My customer EXPERIENCE with Driverz Inc.

[jocko124]

I have been talking/PMing with Jon at Driverz Inc. for the last two weeks trying to give him every opportunity to fix what I believe to be an error on his part in recommending wheels and tires for my 1966 Cutlass. Unfortunately, this boils down to just money for Jon and he is absolutely not open to owning up to his mistake and fixing the problem. To Jon, it's all about the next sale and customer service is nothing more than a slogan. Bottom line, if you decide to make a purchase from Driverz Inc., and I’m not recommending that you do, at least you’ll be making an informed decision.

Let’s start at the beginning. I participated in a group buy that Driverz Inc. had on 8/21/2009. I paid 50% down for a set of Rushforths. He recommended a set of 18x8’s for the front and 19x10 for the rears. The backspace on the rears was 6”, but I wanted to maximize the wheel lip and Jon recommended a 5” backspace, but warned I could not drop the rear of the car lower until I narrowed my rear end. This was based on his vast experience with A Bodies—or at least that’s what he told me. I ended up not pulling the trigger until 8/11/2010. I had my front end torn apart and did not need the wheels; Jon was fully aware of this. He charged me for the price increase in the wheels for 2010 and I was promised wheels 6 weeks later. As the weeks went on 6, 8, 10, 12…more excuses were made: 1) Rushforth is out of 18” hoops; 2) there’s been a delay with the manufacturer and they’re 2 weeks out; 3) the 19” wheels were stolen and have to be remade. At week 11 Jon and I agreed that if the wheels were not at least at his shop by week 12 I would drop the order and buy something else. Some of the excuses were more believable than others and to be fair I have no idea whether these were Jon’s issues or Rushforth’s—and frankly I don’t care! We moved on, I ordered a set of Forgelines for $1000 more. They were promised in 5 weeks and God bless Forgeline, they were ready at 5 weeks to the day. I remember because it was early Thanksgiving week and when I called Forgeline to check up on the wheels (read: check up on Jon) they told me the wheels were ready to go and they were waiting to get paid by Jon. I called Jon to ask about the wheels and he had no idea and said he would call. Long story short I finally received the wheels and tires a couple of weeks later (4 months after I originally made full payment) and slapped them on the car which was up on stands because I was redoing the front end and forgot about them until a month ago.

About a month ago I took the car to Tim Bruning to do a T-56 Magnum swap for me. There were some complications (due to my crank not having a pilot bearing hole machined in it) and therefore I asked Tim to drop my rear end in the meanwhile. Tim obviously has done this a time or two before and even when he picked the car up originally said the rear end did not need to be narrowed. He took the springs out and ended up dropping the rear all the way down. There is approximately 3/8”-1/2” clearance to the fender and about 2” of clearance to the frame and inner fender well. I felt the fitment was incorrect and needed to be fixed. I spoke to Tim and few other members of lateral-g and even another supporting wheel vendor of Lateral-G over the next week to make sure that my expectations were not unreasonable before approaching Jon. Then & only then did I approach Jon. Now based on the rave reviews I’ve seen for Driverz Inc on Lateral-G.net and Pro-touring.com and Jon’s own advertising on these websites and the Driverz Inc website I figured this would literally be a walk in the park. Let me give you some examples:

1) An excerpt from the Driverz Inc. website tech section regarding recommended fitments:

Q: Do you have recommended fitments?
A: Yes! From years of measuring and recording basic measurements on muscle cars, hot rods, classic cars and production cars, we have complied recommended fitments that we can suggest with 100% confidence. We also have installed, built, worked on, and are familiar with the majority of the most popular aftermarket upgrades, and understand how these modifications relate to wheel and tire fitment. So whether it’s a full restoration, or a fully built custom, we have the knowledge to fit you with the perfect set of wheels.

2) An excerpt from the Driverz Inc. website tech section regarding tire/wheel and fender spacing:

Q: How much room should I leave between my outer fender, my inner fender, and my tire?
A: This question is relative to the size of the tire, and the sidewall height. Tires that are 65 series or higher will experience sidewall flex more so than a lower pro-file tire. For tires that are 65 series or higher, and street driven, the accepted clearance is .75" to the outer fender, and 1" to the inner fender. For tires lower in profile, in most cases, a .5" outer fender and .75" inner fender clearance is acceptable. Ride height and suspension modifications all play a vital role in wheel and tire fitment. For the widest wheel and tire option, please download our custom fitment form, and/or give us a call for technical assistance.

3) An excerpt from his introduction of Driverz Inc. on Chevelles.com:

For those of you who don't know me, and DriverzInc.com, here's the Reader's Digest version. I started Driverz 4 years ago after leaving another major custom wheel manufacturer with one goal in mind: Help customers with their custom wheel fitment by taking out all the guess work and the mystery of custom wheel applications, and to provide an honest, and over the top approach to customer service.

We pride ourselves on our product knowledge, especially when it comes to how these parts work together. We try and make your car building/modifying experience as easy and as fun as possible, making sure your brakes, work with your suspension, which will work with your wheels, and tires, and so on.

Well, after reading all that wonderful marketing material I feel like ordering another set of wheels from Driverz Inc. ...Almost!

[jocko124]

I first contacted Jon via PM on Lateral-G. Here are the PM's: (6/10/2011-6/11/2011)


Hey Jon,
This is Lee--I have the 66 Cutlass. Quick question on my rear wheels. By giving me the max width wheel that would fit in my rear wheel well you went from a 6" backspace to a 5" backspace and therefore in order for me to be able to lower the rear end of the car I need to shorten the rear end by 1" on each side? I'm asking because I'm going to shorten the rear end and wanted to make sure I remembered your recommendation correctly.
Lee


Lee,
Yes, normally, we would build a 10" wheel with a 6" backspace for a stock length rear end. To make a 5" work, the rear end then would have to be narrowed by 1" on each side.
Does that help?
Jon


Jon,
we've got major problems! I went out to Tim Bruning's shop today and he lowered the rear end all the way with the springs removed and there is approximately 2" of space to the frame from the back side of the wheel and about 3/8" of an inch from the front face of the wheel to the car's fender. I'm not certain if the wheels backspacing was done incorrectly or your calculations were somehow off. I did measure the depth of the dish and it was only 3.75" which makes me think the backspace is 6" and not 5" as we discussed, because I remember you telling me you expected the dish to be about 5". Obviously this is an issue that needs to be corrected and I was wondering what your recommendation is for moving forward?
Lee


Lee,
3/8" is exactly what we want clearance wise to the outer fender. You want the wheel and tire pushed as far as possible out to the outer fender which is achieved by less backspace. If you increase backspace, we'll be essentially tucking the wheel further under the car, and you'll be losing more backspace. So what's the problem again?
Jon


Jon,
The backspace was supposed to be 5"--I believe it's 6". So the wheel fits without narrowing the rear end!
Lee


Lee,
The only way to varify that is to measure them. I'm sure he knows how to measure backspace, but it needs to be measured from the back edge of the rim, down to the mounting surface of the wheel.
Jon


Jon,
Tim measured one of the wheels and the backspace is approximately 5.25". My question to you is, taking into account the fact that there is about 2" of space between the rear of the wheel and the frame of the car, is there a technical reason why you did not build the wheels with a 4" backspace to maximize the depth of the lip as I had requested?
Lee


