RMS Alterktion Review In My 72 Demon
Let me start off first with saying, I will try to be as honest as I can be about my experience with purchasing, having it installed, dealing with issues through the install and ultimately how it feels and drives post install. Again, my goal is only to give my honest experience throughout the ordeal and nothing else.
PURCHASING/Shipping & Receiving
Very easy process. I gave RMS a call, talked to Bill himself and he asked me a few questions about the car, my options on the kit and which route I wanted to go to. The questions he asked specifically were what year and model my car was and which coilovers I wanted in the kit. He didnt ask me if the car was manual or on the floor/column auto(this plays a role later on). There was also no info or questions about the existing wheels and/or brakes currently in the car. After that talk on the phone, he told me it would be a month or so and I wouldnt need to pay yet until it was ready to ship.
About 3 months later and after a few email/phone calls in just inquiring about how it was going, my credit card was charged and I received an email about all the boxes coming my way.
Installation/Dealing with Issues
I do not have the luxury of time and/or space where I live to install this myself so I had to have a shop help me install. Obviously the majority of having this installed through the shop has nothing to do with RMS but the issues found while having it installed is so I'll just copy and paste all the issues the shop found while doing the install.
"Discovered front suspension kit missing both inner tie rod jam nuts. Manufacturer overnighting missing jam nuts. Discovered front suspension kit provided 9/16" locking nuts for 1/2" power steering rack mount bolts. Replaced 9/16" nuts with 1/2" nuts. Discovered front suspension kit provided left-handed thread upper control arm pivot ends (4). Control arms found to accommodate right-handed pivot ends. Manufacturer overnighting correct righthanded upper control arm pivot ends. Encountered component fitment concerns (adequate steering column stabilization with new steering system linkage) when adapting steering column to new front suspension steering system. Manufacturer explained their system is not designed to accommodate vehicles equipped with column transmission shifters. Manufacturer overnighting custom steering column bushings to aid in properly adapting/stabilizing new steering system with vehicles steering column. Discovered adapting new power steering rack to vehicles existing power steering system will require installation of custom length power steering pressure and return lines. Installed new steering lines.
Discovered front wheels do not clear outer steering linkage tie rod ends. Tie rod ends are obstructed by inner wheel barrels. Customer approved measuring for replacement front wheel backspacing/offset, procurement and installation of replacement front wheels/tires."
When the first issue of parts came about, I was able to contact Bill at RMS after multiple phone calls and I asked him to give the shop a call so that they can explain what it was they found and how to resolve it. Bill was kind enough to overnight the missing and incorrect parts. Second time around, I could not get Bill on the phone after numerous tries so I tried him on facebook and was successful there. He again called the shop for me and was kind enough to correct the mistake by overnighting the incorrect/missing parts. The third go round, I tried both calling and messaging on facebook if there was any way o resolve the wheels not clearing because of the tie rod ends but no phone call back, no more replying to my facebook messages. I guess he's had enough of it.... Until now, no replies back. I ended up purchasing two new rims and tires just so we could clear it. This is probably my fault for not checking that info but it wouldved been nice to be able to talk to the vendor about it.
Post Install Feel
I love them. The steering responsiveness and ride comfortability has improved so much it feels like a totally different car. I'm very happy with how it rides now than before. It is truly night and day difference.
Overall
Again, I'm very happy with how the kit feels on the car but the experience hasnt been the best with trying to contact the vendor to go through the issues. Quality control obviously wasnt great as multiple parts had to be sent. If I was doing this myself it wouldnt be such a big deal but because it was in a shop where there are other project cars waiting to use the lift, added days to my project definitely messed up the flow and lowered my experience with this ordeal. I'm hoping by the time I am ready to have the rear end upgraded, I can revisit RMS for their Lynx set up and have a much better experience.
Let me start off first with saying, I will try to be as honest as I can be about my experience with purchasing, having it installed, dealing with issues through the install and ultimately how it feels and drives post install. Again, my goal is only to give my honest experience throughout the ordeal and nothing else.
PURCHASING/Shipping & Receiving
Very easy process. I gave RMS a call, talked to Bill himself and he asked me a few questions about the car, my options on the kit and which route I wanted to go to. The questions he asked specifically were what year and model my car was and which coilovers I wanted in the kit. He didnt ask me if the car was manual or on the floor/column auto(this plays a role later on). There was also no info or questions about the existing wheels and/or brakes currently in the car. After that talk on the phone, he told me it would be a month or so and I wouldnt need to pay yet until it was ready to ship.
About 3 months later and after a few email/phone calls in just inquiring about how it was going, my credit card was charged and I received an email about all the boxes coming my way.
Installation/Dealing with Issues
I do not have the luxury of time and/or space where I live to install this myself so I had to have a shop help me install. Obviously the majority of having this installed through the shop has nothing to do with RMS but the issues found while having it installed is so I'll just copy and paste all the issues the shop found while doing the install.
"Discovered front suspension kit missing both inner tie rod jam nuts. Manufacturer overnighting missing jam nuts. Discovered front suspension kit provided 9/16" locking nuts for 1/2" power steering rack mount bolts. Replaced 9/16" nuts with 1/2" nuts. Discovered front suspension kit provided left-handed thread upper control arm pivot ends (4). Control arms found to accommodate right-handed pivot ends. Manufacturer overnighting correct righthanded upper control arm pivot ends. Encountered component fitment concerns (adequate steering column stabilization with new steering system linkage) when adapting steering column to new front suspension steering system. Manufacturer explained their system is not designed to accommodate vehicles equipped with column transmission shifters. Manufacturer overnighting custom steering column bushings to aid in properly adapting/stabilizing new steering system with vehicles steering column. Discovered adapting new power steering rack to vehicles existing power steering system will require installation of custom length power steering pressure and return lines. Installed new steering lines.
Discovered front wheels do not clear outer steering linkage tie rod ends. Tie rod ends are obstructed by inner wheel barrels. Customer approved measuring for replacement front wheel backspacing/offset, procurement and installation of replacement front wheels/tires."
When the first issue of parts came about, I was able to contact Bill at RMS after multiple phone calls and I asked him to give the shop a call so that they can explain what it was they found and how to resolve it. Bill was kind enough to overnight the missing and incorrect parts. Second time around, I could not get Bill on the phone after numerous tries so I tried him on facebook and was successful there. He again called the shop for me and was kind enough to correct the mistake by overnighting the incorrect/missing parts. The third go round, I tried both calling and messaging on facebook if there was any way o resolve the wheels not clearing because of the tie rod ends but no phone call back, no more replying to my facebook messages. I guess he's had enough of it.... Until now, no replies back. I ended up purchasing two new rims and tires just so we could clear it. This is probably my fault for not checking that info but it wouldved been nice to be able to talk to the vendor about it.
Post Install Feel
I love them. The steering responsiveness and ride comfortability has improved so much it feels like a totally different car. I'm very happy with how it rides now than before. It is truly night and day difference.
Overall
Again, I'm very happy with how the kit feels on the car but the experience hasnt been the best with trying to contact the vendor to go through the issues. Quality control obviously wasnt great as multiple parts had to be sent. If I was doing this myself it wouldnt be such a big deal but because it was in a shop where there are other project cars waiting to use the lift, added days to my project definitely messed up the flow and lowered my experience with this ordeal. I'm hoping by the time I am ready to have the rear end upgraded, I can revisit RMS for their Lynx set up and have a much better experience.
