[Globetrotter78]

Hey guys, I am new to this game and need some guidance. I ordered some rock sliders (glorified side steps LOL) from SSO over a month and a half ago and still no sign of them or any progress towards completion.

These guys seem to be one of the big names in the Toyota Off-road scene and I'm really surprised things are taking this long to make and ship. In the days of Amazon Prime, online grocery shopping and other time saving services I am at a loss when a company says MONTHS for delivery.

Is this normal? Should I expect that everything made of metal is going to take an eternity or is it just an issue with certain companies?

Thanks.

[JAXJeremy]

have you called/emailed SSO?

[The Waco Kid]

Originally Posted by Globetrotter78

Hey guys, I am new to this game and need some guidance. I ordered some rock sliders (glorified side steps LOL) from SSO over a month and a half ago and still no sign of them or any progress towards completion.

These guys seem to be one of the big names in the Toyota Off-road scene and I'm really surprised things are taking this long to make and ship. In the days of Amazon Prime, online grocery shopping and other time saving services I am at a loss when a company says MONTHS for delivery.

Is this normal? Should I expect that everything made of metal is going to take an eternity or is it just an issue with certain companies?

Thanks.

They're still a pretty small operation. If you want bad lead time stories, try Gobi or Shrockworks (though I'll wait a year for Shrockworks quality).

Like Jax mentioned, give them a call or email, or try one of their social media accounts. This stuff is generally either made to order or done in small batch runs, and they sell out of whatever stock they have quite quickly.

[Globetrotter78]

Originally Posted by JAXJeremy

have you called/emailed SSO?

LOL Of course. I emailed them a little while ago but havent heard back yet. I do expect a form letter response or something of the like as per usual with many companies. I am not trying to bash anyone I just wasnt sure if this type of thing was the norm or if some have a worse reputation for delays.

I JUST saw a huge thread a few lines down the forum talking about Gobi sooo I guess its not all that uncommon unfortunately.

[andrew4r]

I ordered an SSO rack with an estimated lead time of 10-12 weeks. I received it week 12, and it had been delayed 1 week due to storms and flooding. Their lead times were accurate for me.

[andrew4r]

Originally Posted by Globetrotter78

I just wasnt sure if this type of thing was the norm or if some have a worse reputation for delays.

It’s not even delayed though...

I just looked at their website and their estimated lead times for the sliders are 10-12 weeks. By your own admission, it’s been about 6 weeks. Their product descriptions are very clear about lead times. You knew it would take 10-12 weeks before you ordered.

[Globetrotter78]

Originally Posted by andrew4r

It’s not even delayed though...

I just looked at their website and their estimated lead times for the sliders are 10-12 weeks. By your own admission, it’s been about 6 weeks. Their product descriptions are very clear about lead times. You knew it would take 10-12 weeks before you ordered.

You are correct and yes I was aware of this at the time of ordering. The idea of something taking 2 months is still baffling but hey. The issue I have is..following the above logic...the progress tracker SHOULD be reflecting over half way completed however when I check the status it STILL shows the same stage of completion it did on July 2nd. Following this timeline it would mean that the sliders will be at LEAST a month delayed.

My inquiry was to see if this type of thing is normal (both the long stated lead times and the delays) since I'm new to the offroad scene. Given what I read from the above replies and a thread that showed up talking about Gobi...the answer is yes on both counts.

[srsrogerissrs]

It's very difficult for small shops to keep available inventory stock, it tends to be the demand is always greater than the supply. I've ordered an Addicted Offroad front bumper and Shrockworks rear bumper and both have taken the full estimated lead time or sometimes a little bit longer. You have to take into account, while most of these shops are great at building quality products, they are not the most technologically advanced in terms of websites, custom tracking, etc. They usually don't ever have dedicated IT to cater to these things. The fact that SSO even has a "process tracker" is better than a lot of other shops out there. I'm not going to make excuses for shops since it's their job to find ways to keep up with demand and etc, but these kind of products are usually hand welded and require tons of more man hours than something made in china and shipped overseas by the pallets.



There are other companies that have better lead times than SSO in terms of sliders, RSG offroad is usually pretty good about their lead times for sliders. A little bit of research goes a long way, SSO lead times are known to be long (especially since there is another thread going about their roof racks).