Lee,
Okay, so they are built right then, with the backspace we asked Forgeline to build them to.
So there are a couple of unanswered questions there then, and I'll lay them all out then for you.
First is there is no way that a 10" wheel would have that much "left over" space between the frame, and your tire. On any stock tub, 66-67 A-body, a 10" wheel with a 6" backspace, and a stock length rear end, would leave you 3/8" to the outer fender, and .75" to the inner fender.
Based on what you are telling me, you are saying you could fit a 11" wide wheel in the back of your car with a 315, and we know that isn't possible on a stock tub.
Also, the rear end under your car can not be a stock length rear end. If it were, your wheel would be sticking an inch outside the fender, and its not, so something may be goofy there. I think the next step would be to verify the length of your rear end.
All I know is these are the facts. A 66-67 A-body takes a 10" wide wheel with a 6" backspace, and at the widest a 285 wide tire. This offset leaves 3/8" to the other fender, and .5-.75" to the inner fender for clearance, which is the max possible. You asked us to narrow that by 1" on each side, and we did so by having the wheels built a 5" backspace, which is what you received. So something else is off here, and we need to figure out what it is... from what you are telling me your car is mini-tubbed with a narrowed rear end already, and unless somebody did some modifications to your car that you didn't know about, there are some missing pieces of information here.
Jon


Jon,
Just talked to Bruning and he does not feel the rear of the car has been mini-tubbed or modified in any way.
Lee


Lee
I'm confused Lee. What do you want me to do for you from here? 3/8" is perfect as far as room to the outer fender. Do you want to widen the wheels?
Jon


Jon,
Actually, I was hoping you would be able to recommend the next step. I relied on your expertise to size a set of wheels for this car. Unless there is some modification to the car (which I am willing to explore further) it appears that you missed the mark based on your assumption that all 66-67 A bodies are similar. The fact that you did not expect the car could be lowered without first narrowing the rear end clearly demonstrates that. I'm not worried about the 3/8" to the outer fender, it's the 2" to the frame that concerns me. So we're back to the initial question I asked you when I purchased the wheels for the car--what's the max width wheel I can fit under the car? If you would like some measurements Tim or I will gladly provide those.
Lee

[jocko124]

After these PM’s and after Tim Bruning had taken the measurements I decided to call Jon to speed up the process. When I called Jon and was literally called a liar and that my car was modified or somehow different I was flabbergasted. I told Jon that the rear end of my Cutlass, to my knowledge, was not modified in any way and told him he was welcome to talk to Tim Bruning or bring in a third party of his choosing to check the car out. Let me paraphrase a couple of things Jon said:

1) “I did not hold a gun to your head to go with the wheel sizes I recommended!” (Wow, what happened to “recommended fitments that we can suggest with 100% confidence”? and his goal to “Help customers with their custom wheel fitment by taking out all the guess work and the mystery of custom wheel applications, and to provide an honest, and over the top approach to customer service?”)

2) “It’s people like you that make me want to quit selling wheels.” (Wow, why am I being made out as the bad guy when it’s your wheel recommendation that’s in question?)

3) “The rear wheels fit. 3/8" is perfect as far as room to the outer fender.” (Really? What about the 2” of space between the wheel and inner wheel well? 2” wide wheels would “fit” but is that what a pro-touring wheel expert would recommend? If so what about the tech section on Driverz Inc?:
“For tires lower in profile, in most cases, a .5" outer fender and .75" inner fender clearance is acceptable. “ If that’s the case, why would Jon recommend a 2” clearance to the inner fender and expect that the rear of the car could not be lowered without narrowing the rear end unless his assumption that all A Bodies are the same was incorrect?)

I also checked with a few others on classicoldsmobile.com that have 1966 Cutlasses and they all have ample room in the rear wheel well. They all agreed that you could not compare a Chevelle to a Cutlass—they’re both A Bodies but they are very different when it comes to wheel fitment/sizing. Something that Jon should have known—or at least double-checked.

Not convinced? Heck we haven’t even touched on the fitment of the fronts yet—they’re swimming in the wheel wells as well! So much for “You want the wheel and tire pushed as far as possible out to the outer fender.” I will now attach a couple of pics that Tim Bruning took. For those of you that know Tim, you know he’s an honest guy that would never fabricate a story just to back me or anyone else up. I encourage you to contact him if you feel I have not provided a fair assessment of the situation, so you can hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.

Finally, I present you with a couple of Pics of what a professionally recommended pro-touring wheel fitment should look like according to Jon @ Driverz Inc:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/IMG_7271.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/IMG_7273.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/IMG_7275.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/IMG_7285.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/IMG_7288.jpg

[DriverzInc]

Wow, quite the dissertation.

I could compose a very long and drawn out response, but its 5:30 and I'm on my way out to spend time with my 10 week old daughter, and after the day I've had, shipping a pallet of wheels, and fixing everyone elses crap lately, I don't have the time to go through and read this whole post again.

As everyone can see, I have been responding to his PM's, so I'm not ignoring the guy, but he's using the forum to put pressure on me to eat widening his rear wheels for free saying its my fault his 10" wheels in the back and his 8" wheels in the front don't "fit", and I think they do. Sorry you could have gone wider, but they don't rub, and all of sudden I'm the BAD GUY.

But I do have my side of the story to tell.

Quite frankly, I'm very, very tired of guys like Lee, and I'm thinking its time to hang it up. After all we've done to help out as much as we can, sometimes you just can't win.

I guess I'll tell my side of the story tomorrow, for everyone to read....

Here's what this guys car looks like:

QUOTE=jocko124;348661]I got some black SPC UCA sleeves from Marcus and reassembled the UCAs. I think they turned out pretty good.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0001-3.jpg

and then attached my Upper & Lower Control Arms

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0007-2.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0001-4.jpg



Finally got the helical spacers in from SPC!

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0012-3.jpg

TADAAAAA: assembled the UCA, LCA, SPC springs, VariShock QS2 shocks, and ATS AFX Spindles.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0002-2.jpg

Couple of goodies from Lee Steering:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0002-4.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0001-6.jpg



Forgeline FS3P's:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0046.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0007-4.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/jocko124/DSC_0011-2.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Fluid Power]

So what is the beef? Jon made recommendations, you didn't double check the recommendations and the wheels fit, but not like you would like them too?

Is that about right?

Darren

[ZZ3ElCamino]

Not to poke at the hornets nest, but seems like you should have "measured twice cut once". You being the owner of the car.

Hang in there Jon, you can't please everyone

[jocko124]

When I ordered the wheels, I dropped in on Jon in Corona and asked him what measurements he required. He said(I'm paraphrasing here): "None! We've done 100's of A-Bodies and know the required fitment."

[jocko124]

As everyone can see, I have been responding to his PM's, so I'm not ignoring the guy, but he's using the forum to put pressure on me to eat widening his rear wheels for free saying its my fault his 10" wheels in the back and his 8" wheels in the front don't "fit", and I think they do. Sorry you could have gone wider, but they don't rub, and all of sudden I'm the BAD GUY.

But I do have my side of the story to tell.

Quite frankly, I'm very, very tired of guys like Lee, and I'm thinking its time to hang it up. After all we've done to help out as much as we can, sometimes you just can't win.

[/QUOTE]

It's always amazing to me when people don't have time to call me (as we agreed you would today when I called you yesterday and you said "Lets talk some more tomorrow. I just don't have the energy for it right now) but have all the time to post on the internet. And it's understandable that customers that have paid you almost $5k can become very tiring. As long as people understand that you guarantee nothing on wheel fitment and if they run into an issues based on your recommendations they're SOL, I'm good. We can just rack this up to your "over the top approach to customer service."

