[Slick]

I ordered mine many months ago. When the rest of the order arrived promptly, I contacted customer service. Nice people. Over the weeks and months I kept getting the same story: We are waiting for the collars to arrive from the vendor. Should be in in a week or two at most.

Well, last week I received a definitive date: July 17th the collars will be delivered to Ames. Hopefully we will get our steering wheels soon thereafter, so we can stop steering with vise grips (LOL).

I'm told something like 54 are on backorder!

I wonder if amongst the talented people on this board, there isn't a talented person who could whittle one up in a CNC machine, drill and tap a few holes and paint on crinkle paint!

Oh well, only five more weeks to wait.

[Ccass]

This is your host that is causing the delays! Max Performance (formerly Performance Years) makes the collars. We have 145 orders. Our supplier has had troubles delivering this part. It's a pretty complicated product requiring several different operations including the spline, aluminum casting, cnc and wrinkle paint.

The reason why you can't cnc these collars is because the part that goes over the column and holds it in place (spline) is part of this assembly. It requires a very unique process as the spline is hardened and chamfered.

I'll double check and confirm whether that promised date is accurate.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by Ccass

This is your host that is causing the delays! Max Performance (formerly Performance Years) makes the collars. We have 145 orders. Our supplier has had troubles delivering this part. It's a pretty complicated product requiring several different operations including the spline, aluminum casting, cnc and wrinkle paint.

The reason why you can't cnc these collars is because the part that goes over the column and holds it in place (spline) is part of this assembly. It requires a very unique process as the spline is hardened and chamfered.

I'll double check and confirm whether that promised date is accurate.

Okay, it is after July 17. Have you been able to confirm that the July 17 delivery date occurred? If not, is there a new delivery date? Failing that, and after reading some of the remarks about the quality of the product, I'd consider going another direction.

But for now, let's hope the assemblies are being put together for delivery.

Thanks,

Stuart

[Slick]

Called Ames customer service today. No joy. No predictions. No idea when collars will arrive, or even if they will.

Insert sad face.

[Ccass]

Originally Posted by Slick

Okay, it is after July 17. Have you been able to confirm that the July 17 delivery date occurred? If not, is there a new delivery date? Failing that, and after reading some of the remarks about the quality of the product, I'd consider going another direction.

But for now, let's hope the assemblies are being put together for delivery.

Thanks,

Stuart

Sigh..... We kind of came through. They are produced and in route to us and this was done prior to the deadline. Sadly, there was a missed communication and they are arriving by boat. The new date is Mid August.

That being said, Of the couple non glowing comments about the wheels and/or the collars, if you consider that thousands have been purchased, installed and enjoyed, overall they would receive very high marks.

What we are admittedly guilty of is a very long delay in this last production run. Again I apologize. :(

[scott70]

mid August is better than nothing...i don't know where on the waiting list I am . I know i got on it around the beginning of the year.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by scott70

mid August is better than nothing...i don't know where on the waiting list I am . I know i got on it around the beginning of the year.

You are probably ahead of me, I think I got on in February, but I don't remember.

[Ccass]

Originally Posted by scott70

mid August is better than nothing...i don't know where on the waiting list I am . I know i got on it around the beginning of the year.

There is enough to fill all backorders. So once we get them and send to Ames, they should be able to fill all backorders within a day or two I would think.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by Ccass

Sigh..... We kind of came through. They are produced and in route to us and this was done prior to the deadline. Sadly, there was a missed communication and they are arriving by boat. The new date is Mid August.

That being said, Of the couple non glowing comments about the wheels and/or the collars, if you consider that thousands have been purchased, installed and enjoyed, overall they would receive very high marks.

What we are admittedly guilty of is a very long delay in this last production run. Again I apologize. :(

Thanks for the update. The CSR on the line was less well informed. I appreciate the sentiment and the apology, while not necessary, is very kind.

As to the "less than glowing reports", I'm still willing to see for myself! After all, millions of Chevy guys don't give Pontiacs very high Mark's, but hey, I do!

Stuart

[Ccass]

Originally Posted by Slick

Thanks for the update. The CSR on the line was less well informed. I appreciate the sentiment and the apology, while not necessary, is very kind.

