Suspension and Chassis Questions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?

UMI Vs Spohn

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Old Jun 20, 2008 | 02:29 PM
  #1  
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Car: 1983 Recaro Edition T/A
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UMI Vs Spohn

That's THE subject I wanna talk about !

Thanks God, after month developing a new business, here comes the time to order new parts for my 83 T/A...

About chassis performance parts, I'm just wondering wether are better, UMI or Spohn parts ?


For subframe connectors, for instance, I was tempted by Spohn units, but their round section shape just feels weak to me. UMI square-section SFC look more rigid, but what do they worth in the real world ?

Please write your experience, feedback, opinion here !
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Old Jun 20, 2008 | 02:48 PM
  #2  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

Heh, the Spohn ones used to be square and were changed after a huge number of demands.

I wouldn't consider either design weak.
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Old Jun 20, 2008 | 04:26 PM
  #3  
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Car: 86 Trans Am
Engine: 408 stroker sbc
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Axle/Gears: Moser full floater m9, 3:70 trutrac
Re: UMI Vs Spohn

they both make good parts, and im sure you will find people with something bad to say about each one.

I have mostly UMI parts, and some Spohn parts, no problems with either, and Spohn did some custom work for me which was cool.

The only part i would say UMI definitely has a better design for is the crossmember mounted torque arm. While Spohn has more options, UMI's seem to be beefier and the material selection is better IMHO. Rect. tubing instead of channel for the crossmember primarily.

As for SFC, Spohns tuck up better and have more contact area with the pinch rails, so if you dont want to see them they are the better choice, and i just like the look or round tubular parts to rect. ones.
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Old Jun 20, 2008 | 06:55 PM
  #4  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

FWIW: All my suspension is UMI!

I do have Spohn's upper strut mounts.
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Old Jun 20, 2008 | 07:43 PM
  #5  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

///
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 08:43 AM
  #6  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

If you have any questions regarding our products please let me know and I will be glad to help.

Thank you
Ryan
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 12:18 PM
  #7  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

Originally Posted by UMI Performance
If you have any questions regarding our products please let me know and I will be glad to help.

Thank you
Ryan
I just read this after I just posted on another message below this about one of your parts breaking. I see you were quiet in that post based on the times the postings show. How about helping him and explaining what happened. Thats a VERY DANGEROUS situation if your products are breaking on the welds. What kind of piece of mind do your hundreds of customers have running around the streets on parts that this same employee welded? Any quality control or recall references so people are aware of potention catastrophic failures?I sued the crap out of a company when this happened to me years ago.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...orque-arm.html
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 12:42 PM
  #8  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

The customer e-mailed me on Sunday night and I replied this morning.. what more would you like me to do?? I asked for pictures so I could investigate the issue.

Why is you feel the need to bash me? Please grow up..................

This is the second arm to break in 4 years and 2000+ torque arms and the first one was not our fault... the torque arm popped out of the clamshell and was forced into the tunnel causing it to break.

How do you know I am not helping the customer? Please explain your ignorant unnecessary post... you act as if you never seen any other manufactures item break
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 04:16 PM
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

Originally Posted by UMI Performance
The customer e-mailed me on Sunday night and I replied this morning.. what more would you like me to do?? I asked for pictures so I could investigate the issue.

Why is you feel the need to bash me? Please grow up..................

This is the second arm to break in 4 years and 2000+ torque arms and the first one was not our fault... the torque arm popped out of the clamshell and was forced into the tunnel causing it to break.

How do you know I am not helping the customer? Please explain your ignorant unnecessary post... you act as if you never seen any other manufactures item break
Have you contacted other costomers that have products from you that were welded by this same laborer that day? How many other products in this run are on peoples cars without their knowledge of a protential problem?Guess not huh buddy? Thats how I won my lawsuit ears back- I talk from EXPERIENCE.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 09:59 PM
  #10  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

Originally Posted by Vetruck
Have you contacted other costomers that have products from you that were welded by this same laborer that day? How many other products in this run are on peoples cars without their knowledge of a protential problem?Guess not huh buddy? Thats how I won my lawsuit ears back- I talk from EXPERIENCE.
How do we know it was the builder? There are many variables when a item fails, heat, material or just installation or driving error. We will gladly take care of the situation as I am working on it with the customer now. I see it being none of your business.

I am so happy you are proud to win a lawsuit... nothing like winning over someone else's hard earned money on a scam... good luck in your future lawsuits. Please do not contact myself or our company with any interest in our products.. we stay clear of customers like your self. Sound good Buddy?