[DriverzInc]

And now I'm at home and I can't think about anything else but this...

We asked Lee if the rear end was stock, and if the wheel wells were stock, and he did say, to his knowledge that they were. That's when we responded and said, then we have a recommended fit that we know "fits".

I'm still not convinced his rear end is stock for his car at 61" from drum to drum.

Also, we take into account a disc brake upgrade, which Lee wants to do, which will push out his wheels another .200" on each side.

Now, Lee is arguing that my definition of "fit" is different. Do they rub? No. But because he has 1.75" of room to go inboard, or wider, he is saying they don't "fit". :willy:

From the photos, and from the conversation I've had with Tim Bruning, I think Lee should narrow the rear end by an 1" (like he intended too) and run a 305 wide tire if he wants to go wider, and fill up his gap more.

Another contributing factor, the photos don't show the upper hump (or wheel well hump) that resides above his rear fender trim by about 2" that if he doesn't narrow his rear end like he said he was going to, is going to be a problem. They should not be 3/8" from the lower fender lip, but from that upper hump.

Like I said above, I'm sick of this bull ****. Seems like now when a customer has an issue, they threaten to come on here and blast vendors and put good vendors like us, who work our asses off to help, out of business, regardless if we're to blame, or if we tried to take care of it.

"So I'm going to go on to Lateral-G and Pro-touring and tell everyone your not going to help me Jon" -Lee Samaie.

So what, in order to prevent that, I have to pay the 700 bucks its gong to take to widen your rear wheels for you because what we recommended, although doesn't rub, isn't the widest you could have gone, or your going to publicly slander me an my business all over the internet. **** it, go right ahead.

[DriverzInc]

It's always amazing to me when people don't have time to call me (as we agreed you would today when I called you yesterday and you said "Lets talk some more tomorrow. I just don't have the energy for it right now) but have all the time to post on the internet. And it's understandable that customers that have paid you almost $5k can become very tiring. As long as people understand that you guarantee nothing on wheel fitment and if they run into an issues based on your recommendations they're SOL, I'm good. We can just rack this up to your "over the top approach to customer service."[/QUOTE]

I said that when you called me at the end of the day yesterday, right before 5, when I was trying to head out to pick up my daughter from day care.

And,
I haven't posted anything on the internet today until 5:30 PM when Justin called to tell me hey, you better go on the forums and do some reading. Otherwise, I was in the back working my ass off to ship as many wheels as I could today, finishing the re-wire on a customers mustang, and figuring out why another car wouldn't shift into 3rd gear.

And what I did recommend to you does "fit". You're just pissed you can go wider, which I'm still not certain about even after the photos. I think if that rear wheel compresses, and goes up into the wheel well, its going to rub that upper hump that A-bodies have.

[jocko124]

"So I'm going to go on to Lateral-G and Pro-touring and tell everyone your not going to help me Jon" -Lee Samaie.

.

where did you get this quote Jon? I never wrote or said that!

[Vegas69]

So, do the wheels rub or not? You do want your wheels closer to the fender lip than the inner fender. How does your suspension articulate?

[DriverzInc]

So what is the beef? Jon made recommendations, you didn't double check the recommendations and the wheels fit, but not like you would like them too?

Is that about right?

Darren

That's EXACTLY RIGHT.

[DriverzInc]

So, do the wheels rub or not? You do want your wheels closer to the fender lip than the inner fender. How does your suspension articulate?

That's what I've been asking too Todd, and he says they don't....

[jocko124]

because what we recommended, although doesn't rub, isn't the widest you could have gone.

As long as your customers understand that your objective is NOT to maximize the rear wheel width but to make sure it "doesn't rub" I think they are making an informed decision on purchasing wheels from you.

[DriverzInc]

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/Hensons/Rearfenderhump.jpg
I want to know what the clearance is to this part of the upper fender (or the upper hump) as I referred to it... Your car has those crazy weird stock fender flares, but I doubt that at that part of the fender, you have any more clearance for that rear tire to travel up and not hit. And if so, then if you narrowed the rear end an 1" like you said you wanted to, how much room does that leave you to that point.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/Hensons/frontfender.jpg
And I want to know how "swimming" is your wheel and tire to this part of your front fender at this ride height, at lock to lock.

[elitecustombody]

I won't side with anyone here,because I don't know what's been done to that car, and frankly ,there is always 3 sides to every story,but I will say that usually if a company is in business to make parts that fit and have some sort of database for fitment within 1/16 of an inch tolerances,those parts should fit,period. The reason I say this, I'm dealing with CCW LM5 18X13 wheels & 345/35 combo I bought from CCW, I wasn't planning to cut and widen the $10k widebody kit 2 more inches to fit these under the rear of a car,I can handle the extra work,but honestly I did not sign up to do the extra $2k worth of work when I ordered custom wheels, they even sent me the center of the wheel to get clearance for the brake calipers and best offset/backspacing.

I also wouldn't want a mild cam,just because it fits,when I want the nastiest cam. That's my .02c

[jocko124]

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/Hensons/Rearfenderhump.jpg
I want to know what the clearance is to this part of the upper fender (or the upper hump) as I referred to it... Your car has those crazy weird stock fender flares, but I doubt that at that part of the fender, you have any more clearance for that rear tire to travel up and not hit. And if so, then if you narrowed the rear end an 1" like you said you wanted to, how much room does that leave you to that point.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/Hensons/frontfender.jpg
And I want to know how "swimming" is your wheel and tire to this part of your front fender at this ride height, at lock to lock.

You've got Bruning's phone number. Ask him. I'm a disgruntled customer & a liar so you shouldn't trust anything I say. Come to think of it, it's not that your recommendation was off, it's this crazy one off custom vehicle of mine.

[skatinjay27]

in the pics with the front suspension loaded the fronts don't seem to be sunk in like that (granted its not a down the side profile). then in the pics show how you dont like the fitment they seem to have no load on them is that correct?

[jocko124]

in the pics with the front suspension loaded the fronts don't seem to be sunk in like that (granted its not a down the side profile). then in the pics show how you dont like the fitment they seem to have no load on them is that correct?

I believe that's an optical illusion. I'll try to get Bruning to post on this thread---he took the pics.

[Blake Foster]

Not to stir the pot.
i read 80% of the posts, and i am a little lost as to what the fitment problem is, sorry les. can you please clarify in a couple sentances where the fitment problem is?
when i look at the rears they look like they are perfect. unless you wanted a larger wheel/tire in there, and if that was the case you should have measured and provided the backspacing that would fit.... OR what is do is draw a simple picture with all the measurements and send it to the wheel guy to double check.
actually i just installed a set of Forgelines on a 70 mustang 18 x 8 4.5bs which is "supposed" to be the right fitment, maybe Jon can confirm that.
guess what......... it's not. they need 5 to 5.25 to get the ride height correct. even Forgeline says 4.5-4.75 is correct and a 235 tire. so now what do I DO
shoud Forgeline send me new wheels?

[elitecustombody]

Blake, I beleive he wanted the widest wheel properly fitted, from pics he posted,it looks like he could have 1.5 inch wider wheels ,that's what I gathered.

[z4me69]

No offense to anybody here but if I'm spending 5 grand on wheels i'm the one measuring for the fit not someone else

[jocko124]

Blake, I beleive he wanted the widest wheel properly fitted, from pics he posted,it looks like he could have 1.5 inch wider wheels ,that's what I gathered.

