Front splitter with support rod issues

[IronMaiden]

Front splitter is great. Versus brand splitter. The rods are from FullyTorquedRacing. Carbon fiber finish. Had them professionally installed. This is now one year later and one of the support rods is coming out of it's sheath, is what it looks like from the photos below. No damage to the splitter or the rod that I can see at all. I was washing my car, put about 5 lbs of pressure on top of the right half of the splitter and the inner tubing just slid right out about 1 inch or so. Goes right back in with equal upward pressure....and back a forth at will. I tried to email FTR using their ONLY form of online contact (a generic online logic box form) and it keeps telling me that it can't go through and to try again later. This has been going on for over a week. Also tried to call. The only message says they are backed up with orders and to use the online question service page (the one I have been trying to use to no avail) to contact them. Ya...right. Left a message after the beep 5 days ago and no reply so far. These rods were pricey at $125 for the pair. Seems like they should last more than 11 months. Tell me what you guys think...I am almost at a Gorilla Glue fix job, but that's seems to be the ghetto thing to do.

 

[LionsTooth]

JB Weld will fix it. Or you could put in a set screw from the backside, so no one sees it. Or send it back?

 

[IronMaiden]

I ordered some JB Weld. Screw would be ghetto. Can't send it back. They still (two weeks later) haven't recognized that I even called and left a message about it.

 

[LionsTooth]

Screw would be ghetto.

Not a titanium screw from a Porsche 962C!

Having used JB Weld for like 40 years, I have a couple of tips. Bear with me, as I make the assumption you don't know this, and mean no disrespect.

JB needs a slightly roughened, clean surface. Lightly sand both parts. Clean with acetone, nothing else, and not the acetone you find in nail polish remover...that often has oils in it for nails; oil BAD! Do them off the car and remove the heim joints; JB can get places you don't find until later(!). I use the 10-minute stuff, but you need to be quick; if you are doing both bars, do one bar at a time. It sets up in 5, really. Liberally cover all the surfaces with JB, like you would with any epoxy or adhesive. Slide the bits together and clean up with acetone. Let it sit for at least 12 hours; 24 is best. Done right, it may never come apart.

If all that doesn't work, ditch the carbon bits, take the heim joints to a machine shop and ask them to spin up some rods from T-6 aluminum hex bar stock.

 

[IronMaiden]

"ditch the carbon bits", ya....that's the entire exterior of the support rod.

Hindsight, I should have never ordered them and gone with a different company. It was unfortunate that VEGA actually recommended them. FTR has 3 reviews on Yelp (mine being one of them). All three are 1 star and complain about the exact same thing. Customer service is non-existent.

 

[IronMaiden]

I bought and used some JB Weld. It's holding well. Still no response from FTR....it's been months now...I'm not holding my breath anymore.