New frame question

Ok so my frame came in a week ago and i took my truck in to have frame changed. I told the service guy that I installed an AAL in the back because i had the original two leaf pack that came with my 2006 truck. I also have 5100's set at 2-1/2 lift in the front. the truck sits a little higher in the back with the AAL and I'm fine with it just wanted to let the service guy know what's up and make sure everything would be the same when i got it back since they were going to also swap out the leaf spring due to a recall. When i pick up the truck the back is 1'' lower than the front. I show the guy and after talking to the manager they tell me i have two options, put the old leafs back on or take it somewhere and have a spacer block put on. Both at my cost. I ask the guy if he could put the AAL from my old set up on with the new shocks and he says no way. I told him to just put the old leafs back on ($180.00) and give me the new leafs to hold on to in case i have to eventually put them on. What are your opinions? Am i in the wrong here?

 

I make an exception when it comes to complaining about a free work order for $XX,XXX.

Pay out of pocket, they aren't your mechanic - they're doing a job. That job is done.

Extras cost money.

 

They had to replace my frame due to their mistake not mine. So I don't feel guilty for having them do all that work and the cost that it entailed. Just wish someone would give me some options before they switched everything around and drop my rear suspension an inch

 

I don't know about that, When I took my 03 in for the frame recall back in May 2015. The service manager told me the truck will be returned to me in the same manner as it was recieved. The only thing different will be a new frame. Anything extra for example, brakes, shocks exhaust, hoses ect.
can be replaced and all I would have to pay is for the parts no labor.

 

vpcustoms you should have complained to Toyota Corp. before accepting your truck back from the frame replacement. There is no reason to feel guilty that dealer was allowed so many hours and man power to do the job. Warranty work is a cake walk for the dealer... easy money.

 

My dealer that did the swap said basically they didn't want to mess with any aftermarket parts really when it came to the leaf springs. So I had them put the old ones back on and give me the new ones. I'll use the new ones to make better leafs or something.

If I was you, OP, I'd simply take the truck home and swap over the aal or buy a new set of aals for the new leaf packs.

 

The dealership had absolutely nothing to do with your frame needing replaced. That's Toyota - the dealership isn't owned or operated by Toyota, so - you're wrong there, the dealership doesn't owe you anything but a satisfactory experience.

If you didn't get one, contact Toyota - contact a service manager at the dealership first.


Make no mistakes though, they have nothing to do with your frame except performing the work to fix it.

 

Yerp, any stuff I wanted added in was extra. The only work covered by the dealer was anything frame related

 

I have to disagree somewhat DCSBFTMFW. I worked at dealerships for a few years before starting my own business. The dealership is the face of Toyota. Toyota Corp does not sell vehicles or service them to consumers. Thats the job of the dealership, Sales and Service. The warranty/recall is done by the dealership from inspection to doing an RO for the new frame. Now if there was an agreement with OP and the dealership on replacing those parts, thats between the dealership and the OP not Toyota Corp. If they were not going to do it they should have told him from the get go.

 

When I said its thier mistake I mean Toyota not the dealer. All I'm saying is that the service department should have been able to realize that the new shocks would be lower than the ones I had on my truck. I specifically mention that I lifted the front 2 1/2 inches in the back one and a half inches to 2 inches with the adult leave. If somebody would've said a man this thing is going to sit lower if we put the new leafs and then we could've addressed it before they actually went ahead and installed everything. In the end the service guys should know more then the guy bringing their vehicle in there the ones that are trained in all of this stuff. Now I have to pay 180 bucks to have them put some old leaf springs on my truck. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I should have to pay that.

 

Yeah you're right the dealership is In a way is the face of Toyota but they're not the ones making the decisions on where the parts are being brought in to actually assemble these vehicles. It's not their fault that their supplier dropped the ball on them when they supplied them with these bad frames. All I'm saying is this could've been handled a little bit different. I'm stuck paying a few bucks when I really don't think I should have. 180 bucks means more to me than it does to the dealer. They're a big dealership I don't think there would've been a big deal to swap that out to make it righton they're dime.

 

I agree with you OP. They should have put your parts on the new frame. I can see if there was a problem with them, to rusted.. not safe. But they also could have given you the heads up early on. Not wait until its ready to be picked up. If I had to pay the 180 I would go some where else.

 

Ok so I got the truck back tonight and asked to speak to the manager. I told the guy that in the future when someon brings thier truck in with an AAL they should explain everything to the customer upfront and give them the option to keep the old leaf springs before hand. This would avoid any problems. The guy told me that he would have still charged me for keeping th old leafs. He said they are not paid to take off the old leafs so he would have charged me for two hours of labor. Wtf!! I told him there are only 4 bolts holding the leafs to the old frame, two hours for that? The guy then told me that is what he would charge and that he was doing me a favor only charging me 180 to put the old leafs back on. That's when I flipped my lid. Toyota should thank tacomaworld for all the good info on how to do your own repairs so that you don't have to deal with these damn dealers. If it wasn't for tacomaworld I don't know if I would own a Tacoma. Who am I kidding of course I would lol.

 

HAHAHA are you kidding me right now. They have to remove the leafs from the axle and from the old frame, is that not removing them? He doesn't know wtf hes talking about because they 100% are supposed to remove the leafs from the axle and the old frame before scrapping them

 

The new frames come with the new leafs on them, when they swap they just drop the axle and leave the old leafs on the old frame(at least that's how my dealer did it). That being said if you spend any time in the frame rust recall thread you will see a huge difference in people's experiences with their dealers.my dealer was really cool, others are trying to rip poeple off. IMHO the dealer should have been more up front with the op about exactly what they were or were not going to put back on.

 

Oh maybe some operate different. The dealer i went to said they had to separate all the parts.

 

I definitely think they all operate differently, which is one of the most frustrating things about this frame rust deal. I was fortunate because the first dealer I took it to was on the level and very cool, and I didn't have to go to another one. In fact they had agreed to install 5100's on mine, no labor, if I supplied them. Ended up not happening because my frame came in a month early(right at Christmas) and my funds were tied up on Christmas gifts.

 

Same with mine, very understanding..they at first thought I was just some dumb kid, but after they heard I knew what I was talking about they were better. That sucks you couldn't get the 5100s in time, but driveway install isnt too bad. The rear is easier than the front i think.

 

My dealer swapped my existing OME rear suspension with extra leaf over to my new frame. They did not charge me a dime to do this.