That's exactly correct. I asked for the widest wheel that would fit in the rear without having to modify the frame. I offered to measure (with help from Jon of course) but he said it was not necessary. Based on the fact that he's a pro-touring wheel expert and has "complied recommended fitments that we can suggest with 100% confidence" I took his word as gospel. If we all did not need a wheel expert to help us with this, Jon really would not have a viable business model would he?

Here's the issue: If my rear end has been modified in any fashion, I'm wrong and Jon is correct and could not possibly recommend a correct fitment for it when he thought it was stock. If it is stock, Jon is wrong in his assumption that all 66-67 A Bodies are the same with regards to wheel fitment and should stand behind his recommendation.
The second point is that I think his "it fits" comment is taking liberty with the word "fit". I asked him for the same thing every pro-touring customer wants: the widest wheel you can stuff in the rear. If you're telling me that all the Chevelles and Camaros he's building wheels for have 2" of room to the frame/rear wheel well then I stand corrected. If they are all much closer to his recommended .75" then he's wrong---simple as that.

[214Chevy]

No offense to anybody here but if I'm spending 5 grand on wheels i'm the one measuring for the fit not someone else

Agreed! When I ordered my HRE's, I did all the footwork. I called Baer myself for a template, took my car to a wheel shop and watched a guy measure my bs. Then after he measured it, I did it again myself to make sure it was correct. I then emailed the brake template to HRE and had a Baer representative on a 3-way call with HRE so we would all be on the same page. All this to say, I handled my own business. I didn't just let someone tell me some numbers. Not at the expense of what I was going to be spending on wheels.

[jocko124]

No offense to anybody here but if I'm spending 5 grand on wheels i'm the one measuring for the fit not someone else

I on the other hand expect competent fitment advice for my 5 Grand--otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time talking to Jon and would have gone directly to Forgeline.

[jocko124]

Agreed! When I ordered my HRE's, I did all the footwork. I called Baer myself for a template, took my car to a wheel shop and watched a guy measure my bs. Then after he measured it, I did it again myself to make sure it was correct. I then emailed the brake template to HRE and had a Baer representative on a 3-way call with HRE so we would all be on the same page. All this to say, I handled my own business. I didn't just let someone tell me some numbers. Not at the expense of what I was going to be spending on wheels.

It's an expensive lesson--but I can guarantee you I've learned it!:lol:

[coolwelder62]

If I were in the wheel business I might give somebody a starting point on wheel size.But after that it would be up to the customer for final fitment. A framing square and tape measure are cheap compared to 5K wheel mistake.:_paranoid

[69 muscle]

narrow the rear 1" per side, put disc brakes on, use a 305 width tire and it will look bitchen.

[Steve1968LS2]

So, do the wheels rub or not? You do want your wheels closer to the fender lip than the inner fender. How does your suspension articulate?

People tend to think that if a tire has room sitting static that it won't rub when pushed..

Well, let me tell you that tires, even the rear need some room to articulate, especially when driven hard and the harder you drive the more room you need.

Personally I would rather have a touch more room than cut it too close and have rubbing. Plus, even if the wheel was 1" bigger what difference would that make with anything? Not much from a performance perspective.

To me wheel companies give "guidance" it's up to the customer to choose the right offset and size.

[realcoray]

That's exactly correct. I asked for the widest wheel that would fit in the rear without having to modify the frame. I offered to measure (with help from Jon of course) but he said it was not necessary. Based on the fact that he's a pro-touring wheel expert and has "complied recommended fitments that we can suggest with 100% confidence" I took his word as gospel. If we all did not need a wheel expert to help us with this, Jon really would not have a viable business model would he?

Here's the issue: If my rear end has been modified in any fashion, I'm wrong and Jon is correct and could not possibly recommend a correct fitment for it when he thought it was stock. If it is stock, Jon is wrong in his assumption that all 66-67 A Bodies are the same with regards to wheel fitment and should stand behind his recommendation.
The second point is that I think his "it fits" comment is taking liberty with the word "fit". I asked him for the same thing every pro-touring customer wants: the widest wheel you can stuff in the rear. If you're telling me that all the Chevelles and Camaros he's building wheels for have 2" of room to the frame/rear wheel well then I stand corrected. If they are all much closer to his recommended .75" then he's wrong---simple as that.

It seems really weird you have so much space on the backside. I had a 68 chevelle which is admittedly a completely different fitment and I had a 17x11 on the back with less room than that and I always thought that the 66-67 A bodies were not able to take that much wheel/tire stock.

And I would hesitate to use space between the wheel and the frame or fender as a guideline of what is possible because the wheel moves. In particular the finger in the lip picture seems fine to me because of that curve. If the wheel was out more it would probably rub pretty hardcore if the car was actually driven.

[Steve1968LS2]

I on the other hand expect competent fitment advice for my 5 Grand--otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time talking to Jon and would have gone directly to Forgeline.

They don't rub.. they look nice and the clearance doesn't seem out of line.. I would call that competent.

But, all these things are subjective of course.. except rubbing.. that's not subjective at all. :)

[jocko124]

They don't rub.. they look nice and the clearance doesn't seem out of line.. I would call that competent.

But, all these things are subjective of course.. except rubbing.. that's not subjective at all. :)

Hey Steve,

About how much articulation should I expect? i.e. What range would you guess? I need to take that into account before deciding which way to go.

[jocko124]

It seems really weird you have so much space on the backside. I had a 68 chevelle which is admittedly a completely different fitment and I had a 17x11 on the back with less room than that and I always thought that the 66-67 A bodies were not able to take that much wheel/tire stock.

And I would hesitate to use space between the wheel and the frame or fender as a guideline of what is possible because the wheel moves. In particular the finger in the lip picture seems fine to me because of that curve. If the wheel was out more it would probably rub pretty hardcore if the car was actually driven.

Point well taken. I think we're going back to the drawing board, actually measuring and going with the best option at that point.

[DRJDVM's '69]

From Driverz Inc stuff you posted..

For the widest wheel and tire option, please download our custom fitment form, and/or give us a call for technical assistance.


So basically you want a much bigger and wider rim and tire combo than what you ordered?

The placement and clearence for that size tire and wheel combo looks perfect to me..... only way to take up that "extra" space on the inside is to have a wider rim and tire combo.... the backspacing wont change that....narrowing the rear will, and give you a bit more clearence to the outer fender lip....

I did ALL the measuring on my wheels AFTER I bought the tires I wanted....

[rwhite692]

From Driverz Inc stuff you posted..

For the widest wheel and tire option, please download our custom fitment form, and/or give us a call for technical assistance.


So basically you want a much bigger and wider rim and tire combo than what you ordered?

The placement and clearence for that size tire and wheel combo looks perfect to me..... only way to take up that "extra" space on the inside is to have a wider rim and tire combo.... the backspacing wont change that....narrowing the rear will, and give you a bit more clearence to the outer fender lip....

I did ALL the measuring on my wheels AFTER I bought the tires I wanted....


^^^^Exactly.

I have never bought any wheels through Jon, however have been here long enough to know that Jon provides excellent service and bends over backwards and ties his spine in knots, in order to service his customers. He has demonstrated this over and over and over again, and even supports his customers by taking care of their needs at the various driving events, etc.

You simply have unreasonable expectations. Your vehicle is not stock, so you should have not had any illusions that you could get away without actually taking any definitive measurements. And, in spite of this, Jon managed to give you a safe fitment that does not rub.