[andrew4r]

Originally Posted by Globetrotter78

You are correct and yes I was aware of this at the time of ordering. The idea of something taking 2 months is still baffling but hey. The issue I have is..following the above logic...the progress tracker SHOULD be reflecting over half way completed however when I check the status it STILL shows the same stage of completion it did on July 2nd. Following this timeline it would mean that the sliders will be at LEAST a month delayed.

My inquiry was to see if this type of thing is normal (both the long stated lead times and the delays) since I'm new to the offroad scene. Given what I read from the above replies and a thread that showed up talking about Gobi...the answer is yes on both counts.

You are operating under the assumption a shop is dropping everything it does to build your thing right away. Your order is in a queue. SSO builds tons of stuff for tons of people every day. It does not take 12 weeks to build your sliders. It does take 12 weeks to do the thousands of orders before yours first and then build your sliders. There's nothing baffling about it.

[Globetrotter78]

I guess I didnt realize these shops are smaller operations which would explain the long production times. Again, I'm new to this stuff so when I see some of these companies with well established reputations, consistent demand, and a solid online presence I just imagined some large industrial building assembly line with welding sparks flying everywhere. LOL

[The Waco Kid]

Originally Posted by Globetrotter78

I guess I didnt realize these shops are smaller operations which would explain the long production times. Again, I'm new to this stuff so when I see some of these companies with well established reputations, consistent demand, and a solid online presence I just imagined some large industrial building assembly line with welding sparks flying everywhere. LOL

Nope.. they're the epitome of small business, which is pretty awesome considering how big their presence is online and at offroad events. To give you an idea, google maps shrockworks... its literally a garage in the back of a small commercial mixed use area. I'm pretty sure SSO is a similar size.

Rest assured your sliders are well built and packaged, and they'll likely be sent within the time frame quoted. You chose well, and its typical given the circumstances.

[Globetrotter78]

Originally Posted by andrew4r

You are operating under the assumption a shop is dropping everything it does to build your thing right away. Your order is in a queue. SSO builds tons of stuff for tons of people every day. It does not take 12 weeks to build your sliders. It does take 12 weeks to do the thousands of orders before yours first and then build your sliders. There's nothing baffling about it.

Dial it back, princess. It was a legit question from someone who is new to this environment. Most everything else we buy in our lives can be had in a timeframe well under two months regardless of an implied queue. Now as I just learned, these companies, despite their reputation and online image, are still relatively small operations which DOES explain the lead times I'm unaccustomed to seeing. So to further illustrate the absurdity of your reply...The 12 week timeframe is the time allotted from start to finish OF MY SLIDERS regardless of those before or after. So YES when I see that MY 12 week window is delayed by an apparent 4 full weeks it does justify a cause for concern.

Be constructive or be quiet.

[andrew4r]

Originally Posted by Globetrotter78

Dial it back, princess. It was a legit question from someone who is new to this environment. Most everything else we buy in our lives can be had in a timeframe well under two months regardless of an implied queue. Now as I just learned, these companies, despite their reputation and online image, are still relatively small operations which DOES explain the lead times I'm unaccustomed to seeing. So to further illustrate the absurdity of your reply...The 12 week timeframe is the time allotted from start to finish OF MY SLIDERS regardless of those before or after. So YES when I see that MY 12 week window is delayed by an apparent 4 full weeks it does justify a cause for concern.

Be constructive or be quiet.

Nothing is delayed. You are an adult whining that you are not getting your thing before you were told you were going to get your thing. It’s embarrassing.

[Globetrotter78]

Originally Posted by andrew4r

Nothing is delayed. You are an adult whining that you are not getting your thing before you were told you were going to get your thing. It’s embarrassing.

Either you lack the intellectual capacity to process the inquiry I was posing or you are simply being a troll. Perhaps both.

I'll spell it out slowly and use small words just for you...

My order should be 4 weeks further along in the process than it is presently. With all things being constant, the logical conclusion would absolutely indicate a DELAY beyond the original date of delivery. My question was whether this is normal or have I chosen a manufacturer with a history of issues like that.

Stop being a douche.

[mrblah]

these companies are slow, but should meet their delivery times. There are companies out there that do not meet their delivery times by months or even years.

most places don't bother to update their website to give you a real time status of your order.

If they say 12 weeks, and you paid them, you gave them 12 weeks. Now if this was week 13, then you have the right to complain all day long.