the parts, thank you. I'm guessing I just need to remove the 2 alen head screws and take the top off. I don't want screw it up, are there any instructions available?



To:Robert Oakley

Thu, Dec 15 at 1:58 PM


Robert,

Unfortunately, We don’t have any instructions but yes you got it.

MY RESPONSE
I took the alen screws out. Should the top pull off or unscrew? Sorry to be pain.

ANTHONY


Robert,


I believe it should pull out.

MY RESPONSE
That's not working is there a tech person who can walk me through this? I can find anything online to help me.

ANTHONY

Robert,

Let me try to reach out to our Falcon guys one sec.

TODAY


Anthony Nichols <[email protected]>
To:Robert Oakley

Fri, Dec 16 at 11:39 AM


Hey Robert,

Thanks for your patience. This is how my Tech manager told me how to do it. – “If he puts the stud in a vice he can smack the stabilizer with a rubber mallet and it will come out. They will then need to press the new one in with a dime size amount of grease in the body cap.”


Anthony Nichols
Customer Service Manager
Ph: 801-713-3314 Direct line 385-434-0426
5680 W Dannon Way, West Jordan, UT 8408

NOW WHAT?

 

[Oak]

There is a video on Youtube, tried to link but unsuccessful.

I followed it with partial success before the point of now return.

 

[TeraFlex]

Thanks for the direct message, I'll help you get everything taken care of.

From what info has been gathered it appears there was a lapse in communication, for it was thought that you were going to able to repair and service your stabilizer heim stud from what was said between phone calls and emails prior to any instructions being requested. Apologies for there being no direct instructions, for this is not a commonly user repaired/serviced part.

Thankfully from what your describing your stabilizer is still fully repairable and by no means ruined as of yet. We'll help you get that stabilizer back into spec and repaired no problem at all under an RMA that I'll create for you once we're back in our normal business hours.

 

[Oak]

Hopefully everything works out now that we have the right people involved.

 

[THE SANDALORIAN]

Well, I didn't get in as deep as you did, but it appears as if mine is headed in the same direction... Followed all the instructions above, heat, slow, clockwise, and the hex head is rounded out now.

 

[Oak]

That's what happened to me. The bad part is/was that now even if you get the bracket off, how will you tighten it to the new bracket? That's close to where I was and I could work it back and forth but not off.



Looks like It will have to replaced too. Ugh...

 

[THE SANDALORIAN]

That's what happened to me. The bad part is/was that now even if you get the bracket off, how will you tighten it to the new bracket? That's close to where I was and I could work it back and forth but not off.



Looks like It will have to replaced too. Ugh...

Pretty much what I figured. I was hoping that by reading what you went through, I would be lucky and not have the same thing happen to me. Guess I wasn't that lucky... Followed the directions above and it just wouldn't budge. I wish the bracket came packaged as a separate piece so you could install it if needed, but I guess that could cause other issues for the company.

 

[Oak]

I agree, I kinda thought i can't be the only one this has happened to. I think they use super glue not thread lock lol. I didn't see anything with color on the threads.

 

[THE SANDALORIAN]

I agree, I kinda thought i can't be the only one this has happened to. I think they use super glue not thread lock lol. I didn't see anything with color on the threads.

Well, if you were the first, than you now have an unhappy companion to share in your frustration.

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