Anyone who has built a custom car with a modified suspension, and is trying to fill out their wheelwells to the max, knows damn well that measuring is absolutely necessary. I believe you know this, but you have decided to play "the poor uneducated customer", and float your case out to the community, in the hopes that folks will side with you, and somehow Jon will cave in, and widen your wheels so that you can get what you want, for free.

Well, I think I can speak for the majority of the community, when I say, that ain't gonna happen.

[Matt@BOS]

^^^^Exactly.

I have never bought any wheels through Jon, however have been here long enough to know that Jon provides excellent service and bends over backwards and ties his spine in knots, in order to service his customers. He has demonstrated this over and over and over again, and even supports his customers by taking care of their needs at the various driving events, etc.

Your vehicle is not stock, so you should have not had any illusions that you could get away without actually taking any definitive measurements. And, in spite of this, Jon managed to give you a safe fitment that does not rub.



I pretty much agree with everything you've said there.

Lee, all factors considered, I think Jon did a good job. Your wheels don't rub. Could they be a bit closer to the frame rail? yes, in your case, they could - but don't go too much wider or you will start to rub when moving over angled drive ways, or under hard cornering. Who knows how these exact wheels would fit on an "identical" car to yours though.I learned, as I think most of us have, (and rather quickly I might add), that no two old cars are exactly alike. Cars in the 1960s weren't built with the same precision as today. After factoring in 40ish years, of use, abuse, and replacement of parts, all before we come to own our cars, it is amazing that bolt on parts today bolt on with only minor issues.

Funny story: I ordered a set of 18x9 wheels from Jon about three years ago for the front of my '69 Camaro with a DSE frame. Jon ordered the wheels according to DSE's specs. Turns out the wheel hit the control arms at full lock. Part of this might have been because my car sat really low. In any case, what had worked for everyone else with the same exact list of parts, didn't work for me. There are so many factors, that differentiate each car, ever so slightly, that we can only estimate so closely as to what will fit on all of them. Maybe it is just different perspectives, but I never once even thought of picking up the phone and asking Jon to re-hoop the wheels on his dime. In my opinion (and I'm not going to tell you that your opinion is invalid) issues like these are just one of the many costs of hot rodding.

Matt

[jocko124]

^^^^Exactly.

You simply have unreasonable expectations. Your vehicle is not stock, so you should have not had any illusions that you could get away without actually taking any definitive measurements. And, in spite of this, Jon managed to give you a safe fitment that does not rub.

Anyone who has built a custom car with a modified suspension, and is trying to fill out their wheelwells to the max, knows damn well that measuring is absolutely necessary. I believe you know this, but you have decided to play "the poor uneducated customer", and float your case out to the community, in the hopes that folks will side with you, and somehow Jon will cave in, and widen your wheels so that you can get what you want, for free.


You have made two assumptions which are incorrect. 1) the car is not custom with a modified suspension---IT IS STOCK. 2) I really don't care if "folks side with me." I knew full well that once this went public any chance of Jon cooperating in any way with me would be zero--and obviously I'm really not too worried about losing out on his expertise. This post was made due to my frustration from receiving poor customer service from Jon from the word go and his negative attitude towards my concerns. As far as playing the "poor uneducated customer" that is exactly how this went down. I was relatively new to pro-touring when this all began and relied heavily on Jon. I will not be doing that again, and I hope after reading this post others new to the hobby, if they choose to order from Jon do so being fully informed.

[jocko124]

I pretty much agree with everything you've said there.

Lee, all factors considered, I think Jon did a good job. Your wheels don't rub. Could they be a bit closer to the frame rail? yes, in your case, they could - but don't go too much wider or you will start to rub when moving over angled drive ways, or under hard cornering. Who knows how these exact wheels would fit on an "identical" car to yours though.I learned, as I think most of us have, (and rather quickly I might add), that no two old cars are exactly alike. Cars in the 1960s weren't built with the same precision as today. After factoring in 40ish years, of use, abuse, and replacement of parts, all before we come to own our cars, it is amazing that bolt on parts today bolt on with only minor issues.

Funny story: I ordered a set of 18x9 wheels from Jon about three years ago for the front of my '69 Camaro with a DSE frame. Jon ordered the wheels according to DSE's specs. Turns out the wheel hit the control arms at full lock. Part of this might have been because my car sat really low. In any case, what had worked for everyone else with the same exact list of parts, didn't work for me. There are so many factors, that differentiate each car, ever so slightly, that we can only estimate so closely as to what will fit on all of them. Maybe it is just different perspectives, but I never once even thought of picking up the phone and asking Jon to re-hoop the wheels on his dime. In my opinion (and I'm not going to tell you that your opinion is invalid) issues like these are just one of the many costs of hot rodding.

Matt

Thank you for the different perspective Matt.

[Fluid Power]

No offense to anybody here but if I'm spending 5 grand on wheels i'm the one measuring for the fit not someone else



DING DING WINNER!

MEASURE YOURSELF. Plain and simple. Recommendations are just that. Your Mileage May Vary.

FWIW, I do not know Jon, I have never ordered from his company. I just think your argument is invalid since you did not do any measuring at all. Really? Wow

[rwhite692]

You have made two assumptions which are incorrect. 1) the car is not custom with a modified suspension---IT IS STOCK.


I don't think your front suspension is stock? (You indicated that you are also in disagreement with Jon over fitment for the fronts)

I don't think your car's ride height is stock?

[Steve1968LS2]

Hey Steve,

About how much articulation should I expect? i.e. What range would you guess? I need to take that into account before deciding which way to go.

Sorta depends on your suspension and how much roll (how compliant) your car is.

If you look at my front tires you think "gee, there's plenty of room" and then I let a pro push my car and my front tires melted to the inner fenders. lol.. The back has less movement, but (again, depending on suspension) moves more in turns than you think.

Rubbing sucks, and is expensive since it ruins tires.. I can see where a wheel company would err on the side of clearance than "pushing the edge" since if a tire was ruined by rubbing they would most likely be presented with a bill.

[Matt@BOS]

You have made two assumptions which are incorrect. 1) the car is not custom with a modified suspension---IT IS STOCK. 2) I really don't care if "folks side with me." I knew full well that once this went public any chance of Jon cooperating in any way with me would be zero--and obviously I'm really not too worried about losing out on his expertise. This post was made due to my frustration from receiving poor customer service from Jon from the word go and his negative attitude towards my concerns. As far as playing the "poor uneducated customer" that is exactly how this went down. I was relatively new to pro-touring when this all began and relied heavily on Jon. I will not be doing that again, and I hope after reading this post others new to the hobby, if they choose to order from Jon do so being fully informed.

For the record, in my other post, I was was pretty much siding with the Driverzinc guys. I think you might have had a bit of a rude awakening to the world of hot rodding, so I feel kind of bad for your. However, the truth is, generally, nothing ever fits perfectly. We all reach this realization at some point, and it sucks. You can only expect Jon to get so close, and he did. He sent you and order of wheels that fit. Even though I paid to have my front wheels re-hooped, I still rely on Jon's expertise. Every time I have called over there, they have picked up the phone, and taken the time to help sort out my issues. I think you might be surprised at how willing the crew at Driverz would to work with you, provided you weren't trying to get them to re-hoop your wheels for free. I think I can understand why you might have thought it reasonable to ask for Driverz to re-hoop the wheels, being unfamiliar with these types of cars and all, but as others have said, it is an unreasonable request, all things considered.