Last edited by UMI Performance; Jul 21, 2008 at 10:02 PM.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 11:38 PM
  #11  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

i wold have to say go with Spohn, i have UMI subframe connectors, panhard, and lower control arm relocation brackets. my first dealing with them, i had ordered the single adjustable panhard, which i still feal is a top notch piece, as good as any out there.


My first umi purchase was a adjustable panhard bar, i bought it on ebay with buy it now, and sent them an email stating that i wanted it to be red in color and to please notify me when the order ships via "UPS tracking #"

i heard nothing back and after 2-3 days sent another email and heard nothing back and so on and so on, untill about the 4th email and a week later, i threatned to STOP PAYMENT ........ then i got a response....

please remeber this is a forwarded email and the post at the bottom is the begining of the email, and the last one at the top is the end.

this is the first of many response back from them, after a week of ignoring someone they had collected $125 and sent no product to



this is an actuall email.....




-------------------------------------------






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:13:42 -0700
From: ebayauctions@umiperformance.com
Subject: RE: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #130090740315
To: pimpit420@msn.com


Hello,

Thank you for contacting us. I was able to track your order down and it appears that we never receivd notification from eBay or PayPal on this order. I did pull the order and I will Rush it through to ship out today. Most of our orders are taking 5-8 business days to ship right now due to the demand of our product. However, since this was an error in our system I will rush it for you. I do apologize for this delay and you will receive a tracking # via email this evening for your package. According to my records, shipping time is 4-5 days, so you will receive it Friday, Monday at the latest.

Again, I do apologize for the error in our system and any inconvenince this may cause for you. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Thank You!
Marlena
Executive Assistant

UMI Performance Inc.
www.umiperformance.com
ebayauctions@umiperformance.com
814.857.5400


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #130090740315
From: "eBay Member: happydudescott" <member@ebay.com>
Date: Fri, December 14, 2007 7:07 pm
To: ebayauctions@umiperformance.com





Dear umiperformance,

?????????????????????????????????? anyone there or should i just cancel my order



-------------------------------------------------------




so i wait a couple more days and still nothing, no tracking number, and i ask whats up, and marlena says the order will ship 2day or 2morrow at latest, so im a little ticked off, i though this company was good and had good customer service,...WRONG.
it doesn't ship that day, or the next, and i send another emai lasking wtf i thought you were going to rush ship it






and i get back




sorry...... blah blah blah we did misplace the order, but we didnt say anything about the rush shipping......


-Marlena

WE SENT A FEW MORE EMAILS BACK AND FORTH, EVERTIME THEY RESPONDED THEY HAD A DIFFERENT STORY AND EXCUSE



whoa first they didn't receive the oreder and now its missplaced???????????, STILL HAVNT RECIEVVED THE PANHARD I HAD PAYED FOR WEEKS BEFROE
so i send another angry letter and this time RYAN Responds


he says...


"marlena was polite with you.....we did misplace your order, and appologize, we never rush ship anything so marlena didn't tell you that, plus........"
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS FUNNY....... "marlena said she spoke with a very nice woman, on the phone, and understood the mixup and she said that it was ok and YOU weren't mad." ?????????

B.S.


GOOD STORY TELLERS, THEESE PEOPLE ARE!

LMAO LMAO LMAO


FIRST OF ALL THIS IS ABSOLUTE 100% B.S.

I NEVER CALLED UMI, SO I NEVER SPOKE WITH ANY OF THEM ON THE PHONE?????? SO WHERE DOES THIS MISTERY WOMAN COME FROM???????????????

I DON'T EVEN LIVE WITH WOMAN, LMAO, SO DID THE IMAGINARY WOMAN CALL THEM OR DID THEY CALL THE IMAGINARY WOMAN, I ASKED THEM AND THEY SAID MAYBE YOUR MOM????SHE PASSED 3 YEARS AGO. OR MAYBE YOUR GIRL FRIEND????????? DON'T HAVE ONE.. GOTTA LOVE THE LIES


THIS IS THE GOOD PART, THEY SAID THE WOMAN NAME WAS
"CAROLE" WHICH IS KINDA SCARY BECAUSE THAT IS MY MOMS NAME, THEN I FIGURED IT OUT HERE NAME IS STILL ON THE PAYPAL ACCOUNT AS THE SHIPPING ADDRESS.

SO THE NEXT TIME YOU GUYS TALK TO MY MOM TELL HER I SAID "HI," AND ASK HER IF SHEES BEEN HAGING OUT WITH ELVIS?






