PLEASE, Don't buy anything from Checkered Racing!

[Hex]

So while restoring my Nova a couple of years ago, I noticed my stock subframe was shot. All of the body and suspension mounting holes were rotted out and it was falling apart.





Not having $4500+ to dish out for a TCI or similar front subframe, someone pointed me to Checkered Racing. Only an hour or so drive from me, and made what appeared to be quality, heavy duty products at an affordable price. I started researching and found hundreds of people with their subframes or 4-link kits that seemed to love them.


So I spend $2500 or so, and bought a subframe, control arms, shocks and springs, spindles, disk brakes, rack and pinion, and crossmember.


The problems started from day 1.....


1. A friend of mine was going to be in their area of offered to pick it up for me. He delivered it, and I noticed that I didn't have any shocks. After a phone call with Checkered Racing, they didn't have them in stock and were drop shipping them, but I would need to buy a spring compressor to install the springs on them. (Sure, I'll just spend $100 more, no big deal).





The body bushings they sent me were solid aluminum. I knew this before hand. They were supposed to be 'precision cut on a lathe'. Let the pictures show you how precision cut they are. Oh and converting to stock style poly bushings would require LOTS of measuring and drilling on the subframe to make sure they were centered. I decided to try the solids.


Btw, these are the small ends of 2 different bushings. As you can see, they are extremely tapered. They measure as large as 1.12" on the big ends.








3. The springs themselves were supposed to be QA1 400 lb springs. They didn't have the QA1 label on them, and weren't the color of normal QA1 springs. They appeared to be knockoff springs.


4. I get the springs installed on the shocks and get them installed. I let the car down. The springs bottom out just sitting in the driveway, not even moving. I hadn't driven the car yet, but I was pretty sure this wasn't good.





5. I go to install the brake lines. The flexible lines that bolt to the caliper they sent me were completely wrong. They had a rectangular head on them, and the calipers have a round indent where the brake lines are supposed to bolt up. I call them up, "Sorry I didn't realize we had stopped using the other brake lines, I'll send you the correct ones. Just send yours back". I send them back, a month goes by. I call and he gets an attitude with me on the phone, but mails out the correct ones.


6. The 'correct' ones show up. Here are the banjo bolts that came with them. Needless to say, I had to buy new ones.





7. They were supposed to send everything needed to hook the stock steering column to the new steering rack. It included a U joint that was splined on one and a smooth on the other for the rack (this was fine), a piece of pipe for the shaft (still okay), and another U joint that was smooth on both ends. Nothing to connect it to the stock rag joint. I had to buy a smooth to splined U joint, and a splined Rag joint adapter (another $70), and then welded up the steering shaft.





8. So I go to bolt on my core support and front bumper after dealing with the brakes. The bracket holes in the front of the subframe are setup for a Camaro front bumper, not a Nova. I had to strap the bumper in place and then drill out the brackets to match the subframe.


9. I went to install the crossmember for the trans, which I asked them NOT to drill for for the trans mount, and they did. I had to redrill one hole and oval out another to get my trans mount to bolt to the crossmember.


10. I go to put the wheels on. The press-in studs for the front weren't working so good. 2 of the studs would spin when I tried to put a lug nut on them. Have to impact them on and then finish tightening by hand.


11. I go to get an alignment. The guy looked at it and said "Heim joint control arms"? That'll be $250 and 3 days, if I even feel like doing it. He was the only shop in town that would touch it.


12. First drive. Everything is fine. Go to hammer on it (Turbo 5.3) and when I let off, the car is all over the road. After that, I have steering wobble. Back to the alignment shop ($).


13. Next drive? Guess what happens. Steering wobble. Not sure whats going on. Take it to the house and get under it. This is what I find. The hole for the lower control arm mount was oval, and the control arm would just wobble around loosely.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThVU_o2VlLc


He sent me some new weld on plates that are part of their 'updated design'. I have to weld on these new plates with new washers and bolts. Then? Alignment.


14. I go to put it all back together and I notice that my ball joint boots are already shot. Oh and both of my lower ball joints have taken a crap on me, you can grab the bottom of the wheel while they are torqued down and wobble it back and forth on the ball joint.





15. The 'upgraded' brakes I ordered from them sucked. The calipers didn't have very much clamping force and there was brake dust everywhere in no time. I took them off to lube up the sliders and stuff on the brakes to quiet them down, and the steel backing plates on the pads had already come loose.


16. The ride was EXTREMELY rough from the bad springs. They DID send me new springs. Guess what? Real QA1s. They tried to argue the first set they sent were also QA1s. They also wanted to send me 450 lb springs to help with the collapse. I asked for 550s. The 550 lb springs work perfect.


