Cass County Choppers - Cass County Trikes Part would not fit application - Correct part not offered Lees Summit, Missouri

I recently purchased three degree Wide Glide polished triple trees from Cass County Choppers. I was not impressed with them at all. They must be the "Earl Scheib" of custom motorcycle shops.

 

This part would not fit my 2006 Harley Davidson Motorcycle as advertised on their website.  I tried through several correspondences with them to get correct parts, without success or even an offer to correct.  After the mistake was brought to their attention, there was NO customer service what-so-ever.

 

They stated several times they had never received complaints about the fitment of these triple trees before.  I have since learned of other customers who experienced the same issues I did and either got the same as me, or no response from Cass County Choppers.  Ron Mirick displayed his lack of basic ethics by lying to avoid accepting responsibility for his mistake.

 

I now have a part which I paid $316.70 to receive (cost of parts plus shipping) which does not fit my motorcycle.  I had to modify the part to use it at all.  It still does not function as it should, as the factory part did, or as it was represented to fuction.

Below, find cut and pasted copies of the communications I had with Cass County about this purchase and the related issues.

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on October 27, 2009

Hello:

Last week, I placed an order from your website for a set of 3 degree wide glide polished triple trees for a Dyna with 49 mm fork tubes. It was stated that these would ship out Today (10/27) or tomorrow. Can you verify that they are still on schedule.

Thanks,
John Pancoast

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on October 27, 2009

Yes so far these are still on schedule to ship today or tomorrow.
Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on October 27, 2009

Thanks so much for the good service. I am really in hopes of doing the work this weekend, hence the priority shipping. In addition, thanks for pressing the stem in the lower tree.

Phone call to Cass County Choppers on October 29, 2009

Called to verify trees were shipped by October 28, 2009. They said no, they were shipped on the 29th.

Trees arrive on October 31, 2009

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 01, 2009

Ron:

I purchased a set of Wide Glide 3 degree polished triple trees for a 49mm Dyna from you and received them yesterday, This morning (Sunday), I removed my old trees and started installing yours to find the stem is too long. The stock stem measures approximately 8 5/8", while yours is
approximately 8 7/8".

How can I get this corrected as soon as possible?

Thanks,
John

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 02, 2009

It should be no problem once you have pressed the stem in place on the triple tree. If I remember correctly our lower triple tree is thicker where the stem presses in ,so that may be what you are seeing when you hold the two stems together. We have sold several of these and no one else has complained at all about the stem being too long. Actually some have wanted the stem to be a little longer. Have you actually tried the triple trees with the stem in place on the bike? You can have someone cut down the stem for you or you can cut it yourself. However, it should be the correct length and no problem once you have pressed it in place in the triple tree.

Ron Mirick

Phone call to Cass County Choppers on November 02, 2009

I called them at 10:30am EST to discuss the above e-mail and the issues I was having with the install of their triple trees. A female stated Ron was with a customer and would call me right back.

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03. 2009

Ron:

I waited yesterday for you to return my call in hopes you could help me correct this issue with your triple trees.

I tried to install the trees before I sent you the prior e-mail. The problem with the stem length is that it is too long. When the adjustment nut is threaded onto the stem, it bottoms out on the threaded area before it compresses and seats the steering head bearings in the neck's cups. The threaded area of your stem is the same length as the threaded area of the OEM stem, but because your stem is longer, the threaded area stops before it reaches the dust cover and upper steering head bearing. Your trees, using your stem, do not work on the application for which you listed them, my 2006 FXDI.
Again, what can be done to correct this as quickly as possible.

Thanks,
John

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

John,

I was extremely busy yesterday and I am sorry I did not get back to you.
The problem you are having with the length is because you are not installing the tapered stem nut onto the stem under the top triple tree. The tapered nut is flat on one side and the other side is tapered to fit into the tapered recess in the bottom of the top triple tree. Thread the nut onto the stem with the flat towards the bearings and taper pointing to the sky. The taper is what locks the top triple tree onto thestem and also centers it on the stem. The tapered nut is scalloped for lack of a better word on the outside edge so you can tighten it with a spanner wrench. You can also use a regular wrench if your careful. That is what preloads the neck bearings, NOT the top tree. The flat nut that goes on top of the top triple tree only locks the top tree to the tapered nut and therefore to the stem. Then the chrome cover goes over the top. That is the issue with the length. If you lost the tapered nut you can purchase one from any local motorcycle shop or we sell some we
make with a hex for around $12 I think. I will check if you want to buy ours. A local shop may be a cheaper place to get them. JP cycles also sells them.
Let me know if you still have a problem but I am sure that will take care of the issue. Hope all else goes well.

Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

Ron:

I assembled the front end as you outlined. I have done several front end assemblies and am aware of the assembly procedure.and the correct orientation of the adjustment nut under the upper tree. Again, the stem is too long not allowing enough thread for the flat side of the adjustment nut to travel to touch the upper bearing, much less seat the bearings in their cups.

John

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

John,

What bike/frame you are working on? What year? Are you using standard bearings? Did you replace the bearings with something different? Did you install different races? Did you include all the washers, spacers, etc when you reassembled it?

We have sold many of these and I have not had one person complain that the stem is too long. I have had people complain about the stem being a little short though. You could always put a spacer under the lower tree or under the tapered nut to get the correct spacing. There are 2 different tapered nuts with different thicknesses. You could try that also.

I am sorry but I am guessing that something is not assembled correctly. Not doubting you or suggesting that you do not know what your doing but we all make mistakes once in awhile. Hope this helps.

Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

Ron:

The parts order in the assembly:

Chrome stem nut cover
Stem/Steering head nut
Hardened stem/steering head washer
Top clamp
Adjustment nut (with tapered side up - flat side down
Dust shield washer
Upper steering head bearing
Upper bearing cup
Lower bearing cup
Lower steering head bearing
Dirt shield washer
Lower clamp with stem pressed in

I am working on a 2006 FXDI Dyna Super Glide. Everything in the 29 degree neck is factory. No raked cups or bearing have been installed. These are the original bearing ands cups installed at the factory. No modifications have been made to the frame or neck. A thicker tapered adjustment nut will not help because the threads do not run down the stem enough to screw it so it contacts and compresses the dust shield and upper head bearing. Regardless of what thickness adjustment nut is used, there is too much length between the top of the lower tree and the lowest point which the adjustment nut will thread on the stem. This measurement is greater than the measurement from the bottom of the lower bearing to the top of the upper bearing when seated in the races installed in the neck. In order to be correct, the stem needs to have the capability for this measurement to be less, not greater.

John

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

John,

Use a spacer then. The frame you have must not be to the specs of a2006-2009 Dyna.

Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

Ron:

That is a ridiculous response. All Dynas from 06 and up have the same frame necks except the Wide Glide. The product you sold me is not right for these applications, I will make a spacer and make due using a part I paid over $300 for and is not what I ordered.

Your customer service is terrible. First, you were late shipping my order. Secondly, your company said they would press the stem in prior to shipping and it wasn't done. Third, and most prevalent, I had an issue with the product you sold and you offered nothing to correct the issue except to make excuses and blame my ability to assemble the parts. Nothing you have
suggested makes the parts you sold fit as I was led to believe they would.
I look forward to sharing my experience with you on the different forums of which I am a member. I feel I will be doing perspective customers of your products a favor advising them of the money, time, and efforts I wasted dealing with Cass County Choppers.

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 04, 2009

John,

I can only assume you have something wrong with your frame or you have a different model year or something like that. Since I have sold 127 of these triple tree sets and I have had no complaints on installation problems at all.
I cannot diagnose a problem in which I have never had any experience with. I do not know what you have done or what has been done to the frame you are working on. You could have a bike that was produced with a 2005 frame but built in 2006, I simply do not know.

The parts were shipped on time, you got them at the exact time you wanted them this last weekend. You said you were installing them on Sunday right?
The products are RIGHT for the application we sell them for. You have some other issue going on. We have sold way too many of these for them not to be correct. Our record speaks for itself. And by the way you paid less than $300 and the closest competitor to us is over twice that amount.

Ron Mirick

This was my last correspondence with them.