THIS WAS THIR FIRST PURCHASE, I WISH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LAST.

I REALLY LIKED THERE SUB-FRAME CONNECTORS SO I HAD TO BUY THEM AND I SAID WTH I'LL GET THE LOWER CONTROL ARM RELOACTION BRACKETS AS WELL.


ONE OF THE RELOCATION BRAKETS WAS WELDED IMPROPERLY.....THEY SIDES WHEREE THE BOLT/NUT GOES TO, TO SECURE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IN IT'S POSSITION.

THEY WERE POINTING IN ABOUT 3/4 OF AN INCH, TO NARROW, I HAD TO TAKE THEM TO MY SHOP AND PUT THEM IN THE VICE AND PRY THEM APART SO THEY COULD BE USED, BROKE THE POWDER COATING OFF.


AND THE SUBFRAME WERE SCRATCHED TO AND DENTED, THEY RAPPED THEM IN ABOUT 20 FEET OF BUBBLE RAP, TOOBAD THE SUBFRAME CONNECTORS WERE RAPPED IN TOGETER WITH NOTHING BETWEEN THEM , SO THEY RUBBED A GOOG BIT OF THE POWDER COATING OFF,


BYE THE WAY I COULDN'T FININSH THE INSATLL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BECAUSE THE PART THATS SUPPOSED TO RUN OVER THE EXHAUST WOULDN'T CLEAR THE EXHAUST, WHICH I HEAR IS A PROBLEM WITH THEM, EVENTHOUGH ON THE DESCRIPTION IT SAYS IT WORKS WITH STOCK AND MOST AFTERMARKET EXHAUST

I'M TIRED NOW...... GOODNIGHT

Last edited by 1988-305-tbi; Jul 22, 2008 at 12:33 AM.
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 02:06 AM
  #12  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

I have UMI SFC's, and they're top notch.

ThisBoardIsLame, is this how you get your kicks? Getting on here and ragging on this site, its members, and our cars and going on about how much you think they suck? You're pathetic. Grow up.
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 06:27 AM
  #13  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

Originally Posted by mike_c
I have UMI SFC's, and they're top notch.
Thanks Mike_c, that is great to hear
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 10:34 AM
  #14  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

I don't think going all Spohn or all UMI is the best solution. You have to look at each individual part and decide what works best on your car, your budget, which parts are priced right, and which parts are lighter/stronger. And just narrowing it down to these 2 isn't the best idea either but it doesn't mean 80% of your parts can't come from one company. You don't have to always buy all the parts new either, sometimes used(or never installed but not new) stuff shows up in the for sale section of this site.

I've bought from both companies and will continue to if need be. Both have awesome parts, good customer service, and quick shipping.

Last edited by Firebat; Jul 22, 2008 at 12:18 PM.
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 11:15 PM
  #15  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

Majority of my suspension is UMI. It is a great product and I've been VERY satisfied with the service I've received from Ryan. I would highly recommend their product.
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Old Jul 24, 2008 | 09:33 PM
  #16  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

I use MAC (sfc's)...Spohn (sway bars, a-arms)...UMI (panhard rod, lca's) and BMR (stb) suspension products.

I'm happy with all of them, but it depends on the application.

Guess my suspension is a mutt
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Old Jul 24, 2008 | 10:16 PM
  #17  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

.



For subframe connectors, for instance, their round section shape just feels weak to me. square-section SFC look more rigid,
Please write your experience, feedback, opinion here ![/QUOTE]

70's iron was saying that the round section shape feels week? I personaly think it would be more ridged then square or rectangle. have you ever seen a roll cage made from any thing but round section? just my opion.my car has square subframe connecters i wish they were round!
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Old Jul 31, 2008 | 02:41 AM
  #18  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

alot of my parts are spohn and i would recommend them for everything but a arms. i personaly do not have any UMI parts yet but will be getting a arms from them when money permits to replace my spohns. i did see UMI had a stand set up at the gm nationals at carlisle a few weeks ago and i got to see alot of there products and they deffinately look top notch and strong. either one you chose you cant go wrong. the nice thing about spohn for me is there shop is only about 35 mins from me so i go right there for my stuff and i get to see how there shop opperates, thats pretty cool.
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Old Aug 6, 2008 | 10:09 AM
  #19  
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Re: UMI Vs Spohn

I have BMR and UMI parts, no spohn stuff at all mainly due to his aweful customer service from years back. I don't forget the excuses, empty promises and endless explanations for his development setbacks.
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