Rack Shipping Woes and Kyle Van Tassel

[blitzkreig]

Has anyone seen or heard from Kyle Van Tassel recently?

I received one of his most excellently designed ?Back-Pack-Rack? units a couple weeks ago. Sadly it was broken in shipping. From the time of Kyle shipping it until I received it, it was over 3 weeks so it can?t possibly be because the Post Office was rushing it to me ?

How in the whole wide world could they tear the pipe along side of each and every one of the welds on the one side is beyond imagination.

Look closely at the picture and you will see that the welds held ... the actual pipe has been ripped open!!!

I phoned Kyle right away and he said as it was insured there is no problem. Kyle then most honourably volunteered to ship me another rack as he said he had 3 in the final stages of production.

We touched bases a couple times in the next 3 days arranging to contact the US Post folks to make the claim.

But now I can?t reach Kyle to find out if there is anything more I need to do to help ... such as ship back to him this broken rack for the insurance at US Postal Service.

I have tried his phone for several days. He has disappeared.

Maybe he is on the move? If anyone can help I would appreciate it. I have sent him contact particulars he just needs to know I am trying to contact him.

Thanks.

.

 

[mnwolftrack]

I don't know anything about Kyle, but I do know some things about the post office. You won't want to ship the rack back unless the person who shipped something to you says so. Normally, your own local post office will want the damaged item for inspection. And, if a claim hasn't already been filed, you can start the process. The post office may even require the recipient to start the claim anyway.

I shipped something to someone a few years ago, and it arrived to them damaged. Instead of telling me, they shipped it right back. The post office told me the recipient should have filed a claim, and that they shouldn't of shipped it back to me. It was a long struggle to get the claim resolved, and the only reason I got it resolved was because the recipient sent it back to me the same way (the post office).

 

[barefoot]

well...i dont know about the post office but i worked for u p s during college. lets just say that i avoid shipping that: isnt necessary, isnt insured and that isnt packed VERY VERY well! your packages WILL be kicked, tossed, thrown, dropped repeatedly, shaken in the back of a truck with 50 other packages piled on top of it and otherwise mishandled! the process of shipping can be very scary at times! it never ceased to amaze me that u p s does indeed get MOST packages to and fro w/out damage!

better luck next time...at least the numbers are in your favor

 

[blitzkreig]

Well this thing shouldn't have required much for packing ... it is made out of heavy duty steel. It would have taken quite a pounding and not buckled so I have no idea how they did it.

I buy all sorts of stuff internationally. Even goods from Europe and I never have much for problems.

I can't initiate the claim it has to be the shipper. I live in Canada and the US Postal Service told us we can't.

Our Canada Post said likely picture evidence is sufficient but again it would be the US Post Office who makes the rules.

I just don't want Kyle out the return shipping cost if I go and ship it to him and it isn't necessary ... It wasn't cheap at $95.00.

.

 

[D Chapman]

Why is it every week someone is hunting Kyle? Whats so hard about answering the phone, or returning a phone call within a timley manner?

First it was the mounting brackets holes not lining up, then the Hi-Lift mounts don't fit a Hi-Lift, then he mails you a set of bolt-on Hi-Lift mounts that rust in a week, now the tubes are tearing......

If this was anyone eles' product, it would have been called junk by now. J.U.N.K., junk....

 

[drivenbydiscovery]

wait, wait, there's problems with the hi-lift mounts???? well thats no good! i've been waiting on mine for like 8 months now (plus some other small things).

i'm beginning to think that maybe they just rusted away to nothing during shipping??? maybe ...

p.s. kyle, if you read this, i'm sorry. i didn't mean it. rusty or not, please still send them.

 

[rmuller]

I know on the backpack rack, the hi-lift mounting bolts on it don't work for the cast/steel black hi-lift jack.. they are misaligned.. I'm assuming that the red (all-cast) ones have different spacing

 

[parthog]

How in the whole wide world could they tear the pipe along side of each and every one of the welds on the one side is beyond imagination.

Umm, heat embrittlement? Perhaps the tubing needed to be annealed after welding. Just a guess.

