Updated - CBI Rock Sliders - CBI is making it right.

TLDR: CBI welded the rock slider attachment points in reverse making them impossible to install. Emailed and called on Monday. Referred to the warranty department. CBI is getting me a new set and covering my cost to get them powder coated again.

Debated making a post here, but decided it was important to share a story for others considering purchasing armor.

I purchased a bumper, full skids, and rock sliders in bare metal from CBI back in February. They were backed up, and I knew there was a wait for them. When they arrived in September, the packaging was pretty beat up, and I was happy with my decision to the powder coating on my own. They looked well built when I inspected them, downright bombproof to be honest. Went and had them powder-coated here in Louisville, and they came out looking awesome.

Well, I just dropped everything off at a local shop for install on Monday, and they called me a couple of hours later with the news: the rock sliders attachment points were welded incorrectly. They said they had four of their team members check it before calling me and sending pictures. Everything else checked out and is being installed.

I take that depressing news and I emailed the evidence to CBI and called them up. I just told them what happened and wanted to know how they wanted to make it right. They were very polite and professional but directed me to the warranty department to file a claim. I haven't heard anything back since then.

So I realize this is a business that is probably overwhelmed by demand, has a ton of people contacting them regularly, has to manage a large complex operation in a tight labor market, and that really makes a good product...

But shit.. this makes me angry. If this kind of quality escape can happen, it makes me think 1) I can't be the only one with this issue 2) do I really trust the rest of the gear? And I'm not expecting them to stop their operation in its tracks to deal with me. However, this feels like a little more than a warranty issue when they have had my money for 8 months.

 

Holy cow, what a mistake. I bet its an apprentice welder with 0 experience that was hired because he was the only guy willing to take the job in this environment.

 

Damn that sucks… hopefully warranty department gets Back to you and makes it right.

full disclosure, I’m a service writer at a Toyota dealership and we had a customer come in and wanted to get OEM sliders installed on his Tacoma. A new set out of the box had a incorrect bracket welded on. Mistakes happen.

 

Sorry to hear that bud. Hopefully they make it right. I think CBI has been on the skids for a while now. Just search the forum for their front bumper issues. Curious what bumper you went with and if it had any issues like others had?

 

Pun intended?

 

While I agree mistakes happen - holy shit where is the QC? That's not a warranty issue whatsoever - As a small business owner, I would make it a priority to, first and foremost, get you a replacement set made correctly and shipped out asap. Getting the old ones back and other logistics take a backseat. I hope they make it right.

 

wow sux to hear that hopefully they can make it right
I just ordered the full skid and lower control arm skid hopefully those comes out right ETA 8 weeks they say

 

100%

 

Any chance you can turn your truck inside out before installation?

Kidding man, sorry to hear about this. I would be losing my mind. Esp after the PC charges.

 

Get ready for the, "well it's been altered with powder coat."

 

All the more reasons to piss me off, but your probably right!

 

Ask for a refund, keep em, weld on new better brackets. Not real hard to fix.

 

How much was the powder coat? If their solution sucks, tell them to:
Send replacements now.
Discount the cost of the powder coat.
Send return postage and you will send these back in the new packaging from the replacements.

If that fails, let them know there are over 60K visitors here who will be interested to know how they treat their customers. And that you are a social media force for other platforms.

If that fails, dispute the charge with your CC company (sliders only)

If that works, free sliders that need some work....

 

Powder coating for the CBI classic front bumper, full overland skid, and rock sliders was $840 total. So probably around $275 for just the sliders. Still no response. Everything else was installed perfectly and looks great. I think I am going to start drinking early today.

 

Hey OP, it can be frustrating when things like this happen, unfortunately with products that require manual fabrications, mistakes happen.

Now, they should get back to you at minimum a reply saying they acknowledge this and is/will look for a solution, but if they continuously not reply, simply contact your credit card company and file a chargeback, that usually get business reply in a "timely" manner.

Your quickest solution is probably get someone to fix it locally and ask CBI to refund the amount you spent fixing it at minimum.

 

Update! Their warranty team reached out. They scheduled a pick-up of the current rock sliders, have a new set in the works, and are going to cover the cost to get this set powder coated/ Really good outcome out of all of this. Just a little bit more waiting. Really appreciate the messages and reassurance!

 

Sounds like damn good customer service. Great news!