17. After a few thousand miles, I lost brakes. I went to slow down from a pass and couldn't. Both feet jammed onto the pedal, it rolled to a slow stop. I get home, and the brake pads on both sides had shattered. I sent them a message and ask if they're trying to kill me. They reply with "No, but I'll send you new pads if I can find any laying around the shop". No thanks, I went and bought new Ceramic pads.





18. This morning I was working on the car a bit. Swapped intake/throttle body and went to go for a drive. Started up the car, pulled it into reverse. BANG. Oh crap, I tore up the trans maybe? No smoke, and couldn't find any other issues. Got back in, started up, put into reverse. Car wouldn't move. Looked under car and noticed the issue. A control arm had snapped. THANKFULLY it snapped in my driveway and not during a pass, or I would have been in serious trouble.





This isn't a drag car. There is a pink carseat in the back at all times. We take it everywhere. On cruises, to car shows, to the mall. I drive it to work all of the time. At this point, I don't feel safe driving it. I contact Checkered Racing. "We can just send you another control arm". No thanks. I don't feel safe with your stuff. A control arm was the best I was getting. I told them I may have to contact my lawyer. Their reply? "OK".




If any of you consider buying from Checkered Racing, I STRONGLY urge you not to. Your life isn't worth it.

[F-Body International]

This looks awful! I'm sorry to hear and see this story! Thank you for sharing a detailed review with pictures on the forum. Many just make random comments about certain suspension brands just by what someone else said. It's at least good to hear you consulted with them to try and fix the issues before posting.

[TheJDMan]

I especially like the banjo bolts. If they weren't so pathetic, it would be funny.

[rjsjea]

Wow, I was just looking at one of their back half kits.....

[Rod]

sorry you had so many issues with there junk, but I am glad you published it as a warning to help others, shops like that dont need to be in the industry, I'm sure your not the first one to have issues but most dont say anything and chalk it up to experience and move on

[Build-It-Break-It]

I actually bought a rear 4 link kit years ago for my camaro from them but never used it and sold the kit. I bought it because it was "made in the USA "and a great price.

I'm glad I sold it now. That's exactly why I made my feedback thread on the subframe I bought to. If no one speaks up others get scammed of hard earned money.

Thanks for making people aware. This should be moved to the feedback section

[David Pozzi]

You're lucky you didn't crash your car with that junk suspension on it. Thanks for the warning. I'm moving this to the Feedback section.

[Hex]

They have agreed to send me a new control arm and a return box for the old one for the time being.
Also, they're upgrading my horrible brakes from the GM single pistons to Wilwood 4-piston Dynalites.

[raustinss]

As they should ...but they should have never been that many mistakes in the first place.... Almost a case of too little too late

[Jetfixr320]

I think I would keep all the crappy parts including the broken A- arm. May need them for the lawsuit.

[Jetfixr320]

I would keep all the junk and broken parts, with your pictures and ask for a refund or sue them.

Better brakes may stress and break something else.

Holy Crap!

I think a Co-worker either bought or almost bought a 4-link from them for his 57 Chevy. Trying to find out now.

[BBPanel]

..... Looked under car and noticed the issue. A control arm had snapped......

Anymore details on this failure? pics of control arm off vehicle?

[MonzaRacer]

Where are these people located? Be nice to get address,pn, email. Googled the name found several by this name.
Used to be place near me with same name, but I was told they shut down. Somebody take over and dump quality?

[birdsandbowties]

man, this is sad to see , my friend used to own this place and I used to buy a ton of chassis parts from him all the time when I was building 32 fords , I knew he had sold the place to someone about 4 years ago.

I didn't think it would get to this , my stuff was always super top shelf quality , very fast shipping and prices were perfect since I was building to sell , he always gave me a discount and free shipping ...I miss building 32's :(

[birdsandbowties]

I was surfing ebay and found this ,,,,,,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bump-Steer-k...xWN4b7&vxp=mtr

[ProTour2V]

I had the Checkered Racing stuff on my nova. I had the same coil over issue with there being ZERO travel. I had to spend 500 to have a custom set of coil overs built and re located the coil over mounts. My fenders NEVER lined back up correctly too. I would have gone a different route if I had known.

[killer69]

I was surfing ebay and found this ,,,,,,



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bump-Steer-k...xWN4b7&vxp=mtr

the verbage says they make parts for Rat Rods. I would tend to agree 100%. I herd a saying once "Rat Rods just a good excuse to build JUNK!"