I got a call Thursday from Speedway Motors, wanting back the Tie Rod Drops they sold me a more than a couple months ago. Anyone else get the call or know what this is all about?

 

Tell them to send someone over to uninstall them and install the new ones!

must have a less than quality part there from china is my guess?? they do look nice though.

 

I got the same call for the same drops. They left a message on my voicemail asking me to contact them and not to operate the vehicle they are installed on. I need to call them tomorrow and get the scoop. It said I can get a full refund, a gift card, or replacement drops. I already have them installed but have not got to drive the truck yet.

 

I doubt it, Speedway makes all their own brand parts in house. I toured their plant last Sept. My guess would be a heat treating or wrong steel issue.

 

BS!!! They copy other people's parts, farm them out to offshore manufacturers. Speedy Bill is regularly pilloried on the HAMB over his shoddy crap. These particular pieces (or similar) have received a great deal of press over there...but to be fair, for most non-structural stuff (grilles, trim, etc) the verdict is "C+" or so. For a sample

more poor quality parts , speedway again - THE H.A.M.B.

Technical Speedway must. Drop spindles, anygood? - THE H.A.M.B.

 

Wow!
Then they have a huge factory full of machine tools and guys posing as machinists running them just to make metal shavings for pictures or impress those on tours?!?!
I have talked with Bill personally, he is no longer in the business (Speedway Motors is one of the oldest mail order hot rod and racing parts houses in the country) for the money, He has more of it than he knows what to do with, (the items in his museum alone are worth 100s of mill$) but genuinely wants to provide parts that enthusiasts want and need.
I never said he doesn't SELL items he didn't make, or that all the items in his catalog were made in the USA, that would be a ridiculous assumption on ANYONE'S part, especially the highly self impressed on that other board who publicly state that a rotted out part with an OEM part# on it is preferable to any reproduction or modern part. They have an issue with something (a tailight lens and bulb broken in shipping) and paint the supplier with a wide dirty brush even tho they made good on something they had no control over.
As someone over there said it's not the profit margin that drives suppliers overseas, it's the price the consumers are willing to PAY. It's that "I'll buy where I can get it 50 cents cheaper" that drives the smaller customer service and quality product providing businesses into closing in favor of the big box stores that don't give a rat's behind about customer service or product quality.

 

My issue with Speedway is that the stuff that really matters (steering, suspension, brakes) is almost all substandard. I could care less if they make lousy windshield trim or mirror brackets. This recall is the first I've heard them admit that they even have an issue.

You (and the guy on the HAMB) are exactly right about price vs. quality, but with these kind of critical parts if you can't make a safe, proper part at the price people will pay, you shouldn't be selling it. Speedy Bill's game (and some others) is to off-shore parts that would be too expensive if made correctly (unfortunately those same steering, suspension, etc parts). We'll see if his "I'm giving them what they want" logic stands up in court, you can bet this recall is related to some lawsuit, hopefully not involving a death, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

Ross, just to clarify your point of view and satisfy my curiousity, have you personally bought and/or had a problem with a Speedway product?
My point of view comes from our autocross national championships moving to Lincoln NE (home of Speedway) last Sept.. Bill Smith threw us competitors an elaborate welcome dinner in his factory, and allowed us a free rein tour of the factory and his very impressive 3 story "Museum of American Speed". Afterwards there was a tent party on the grounds with "adult beverages" and live music for dancing. Bill, altho well into his 70's and getting a little frail, made himself available thruout the evening for questions and conversation. He and every one of his employees are very proud of what they do and the service they provide.
His parts have been used by the top names in every form of racing from Indy cars to Pike's Peak, to NASCAR and Sprint cars, to top fuel dragsters and everything in between. Speedway still sponsors a fleet of racecars today. I'd expect that if he habitually built substandard and shoddy parts that he would have been sued out of business years ago.

 

I purchased one of their Hot Rod Steering columns. It left a really bad taste in my mouth. Had made in China all over it, the tube was suppose to be 1 3/4", must have been Metric. I liked the idea of the removable steering wheel hub, their ad claimed great theft deterrent! Only if you were on the race track, had to use a grade 8 bolt and lock nut provided for street use only.

I read somewhere the bolts they used for their hanging brake pedals for mid fifty fords and c***y the ones that hang under the dash and attach to the fire wall, had a issue with cracking under too much pressure, I changed mine.

Some of the hardware and universal bucket seat risers I bought were decent. They do have a good selection of hardware. I have purchased a bunch of stuff from Summit Racing too that I've had to take back as well. Its a crap shoot.

 

Marked MIC?
Stainless tubing and mild steel tubing are spec differently from the mill, they say in their catalog the OD may need adjusting if used with the billet floor mount (that is made by Ididit, to fit the Ididit column mild steel tubing no doubt). DOT does not allow quick release steering wheels on the street, hence the bolt and nut, but if you really want it just replace the "street use" bolt and nut with the quick release pin. Far more race cars are stolen from storage and trailers on the road than from the race track, in all the years I've been racing I have never heard of a car stolen at the track unless parked there overnight.
I'd be "hard pressed" to believe Speedway made their own bolts.
This is why I want the details when evaluating someone badmouthing a company, not that some don't deserve it, sometimes it's a case of the customer not reading before ordering or not wanting to take the blame for their own actions.
I have an article out of the newspaper I saved where a guy was suing the doctors and hospital for millions for not reattaching his hand he had deliberately sawn off with a skill saw because "it had offended the lord" even tho he adamently refused to authorize them to do so. His suit stated "they should have realized he was insane and reattached it against his will anyhow"!
I wonder which suit would have yielded more money had they operated against his will???

 

To answer your question, yes I have bought parts from Speedway, but mostly carb kits and some other small stuff. I don't go for modified steering and suspension components anyway, but a number of my pals with rods have. Some looks good, and assuming the metallurgy was correct, sturdy enough. What they're made of exactly, how they're made, and how long they'll last always seems like a question mark. Where they're made is no secret.

No question Bill is an icon in the industry. He used to have some really unique pieces back in the old days.