This is a good lesson for all of the "new" folks on Lat-G though. What happened here could have happened with any vendor on this site. Prodigy sells a ton of Forgelines as well, and I guarantee their customer service wouldn't be any better than Driverz, or have handled the issue differently. Bottom line is, we all need to double check everything ourselves because no two cars are alike.

Matt

[buickfunnycar.com]

Don't let this stuff get you down Jon...can't please everyone...although Lord knows you try!:yes:

[DriverzInc]

Has this car even been on the road yet? :rolleyes:

No matter what you do Lee, here's some advice, at this point you can do what you want with it, take it or choose to ignore it, but don't do a thing, until you test drive that car, regardless if you plan on narrowing the rear end, or trying to run a wider tire, until you get that thing on the road, turn the front wheels lock to lock while driving, and start taking corners in it. I gurantee a test drive will reveal some truths about what you have there and what "fits".

[jocko124]

I don't think your front suspension is stock? (You indicated that you are also in disagreement with Jon over fitment for the fronts)

I don't think your car's ride height is stock?

My bad....I thought you were talking about the rears.

[jocko124]

Sorta depends on your suspension and how much roll (how compliant) your car is.

If you look at my front tires you think "gee, there's plenty of room" and then I let a pro push my car and my front tires melted to the inner fenders. lol.. The back has less movement, but (again, depending on suspension) moves more in turns than you think.

Rubbing sucks, and is expensive since it ruins tires.. I can see where a wheel company would err on the side of clearance than "pushing the edge" since if a tire was ruined by rubbing they would most likely be presented with a bill.

Thanks Steve, I will definitely take that into account.

[DRJDVM's '69]

You're suspension and ride height are stock ????

So the SPC upper and lower arms and coilovers are stock pieces? Those spindles and brakes are stock?...........ok.....

Jon's advice about not changing ANYTHING about the wheels etc until the car is done and on the road is very sound advice. Having the car fully loaded and ALL the weight on the suspension at ride height and then driving on the road is gonna tell you a TON of info about whether the fitment is right or wrong...

I've seen tons of guys have a bare shell and suspension done and then start cutting springs and adding blocks etc to get it to sit right.... then they add all the other stuff and low and behold it now sits too low or stuff rubs.

I'd finnish the rest of the car....get it driving and then revisit you opinions and plans to change the wheels

Never bought anything form Jon but I've talked to him a few times and seen his involvement with ALOT of the guys on this board and othesr.....and this is the first negative thing I've heard......as far as I'm concerned, that speaks volumes ot me.

[jocko124]

Has this car even been on the road yet? :rolleyes:

No matter what you do Lee, here's some advice, at this point you can do what you want with it, take it or choose to ignore it, but don't do a thing, until you test drive that car, regardless if you plan on narrowing the rear end, or trying to run a wider tire, until you get that thing on the road, turn the front wheels lock to lock while driving, and start taking corners in it. I gurantee a test drive will reveal some truths about what you have there and what "fits".

I guess a little late advice is better than nothing. I think the first step is to actually measure this time (like I originally had suggested to you) and see what that reveals as far as fitment. I think two of my choices are going with an 11" wheel or possibly a 4" backspace among others---but that remains to be seen. I just got my T-56 Magnum in today and as soon as that's in, I'll be putting some miles on her and we'll go from there. The purpose of this thread was never to coerce you to pay for my wheels (heck I knew that wasn't gonna happen when I saw Justin on Chevelles.com asking for info on rear ends). The purpose was to show other folks (especially those new to the hobby) that not all is as advertised and to be aware of these issues with you AND other vendors on this site. I knew it would not be popular, but felt if someone had brought up these issues, I would have made better decisions. I'm sure this will save everyone a lot of frustration (and money) in the long run.:cheers:

[70rs]

Narrow the rear. (like you told Jon you were going to do in the first place)
Add the rear disc conversion. (again, like you said you were going to do)
Install the wider tire that was suggested in the first place.
Set the ride ht and drive it.
Then look up inside your rear wheel wells ABOVE the factory "flare".
I am willing to bet that the wheels provided, based on Jons experience with these cars, is going to fit just the way it should.

You have not "finished" building your car to the specs you gave Jon that he based his SUGGESTION on.
As far as I can see, Jon did his job. And did it well (as usual).
Now it's your turn. Finish the car and drive it. I think in the end you will be more than happy with the results.
I have dealt with Jon & Justin MANY MANY times. The help they have provided in planning my car, wheel, tire, rear end, suspension and brakes.....that help is priceless to me.
The efforts put forth by Driverzinc and the outstanding level of customer service is second to none in my book.

I do wish you the best in your build. I think that you are overlooking several factors. The wheel well flares and the lack of room above them. The rear not being narrowed yet. The disc brake conversion. And the wider tire suggested.
Once those are dealt with everything you are pointing out will be resolved.

For what it's worth I think your car looks great the way it is.

[XcYZ]

There's a lot of dynamics going on, clearance is your friend. Not only is rubbing a concern when the wheels are straight and at full lock, but also when you have a little wheel in and a have lot of travel - like when entering a driveway. Things can get very tight.

If anyone wants to push the ragged edge of tire/wheel fitment, they better be fully prepared to have a rubs.

[jocko124]

Narrow the rear. (like you told Jon you were going to do in the first place)
Add the rear disc conversion. (again, like you said you were going to do)
Install the wider tire that was suggested in the first place.
Set the ride ht and drive it.
Then look up inside your rear wheel wells ABOVE the factory "flare".
I am willing to bet that the wheels provided, based on Jons experience with these cars, is going to fit just the way it should.

You have not "finished" building your car to the specs you gave Jon that he based his SUGGESTION on.
As far as I can see, Jon did his job. And did it well (as usual).
Now it's your turn. Finish the car and drive it. I think in the end you will be more than happy with the results.
I have dealt with Jon & Justin MANY MANY times. The help they have provided in planning my car, wheel, tire, rear end, suspension and brakes.....that help is priceless to me.
The efforts put forth by Driverzinc and the outstanding level of customer service is second to none in my book.

I do wish you the best in your build. I think that you are overlooking several factors. The wheel well flares and the lack of room above them. The rear not being narrowed yet. The disc brake conversion. And the wider tire suggested.
Once those are dealt with everything you are pointing out will be resolved.

For what it's worth I think your car looks great the way it is.

We will have to agree to disagree on Driverz Inc's customer service, but thank you for the compliments on the car and your suggestions. Stay tuned for future updates!

[jocko124]

There's a lot of dynamics going on, clearance is your friend. Not only is rubbing a concern when the wheels are straight and at full lock, but also when you have a little wheel in and a have lot of travel - like when entering a driveway. Things can get very tight.

If anyone wants to push the ragged edge of tire/wheel fitment, they better be fully prepared to have a rubs.

Agreed. Scott, I actually wanted to thank you for giving me the opportunity to air my grievances. I think it shows that you care not only about site sponsors but also the members of this site. I really appreciate it.

[NOPANTS68]

I wonder if the diff in this thing is out of a '68 and later. They bolt right in and do have a wider track than earlier cars. It would explain a couple things. It looks like it all fits great IMO, but I would still narrow it that inch like you said you were when you ordered the wheels.

