Yep. I'm sure they did. I just spoke to Randy at NQS and then sent him an email with the pics. But I also told him I'm quite worried that I now have to pull the rear bearing, which had to be pressed on so may be damaged when I take it off. And, I have to unsolder the bridge, so that may damage the diodes.

At this point I certainly wouldn't recommend NQS to anyone.

 

Didn't you have to heat the case to get the bridge out in the first place?

I'm not sure about the slip rings.
I've never replaced them in a 3G before.

Color might mean nothing unless there is a dimensional difference.

 

I had to heat the case to get it out, but that apparently was due to corrosion. It now is a nice slip fit and you can hear it bottom in the case, which is confirmed with measurements.

As for the slip rings, mine look entirely different than Luke's and the one on the NQS web site. Mine has a collar and that's what the case is hitting. I'm not happy.

 

I'm now home after having been gone two weeks. No package nor email from NQS. So, if you are considering buying alternator parts go elsewhere. They frequently don't answer the phone, shipped the wrong part when the right part was ordered, and haven't responded to a request for the right part in over two weeks.

I understand that mistakes happen. But when you can't reach them by phone and when they don't replace the wrong part they shipped or even acknowledge the email they asked for then there has to be a better place to buy. Caveat emptor.

 

Spoke with Randy at NQS, who remembered the issue immediately. He says someone put a 6G slip ring in the 3G slip ring box and the person that pulled the part to ship to me didn't know the difference and shipped it. In fact, they don't have any 3G slip rings and they are on back-order from their supplier. But he volunteered that he will find one from another supplier ASAP and get it to me. Further he agreed that it is likely that the rear bearing will be hurt when removing it to get the slip ring off so he'll send me one of those as well.

So, it is possible I'll change my opinion about NQS - but not likely. It took them 19 days to get my order to me in the first place, and they claimed it was due to the USPS being late. But according to the USPS the package wasn't delivered to them until 2 days before delivery, which fits with the extra I paid for 2-day delivery, and that was over a week after NQS notified the USPS that the package was coming. So it looks to me like they've realized that the USPS will send me an email re the shipment as soon as they tell the USPS the package is coming. That way they can claim that the slow shipment is due to the USPS - which they did several times.

As said, I understand that mistakes happen. But not to respond to my email for 3 weeks after we'd talked on the phone about it 10 minutes before I sent the email isn't acceptable. Yet when I finally called he knew immediately what the problem was and that it was their mistake, so should have responded to me. Either they are woefully understaffed or are unwilling to communicate with their customers, which is usually due to having many problems and wanting to hide and not admit them.

So, I say again that I strongly discourage doing business with National Quick Start, Quick Start, or Alternatorparts.com - which are all the same business.

 

Well, just for the record National Quick Start finally got me all the right parts. Turns out that not only had they sent me the wrong slip ring originally they'd sent me the wrong rear bearing as well. Found that out today when I pulled the first bearing they sent and discovered that the second one they sent is wider. A little looking and measuring and, sure enough, the new one is the right one. Moral of the story is don't mess with NQS. Their service is poor, their follow-up awful, and their prices aren't that good.

But, I did get the alternator together today. And it includes powder-coated frames and double-sheave pulley, new front and rear bearings, 160 amp-capable diode bridge, HD regulator, new slip rings, and new brushes & holder. Here's what it looks like:

 

That looks awesome Gary. Good for another decade (or two) .

That's too bad about your experience with NQS. As you recommend against them, and I understand why, I wonder if you have any suggestion of an alternative competitor? When I was looking I couldn't find anyone who had near the selection of specialty alternator parts they did, and some parts I couldn't find period other than through them.

 

Thanks, Luke. Unfortunately I don't have a recommendation for someone to replace NQS. But Matthew bought a slip ring of eBay for less than what I paid and got it quickly. In addition, it was the right one.

I would run one out of a salvage before dealing with NQS again. Here's an example: As I was finishing the alternator today I remembered that the 160 amp diode bridge has a larger stud than the standard one, and the extension won't fit. Yes, NQS has one that will fit and it, presumably, has a larger stem as well as a larger hole for the stud. And I have plenty of time so could order it in and install it when it comes in. But I drilled mine out and made it fit.

I don't have a record of the number of calls I placed to them, but it was at least a dozen, and that's just the ones where they answered. And a couple of emails, neither of which were ever acknowledged. If it was only a few calls and they did what they said they'd do it would be one thing, but it was just a consistent lack of customer service. I don't need that kind of aggravation and won't do business with people like that. If I had it to do over again I'd just buy a new alternator.

 

I hear ya. I've been through the frustration of bad service, and you're right, it's not worth it.

 

Gary, not only did I buy one slip ring off Ebay but two! and I returned the second one and got my money back in a very quick fashion as well! So far my 3G is a whiz bang setup, wired it up first try and no problems. Can't complain for an $85 brand new alternator and the rest to wire it up. Now if only the serpentine pulley they sent me with the new alternator wasn't bent to all hell. Good thing I have a V belt setup...

 

Who supplied your parts, Matthew?

 

Bought the rebuild kit from one seller, the two slip rings from another.

triodiode on eBay

s-and-d-repair on eBay

 

Thanks, Matthew.

 

Anytime, both of the sellers are very easy to deal with and took back the parts without a problem. The S and D repair guy has a 100% feedback after several thousand transactions.

 

Very, very good to know. That says a lot. I'll use them next time.