As to the "less than glowing reports", I'm still willing to see for myself! After all, millions of Chevy guys don't give Pontiacs very high Mark's, but hey, I do!

Stuart

In order for the Ames CSR to have known this info, they would have had to call us 'yet again'. You can't blame them for throwing their hands up at some point. We took so long, that's kind of what happens in this industry. You get tired of giving your customer a date, then the date is missed and you have to make excuses to all those you promised a date to.

[1965gp]

Originally Posted by Ccass

Sigh..... We kind of came through. They are produced and in route to us and this was done prior to the deadline. Sadly, there was a missed communication and they are arriving by boat. The new date is Mid August.

That being said, Of the couple non glowing comments about the wheels and/or the collars, if you consider that thousands have been purchased, installed and enjoyed, overall they would receive very high marks.

What we are admittedly guilty of is a very long delay in this last production run. Again I apologize. :(

I am very happy with the condition of the wheels when new- as I said I ordered another one. I just would not expect them to last over 6 years. New wheel is on the car now and feels great.

[scott70]

it will interesting to see what the measurements are. Here is one I got off a different vendor back in December and sent it back because it was damaged and it was the only one they had. Ames didn't have any at the time I think. People were complaining that when the collar was installed there was a big gap between the collar and the steering column. I never tried to install the damaged one but I did run a straight edge over the one end ,,you can see there is a slight gap where the part that will touch the column sits lower. I wonder if these new ones will be the same or with a bigger gap. The bigger the air gap will make the gap tighter between the collar and the column.

[burd]

How did that break?

[Mike Kelliher]

Originally Posted by scott70

Got mine today,,,,looks good. Hopefully the installation goes smooth.

Getting mine at the end of the week..ordered in May' 2020, cant wait to install..

[Slick]

Mine showed up Thursday. A very kind lady from Ames called a few days before that and asked that I not say anything for a bit since she had lots of calls to make. Examined it last night, looks great. Rim texture and paint finish different from OEM but not drastically so.

I'm quite pleased with what I have and with the quality of Ames' CSRs.

Additionally want to thank Ccass for his information.

Stuart

[1965gp]

I ordered a formula wheel two weeks ago to replace the one I bought 5-6 years ago and got it right away- fast shipping but I think you are waiting on other parts?

FYI these wheels have about a 5 year shelf life. Both the one in my 70 GTO and 79 TA started falling apart at the same interval. The price is reasonable and cheaper than getting it wrapped in leather so I just bought another one. I will say the quality of the wheels are excellent, the just break up after a while. That’s not really Ames fault.

[Slick]

1965GP, I'm guessing that you already had the collar, horn assembly, etc. and that you bought only the steering wheel.

I needed the entire kit. Thd holdup is the collars. Now if you got one with the collar, our sponsor has some 'splainin' to do, as Ricky Ricardo used to say

Stuart

[Slick]

Originally Posted by 1965gp

I ordered a formula wheel two weeks ago to replace the one I bought 5-6 years ago and got it right away- fast shipping but I think you are waiting on other parts?

FYI these wheels have about a 5 year shelf life. Both the one in my 70 GTO and 79 TA started falling apart at the same interval. The price is reasonable and cheaper than getting it wrapped in leather so I just bought another one. I will say the quality of the wheels are excellent, the just break up after a while. That’s not really Ames fault.

Understand, is there anything you could suggest, in the way of a coating or treatment, applied when new, that might prolong the life of the wheel?

[Ccass]

Originally Posted by Slick

Understand, is there anything you could suggest, in the way of a coating or treatment, applied when new, that might prolong the life of the wheel?

There are 2 brands of wheels out there. Ours and Parts Place. Ours is softer and we have two thickness's. 70-72 and 73-76. When you press your thumb on the foam, it gives a bit.

We put one on my Bandit car 10 years ago. It was still perfect when I sold it last June. I suppose a car sitting in the hot sun a lot would accelerate that decline of the wheel. I never put any type of protectant on the wheel.

So my thoughts would be to keep it out of direct sun as much as possible. There's really not much else you can do.

[65madgoat]

Do these wheels now have better metal centers?

Previous experience with these is the metal is super flimsy and bends easily....


If you can't find a good OEM steering wheel, the LeCarra copy of the formula wheel is such a better built wheel.