FWIW, I have a '67 A body with a '67 12 bolt under it. I have a pending wheel order with Jon and let him pick all of my backspacing. The guy spent a couple hours with me at a GG show asking all of the right questions, and really made me feel comfortable spending my 5K with him. He gave me the option to go to a 10 inch wheel and a larger tire, but explained it would be tight. After spending countless hours getting 325s barely under my Nova, knowing I'd be rolling around with 4 people in the car, and wanting to hammer on the car- I elected to go with the 9.5s and the 275 tire. This is hot rodding- nobody at GM in 1967 would have ever imagined what we would be doing with these things. Finish it, roll it, forget about it.

[jocko124]

I wonder if the diff in this thing is out of a '68 and later. They bolt right in and do have a wider track than earlier cars. It would explain a couple things. It looks like it all fits great IMO, but I would still narrow it that inch like you said you were when you ordered the wheels.

FWIW, I have a '67 A body with a '67 12 bolt under it. I have a pending wheel order with Jon and let him pick all of my backspacing. The guy spent a couple hours with me at a GG show asking all of the right questions, and really made me feel comfortable spending my 5K with him. He gave me the option to go to a 10 inch wheel and a larger tire, but explained it would be tight. After spending countless hours getting 325s barely under my Nova, knowing I'd be rolling around with 4 people in the car, and wanting to hammer on the car- I elected to go with the 9.5s and the 275 tire. This is hot rodding- nobody at GM in 1967 would have ever imagined what we would be doing with these things. Finish it, roll it, forget about it.

Thanks. Already forgotten!:cheers:

[70rs]

We will have to agree to disagree on Driverz Inc's customer service, but thank you for the compliments on the car and your suggestions. Stay tuned for future updates!

I would really like to see those updates. Be sure and get some pics after its on the road.

[Ummgawa]

Jocko, for what it's worth, you have a great looking car. I've always pulled for the bigger A-body Oldsmobiles from the era you have built, but yours sits and looks killer. Someone here told you to finish it and that is sound advice. Get all the weight on it, the six speed in it, narrow the rear, discs, then go sling it into some curves. Then you will see Jon's wisdom in the selection. If it's a cruiser car, go with the 315's or fatter. Shame to see all that kick butt suspension and slick brakes and not throw it around some cones.

A few years back Jon spend a few hours on the phone with me about wheels and backspacing, all the while calls were coming in and he didn't hurry or rush me in any way. Thousands of great and satisfied people can't be undone by one whom it seems is "seeing the light" as far as wheel fitment goes. Jon did right by you, trust me, scrubbing wheels and tires suck, and one inch is a gift the first time you really get your beast in a twist suspension wise.

Good luck on completing your build.

[jocko124]

I would really like to see those updates. Be sure and get some pics after its on the road.

Will do.

[jocko124]

Jocko, for what it's worth, you have a great looking car. I've always pulled for the bigger A-body Oldsmobiles from the era you have built, but yours sits and looks killer. Someone here told you to finish it and that is sound advice. Get all the weight on it, the six speed in it, narrow the rear, discs, then go sling it into some curves. Then you will see Jon's wisdom in the selection. If it's a cruiser car, go with the 315's or fatter. Shame to see all that kick butt suspension and slick brakes and not throw it around some cones.

A few years back Jon spend a few hours on the phone with me about wheels and backspacing, all the while calls were coming in and he didn't hurry or rush me in any way. Thousands of great and satisfied people can't be undone by one whom it seems is "seeing the light" as far as wheel fitment goes. Jon did right by you, trust me, scrubbing wheels and tires suck, and one inch is a gift the first time you really get your beast in a twist suspension wise.

Good luck on completing your build.

Thanks Jim.

[Stuart Adams]

This has been educational on many fronts.

I have two thoughts that come to mind.

Wheels and stance are very critical and expensive. Double/Triple checking measurements are needed. If the customer has no clue then talk to a professional about measuring your car. If its not a one owner, you really have no clue if stock measurements from the book will work on your car. Minor wrecks, frame repairs, etc are common on 40 yr old cars.

A business should not advertise 100% satisfaction guarantee. That's impossible to live up to, even on our best day.

Guys, thanks for being civil.

[Mkelcy]

After typing and deleting several rants, I'll just say this: Based on this thread, any orders I have for wheels will go to Driverz, Inc.

[The WidowMaker]

i agree with you that sucked in wheels suck. i tried my hardest and spent HOURS measuring my backs to put them as far out as possible and building new tubs to get rid of that hump jon talks about. at the end of the day they are still further in than i would like, but its a balancing act between wheel placement and the amount its lowered. the wheels can only go so far into the wheelwell before the quarter naturally starts to lean over towards the roof. a compromise is the key.

i think youll find a few things out when its finished; narrow the rear 1" per side and add disc brakes and you will probably clear the hump by 3/8-1/2" as planned. if you still have extra space run a 305 tire and youll add another 1/2" to each side. and lastly, the fronts need room to turn with a dropped height. you can modify the inner fenders, but unless you work the actual fender your left with either a rub or a sucked in look.

[BBC71Nova]

I think these threads can be beneficial. Would it be possible to create a "Vendor Feedback" topic where they can be housed?

[Flash68]

I've been having Jon as my wheel and tire guy for years and has always been great. Takes the time and knows his stuff.

I have only read and heard of everyone I know in the real world and the virtual world being happy customers of Driverz.

Fact: you just can't please everyone.... :thumbsup:

[RECOVERY ROOM]

There's a lot of dynamics going on, clearance is your friend. Not only is rubbing a concern when the wheels are straight and at full lock, but also when you have a little wheel in and a have lot of travel - like when entering a driveway. Things can get very tight.

If anyone wants to push the ragged edge of tire/wheel fitment, they better be fully prepared to have a rubs.

Is that like tight underwear on a hot day...rub,rub,rub

[DriverzInc]

I think these threads can be beneficial. Would it be possible to create a "Vendor Feedback" topic where they can be housed?

Only if we can start a "Customer Feedback" topic. I think it would be beneficial to other supporting vendors to share feed back on their experiences with customers as well. For example, to prevent fraud.

Back in 2008, I had a customer, Kevin Dinger, from Naples, FL. His Dad called and order a very custom set of Forgelines for his son's birthday to go on their Viper. He also ordered a killer set of PS2's to go with it. When the wheels were done he called and asked me to ship them directly to his son's address, just so they would make his birthday party in time.

2 weeks later, he called AMEX and claimed he never got the wheels.

I fought it and won, because they had actually emailed photos of the wheels on the car direct to Forgeline.

2 weeks after I won the first claim, they did it again. This time claiming I did not ship the wheels to the billing address on the AMEX...

AND THEY WON.

After 3 years, and winning a judgement in Riverside County court, I'm still out 7 grand.

I think it would be beneficial to have a customer feedback forum for guys like Kevin Dinger. Lets even the "complaint" playing field, so we can all limit the amount of douche bags out there that continue to screw over good people, and so that both vendors AND customers can be forewarned.

Hot Rodders are generally, cool and well tempered, tolerant people. Lets keep our hobby an enjoyable one, where we all try and help each other out, and keep the guys that are out to screw anybody out of it.

[ZZ3ElCamino]

No offense to anybody here but if I'm spending 5 grand on wheels i'm the one measuring for the fit not someone else

Exactly, I have a set of Forgelines and I sure as hell made sure they were tits on before ordering them. If you can't measure your own backspacing requirements, you shouldn't be messing with these old cars....