- Jeff Miller

 

[craig]

I know on the backpack rack, the hi-lift mounting bolts on it don't work for the cast/steel black hi-lift jack.. they are misaligned.. I'm assuming that the red (all-cast) ones have different spacing

I had a similar problem with my NWP hi-lift jack mounts on my NWP rack. They use a template when they weld it on, so it should be spot on. In fact, while my jack didn't work well, Nicole from NWP grabbed her husband Andy's hi-lift and it fit perfect. Later I was experimenting and depending on which holes I used on the hi-lift, it either would or wouldn't fit. I'm not convinced that Hi-lift has a rigorous QC process, or that they have changed their manufacturing process slightly.

--Craig

 

[Axel]

Why is it every week someone is hunting Kyle? Whats so hard about answering the phone, or returning a phone call within a timley manner?

There is no phone in the shop, that probably has something to do with it....

When I spoke to him on Sunday, he told me he is bringing in a second person to help him deal with shipping issues. That should hopefully improve things.

 

[Roverjoe]

If that pipe (tubing is square) would snap in that manner I would never put one of those on the top of my truck. Sorry but that pipe was welded at the wrong temperature.

 

[KevinNY]

HiLift changed the hole spacing on newer ones, why I don't know. Short work with a file to make it fit. The racks are CroMo, same stuff steel bicycle frames are made of. I clipped a tree last week with one of the HiLift studs and the whole rack and plastic rain gutter piece slid back 2" as the stud ripped through the tree. Sounded like I tore the ass off my truck. Went home and lossened the mounts, slid it back in position, no problem. They aren't weak. I mount a Hannibal tent on it mostly.

 

[andrewv]

There is no phone in the shop, that probably has something to do with it....

When I spoke to him on Sunday, he told me he is bringing in a second person to help him deal with shipping issues. That should hopefully improve things.

That will be great for shipping. I wonder how that person will deal with at least $3,000 worth of product or refunds due that I personally know of?

Always thought of him as more straight up, but I wouldn't tell ANYONE to buy something from him.

 

[D Chapman]

If that pipe (tubing is square).

Pipe has a seam; tubing in seamless....

 

[Roverlady]

Always thought of him as more straight up, but I wouldn't tell ANYONE to buy something from him.

I have one of Kyle's backpack racks and it's great. Exactly what I wanted, fit well, no problems with finish, etc. And he actually had more trouble getting in touch with ME than the other way around. Email was our best mode of contact.

I'm sorry for other people's trouble...but I still think he made a great product and he served me well. I would buy anything he makes.

 

[lwg]

Pipe has a seam; tubing in seamless....

Thank you. For some reason that other comment was driving me crazy!

 

[craig]

I clipped a tree last week with one of the HiLift studs and the whole rack and plastic rain gutter piece slid back 2" as the stud ripped through the tree. Sounded like I tore the ass off my truck. Went home and lossened the mounts, slid it back in position, no problem. They aren't weak. I mount a Hannibal tent on it mostly.

ROFL... I did the same thing last week, only my rack slid while I was trying to back up to get the hi-lift unseated off of the tree so my rack went forward 2-4".

 

[andrewv]

I have one of Kyle's backpack racks and it's great. Exactly what I wanted, fit well, no problems with finish, etc. And he actually had more trouble getting in touch with ME than the other way around. Email was our best mode of contact.

I'm sorry for other people's trouble...but I still think he made a great product and he served me well. I would buy anything he makes.

That's a really great example of you basically saying "it sucks to be you". I can't recommend a business where a certain percentage of it's customers recieve nothing for their money: not a phone call, not a quick note, nothing.

 

[Roverlady]

That's a really great example of you basically saying "it sucks to be you".

Don't put words in my mouth...I did not intend on sending that message at all.

I was simply defending Kyle from MY point of view/experience. I have absolutey no explanations for your troubles with him and I AM sorry that it hasn't worked out for the better.

I am simply being optimistic that he has a REALLY good reason for the lack of communication/follow-up/customer service.

 

[andrewv]

Sorry, but I couldn't decipher your intent. I'm sure there are many wonderful stories of how great the quality is, how delivery was quick, and what a great person he is. My point is that I am out over $400, which I even offered 10% to defray the costs of getting rid of that sticker idiot in Atlanta (Chris Hyde). I quit being optimistic about 6 months ago.