Ball Joints/Meritor help needed.

[iamflagman]

BUMP!!!

Originally Posted by Stephen

the infamous m380 m450 ball joints will be available from ANY Meritor Dealer or distributor in North America
you do not have to order from one particular dealer
that was communicated to me by Shelly Beneteau senior manager customer service group Meritior on december 21 at 2;30 pm

Happy new year on the first day of the new world Mayan Style

[Dennis]

Please help me to understand the situation better. For example are you saying that once this initial order of ball joints has been sold they will no longer be available? That if I don't order them now - even though I do not need them - I risk not being able to ever get them from this or any other supplier? Also that no other bus currently in use or being manufacturered, blue bird or otherwise in this Country or others uses this part?

[susanmarycamilleri]

Dennis
I willl tell you what I think I know from following this topic both on and off the forum.
Apparently it has not been possible to get replacement ball joints for the 380 or the 450 (same ball joint) for the last couple of years. There were none available, and none being made, and no other bus using them.
Recently (start at the beginning of this thread and read it all) it appears that there are going to be replacement ball joints available. There are conflicting stories as to if this is a one time re-make, or if they will be available on an ongoing basis. Apparently the latest report is that they will be available on an ongoig basis.
I do know that there were none available before, and hopefully that is solved. However the story appears to change daily.
As I said a couple of posts ago, If I owned a 380 and I could buy ball joints now, I would, and I would make sure I had some spares, but that is just me. I am sure others will disagree.

Each M380/450 owner has to decide based on the huge amount of information supplied by this and other threads to do what he thinks is in his best interests. As for myself; I'm buying a full set for spares even though I do not need them and maybe will never need them. I just do not want to take the chance that (regardless of what Shelly is saying) if I need them sometime in the future; they will be available........

Here's a copy below of the email sent to Shelly and her response.\

I am not sure who provided him with that information, as I was unable to make contact directly with him. Last week I got an e-mail from our sales person Chris Redondo in the San Diego area advising me to increase the quantity on San Diego Friction’s order from 1 pc to 8 pcs. each.

We are having 8 pcs flown in, 4 additional pcs shipped via ocean freight, and if needed we can order more, now that we have a supplier developed. I do not know why it is being communicated that this is a one time buy and that they product is only available at San Diego Friction. Anyone that has access to Meritor product can order these parts. When orders start to appear on with us, we will in turn place orders with our supplier.
You are the fourth person today from the Wanderlodge group that has contacted me with this mis-information, and I have advised everyone that they best thing they can do is place an order for the quantity they need with their local distribution, so we can get a clear picture of what the market needs are.

I apologize for any confusion that may have been created.

Regards,

Shelly Beneteau




From: Chuck Millsap [mailto:millsap@roadrunner.com]
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 4:57 PM
To: Beneteau, Shelly R.
Subject: Ball Joints


Hello Shelly,

I am aware of the conversation you had with Andre, I will post below his interpretation of what you mentioned to him.

We have been ordering the parts from E.J. at San Diego Friction because he told me that this was a one time and one time only order. He said his contact at Meritor told him that.

Are the parts available on a one time basis, or are the parts going to be available on a on going basis??

Chuck

[Randy Dupree]

At least part of the problem here is too many people calling Meritor and not posting the info gleaned here on WOG.
Instead,they call each other and stir the pot on the back side.

I also got word that i had offended Shelly by saying that Meritor had a 50 million reasons to fill SDF's order.

Shelly,if i have offended you please accept my apology.
But,my phone number is all over this site,as is my email.
If you have something to say to me,simply call me.

Its very odd that we have a member here thats been needing ball joints for 10 months,and has spent hours and hours talking to Meritor with no hope or help in sight.

Now,with the prospect of losing 50 million bucks they magically appear,and they are a stock item,not hard to get at all?
WOW!!!!

Originally Posted by Randy Dupree

At least part of the problem here is too many people calling Meritor and not posting the info gleaned here on WOG.
Instead,they call each other and stir the pot on the back side.

I also got word that i had offended Shelly by saying that Meritor had a 50 million reasons to fill SDF's order.

Shelly,if i have offended you please accept my apology.
But,my phone number is all over this site,as is my email.
If you have something to say to me,simply call me.

Its very odd that we have a member here thats been needing ball joints for 10 months,and has spent hours and hours talking to Meritor with no hope or help in sight.

Now,with the prospect of losing 50 million bucks they magically appear,and they are a stock item,not hard to get at all?
WOW!!!!

Randy,

Also San Diego Friction had these parts on order for a year.

One correction, the $52 Million order was to Gillig, not to Meritor.
Meritor was to provide the axles for the ordered Gillig busses. We have no idea what dollar value that axle order from Gillig was for Meritor. We do know it was significant enough to get Meritor agressively hunting for a new source for the Ball Joints.

Chuck

[b1gsur]

Originally Posted by cmillsap

Randy,

Also San Diego Friction had these parts on order for a year.

One correction, the $52 Million order was to Gillig, not to Meritor.
Meritor was to provide the axles for the ordered Gillig busses. We have no idea what dollar value that axle order from Gillig was for Meritor. We do know it was significant enough to get Meritor agressively hunting for a new source for the Ball Joints.

Chuck

This will be my last post regarding the ball studs.

I personally feel we need to chill out and let Meritor do their thing until the new parts arrive. They have been pressured heavily recently, Shelly assured me today that we have a parts channel from the German company. They will provide what we need. Constant harassing them is not in out best interest. If they are reading this blog, then we should conduct ourselves as reasonable adults. I am not ordering now as I do not have an issue, however I am considering the split boot. City and county contractors are going to put a million miles on their buses and they will continue to need parts for at least 5 years I feel we have a few months to let this play out.

Dan

[Dan & Cindy]

Just placed my order with EJ at San Diego Friction for a full set of upper and lower M380 ball joints. He advises that he is still waiting to hear back on ETA and $$$. I don't need the ball joints now, but didn't want to miss the opportunity.

I do need a set of boots so I'm anxiously watching our progress.

[Icefixr66]

I too will need a set of boots, so Ryan, If you are reading this , count me in on production #s. Just post when they are available and where to send the check! Thanks in advance for ALL this time and effort you have put into this project

[Dennis]

What are the chances I will need ball joints and also boots? And how will I know when I need the ball joints?