[travmon]

AHHHH ! The joy's of being self employed... I have been doing it for well over 20 years and it has it's days,Oh boy are there some days....I have seen every style of customer known to man...Thank god we have enough great loyal customers to offset the ones that make you wonder if it is all worth it..For all you buisness owners out there ( on this site ) I would place a large bet that we all wake up with the same goal in mind, WORK HARD, TRY TO DO OUR BEST and ALLWAYS know that word of mouth will feed you when the yellow pages did'nt...For those that have never done it or witnessed it .....It is brutal and it is on your mind 24 hours a day (even the vacation days )their is no 5:00 in our world.....At least in the old days if a customer was really pissed they would have to rent an add in the paper or carry a sign in front of your place ! Now ya just throw your rant out on the net and the chips fall where they fall......Well that's just GREAT.. So while jon should be shipping wheels and trying to do his very best at answering peoples questions he has to take productive time and turn it into non-productive time to defend his position,his passion and his livelhood to this stuff...I have a car we are building and darn near every part weve ordered will not work as delivered,The customer has seen this at all phases and he now realizes what a custom deal his car really is...IF IT WAS EASY, WOULD'NT EVERYONE BE DOING IT ?? Trav

[JustinB]

After typing and deleting several rants, I'll just say this: Based on this thread, any orders I have for wheels will go to Driverz, Inc.

Mike, I have to tell you, this absolutely made our day. :cheers:

[mexMan]

For what you've said in here, I just made a thread called Costumer experience, go check it out.

[buickfunnycar.com]

AHHHH ! The joy's of being self employed... I have been doing it for well over 20 years and it has it's days,Oh boy are there some days....I have seen every style of customer known to man...Thank god we have enough great loyal customers to offset the ones that make you wonder if it is all worth it..For all you buisness owners out there ( on this site ) I would place a large bet that we all wake up with the same goal in mind, WORK HARD, TRY TO DO OUR BEST and ALLWAYS know that word of mouth will feed you when the yellow pages did'nt...For those that have never done it or witnessed it .....It is brutal and it is on your mind 24 hours a day (even the vacation days )their is no 5:00 in our world.....At least in the old days if a customer was really pissed they would have to rent an add in the paper or carry a sign in front of your place ! Now ya just throw your rant out on the net and the chips fall where they fall......Well that's just GREAT.. So while jon should be shipping wheels and trying to do his very best at answering peoples questions he has to take productive time and turn it into non-productive time to defend his position,his passion and his livelhood to this stuff...I have a car we are building and darn near every part weve ordered will not work as delivered,The customer has seen this at all phases and he now realizes what a custom deal his car really is...IF IT WAS EASY, WOULD'NT EVERYONE BE DOING IT ?? Trav

Pretty damn well put...as were many comments here.

I have ordered at least 4-5 sets of wheels through Jon,honestly I've lost count.
Now I'd be lying if I said there weren't problems along the way...but none of those were Jon's doing to the best of my memory,but eventually it always comes back to him and I know it can be frustrating,I remember the Forgeline deal...if it were me I may have had to send some visitors,lol.:willy:

Point being: Never once did I think it was right to air it on a public forum before allowing Jon time to work his magic,because he always made it right in the end.:yes:

Just saying...

[DFRESH]

I've always had great experiences with Jon and the guys at Driverz. All my tires and wheels for all my vehicles come from them and I have nothing but good things to say. I purchased the wheels for the Camaro from Jon, they should have fit perfectly given that fact that it's a 69 Camaro, however my car had new quarters hung and the car is a bit crooked. To get it to sit the way it does, Jon rehooped the wheels for me---did it cost me money, ya. Was it worth it to get the car to sit the way I wanted it, ya. Would I do it again? Of course! The fact that Jon was willing to offer additional advice, take the time to listen to my idea of having the car sit that low and how to accomplish that with wheel offset, etc was what I appreciated and continue to appreciate the most. Matt eluded to this in an earlier post, one size doesn't fit all in this deal, that's for sure. No disrespect to anyone who has posted, but i've learned my lesson on this over and over again and even though it's painful, it's a tough reality i've had to come to terms with. My wallet has screamed often and loudly--but I wanted the car to have a certain look and stance---it didn't happen the first time I tried, even with the proven fitments. The guys at Driverz didn't give up and I ultimately got what I wanted, killer stance, minimal rubbing and, in the end, performance that exceeds my expectations. I will say that, to me, this seems like business as usual---it sucks when it happens to you--but most of the people I know have to deal with fitment issues with these cars at some point when pushing the stance or going after a certain look. Most all of us have been where the OP has been----and it sucks when at first it doesn't work out the way you had hoped it would. It is what it is at this point---rehoop the wheels or widen them at this point, pay what you need too and get the stance and setup you want--you can now assure you will get exactly what you need given you have them on the car and can measure appropriately. The car looks great --I really like that body style---probably because it's something other than a Camaro---:lol:. Keep moving forward with it.

Doug

[jocko124]

I've always had great experiences with Jon and the guys at Driverz. All my tires and wheels for all my vehicles come from them and I have nothing but good things to say. I purchased the wheels for the Camaro from Jon, they should have fit perfectly given that fact that it's a 69 Camaro, however my car had new quarters hung and the car is a bit crooked. To get it to sit the way it does, Jon rehooped the wheels for me---did it cost me money, ya. Was it worth it to get the car to sit the way I wanted it, ya. Would I do it again? Of course! The fact that Jon was willing to offer additional advice, take the time to listen to my idea of having the car sit that low and how to accomplish that with wheel offset, etc was what I appreciated and continue to appreciate the most. Matt eluded to this in an earlier post, one size doesn't fit all in this deal, that's for sure. No disrespect to anyone who has posted, but i've learned my lesson on this over and over again and even though it's painful, it's a tough reality i've had to come to terms with. My wallet has screamed often and loudly--but I wanted the car to have a certain look and stance---it didn't happen the first time I tried, even with the proven fitments. The guys at Driverz didn't give up and I ultimately got what I wanted, killer stance, minimal rubbing and, in the end, performance that exceeds my expectations. I will say that, to me, this seems like business as usual---it sucks when it happens to you--but most of the people I know have to deal with fitment issues with these cars at some point when pushing the stance or going after a certain look. Most all of us have been where the OP has been----and it sucks when at first it doesn't work out the way you had hoped it would. It is what it is at this point---rehoop the wheels or widen them at this point, pay what you need too and get the stance and setup you want--you can now assure you will get exactly what you need given you have them on the car and can measure appropriately. The car looks great --I really like that body style---probably because it's something other than a Camaro---:lol:. Keep moving forward with it.

Doug

Thanks Doug, I've already moved forward. I've been talking to another wheel vendor that fits my expectation of customer service much better and I'm exploring all my options.

[Fluid Power]

Thanks Doug, I've already moved forward. I've been talking to another wheel vendor that fits my expectation of customer service much better and I'm exploring all my options.

I think this is a one of those backhanded compliments?

[MarkM66]

I think this is a one of those backhanded compliments?

Yeah, but without the compliment. :lol:

[jy211]

Thanks Doug, I've already moved forward. I've been talking to another wheel vendor that fits my expectation of customer service much better

unless they don't do what you think is right....:rofl:

[TT302Z28]

Really? We had to do this in 2 forums? Did this have to happen here because nobody can chime in on PT.com?

I remember my first set of wheels.....


I know I'm a low man on this tottum poll but isn't it time to shut this down?:drama: :drama: :drama:

[70rs]

:beathorse

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kqxh68lYG71qzvqipo1_500.gif

[camcojb]

I agree.