Why no love for Smittybilt?

thardy said:
Personal experience. I ran their classic sliders on my '14 2dr only because of the price point and I couldn't find any Rubi rails cheaper. Also because I won a 4wp gift card. They install on one side went just fine, but the other side was a pain in the ass. Everything hole along the pinch seam was just off enough to cause issues. That to me is a quality control issue. The welds on the unit themselves were amateur at best. Not to mention I have seen many a friend have issues with their products, be it design flaw (front bumper end plates catching a rock, bending back and creating a dangerous cutting hazard) or overall crappy build quality (full front bumper on a TJ not taking a 30mph collision without totalling the jeep). To me it's just not worth the money to take the risk, thus why I do what I can to steer people away from them.
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This is what I was looking for...thanks for the input.
 
For me, it's all about 'buy once' quality products. Some people may conceive it as being a brand whore, but as some have mentioned, my hard earned money is going on stuff that is proven to work and if at all possible, made in America. I have owned my share of Mercedes, Land Rovers, etc and can say I enjoy the iconic American Jeep more than any of them. Bottom line for me, I'm not hanging cheap Chinese crap on my Jeep. As far a Smittybilt specifically, it really is cheap crap. I've had some Smitty stuff and as everyone has already stated, it's garbage. That must be why Starwood uses it all the time! 😝
 
Gradylvr said:
Sorry for the confusion. Just trying to understand the hate from a relatively new Jeep owner.
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"hate" is the way YOU are choosing to see what you don't understand.

Try to step back and not add in emotions to what you're reading and it'll help a lot.
 
Gradylvr said:
Sorry for the confusion. Just trying to understand the hate from a relatively new Jeep owner.
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Again, it's not hate. Like I said, I ran their product on my last Jeep. But I also knew the risk. They were sliders that I had every intention of changing out. I also had EVO rock skins so that in the event of the sliders failing, I still had some protection for the body of the Jeep.

You have to understand something here in Wayalife. If you ask members opinions, you will get a completely unbiased opinion. But be prepared because it might not be what you want to hear. Fact of the matter is that it's YOUR jeep, so run what makes you happy. But if you asked for our opinion, chose not to listen, be prepared for an "I told you so".
 
Gradylvr said:
Ha. Okay. I guess that's my reason for starting the post....want to hear folks that have experience with it not holding up. As for KIA and Hyundai I think they are well respected brands with great quality control...from what I hear.
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If you had friends working in Risk Management for say the County in which you live in you would probably respect them less. I know what hitting a simple pot hole in the winter with one of the fore mentioned brands cost for a repair mainly because more parts are damaged on them vs the same pot hole and with most other brands . That not just some ones opinion . As they say "It is what it is " like it or not .
 
I have the smittybilt src rock rails, one side went on easy, the other not so well. The powdercoat has been fine, they've taken a beating and held up.
I recently had them powder coated again since I was touching them up with whatever paint I had at the time.
the new powder coating really makes the welds stand out but they've held up.
they've been on the jeep for 4yrs
I will be replacing them because the last wheeling trip on my 37s I noticed where the rails hang low they were catching the ledges.
it's hit or miss but they've served their purpose well.
 
Just yesterday I was in Ouray wheeling and a friend had a smittybilt winch. Wouldn't get him up the "wall" on Poughkeepsie and I had to use my Warn winch. His was actually rated higher but something was wrong with the clutch. He had never used it because I had to cut the zip tie holdings the controller cable.

Poor QC in my book.
 
Ive never had smitty built products other then a cab cover just because like others have mentioned their quality just isnt there. I do have to say though the cab cover does its job and keeps the rain out. Thats the only good thing I can say about them. I know a friend of mine put a set of their sliders on his rig and they rode the body.
 
Honestly I run the fenders. And won't run anything else from them. Even the GEAR seat covers don't fit right.

They earned the name shitty bilt for a reason
 
2Cross said:
Just yesterday I was in Ouray wheeling and a friend had a smittybilt winch. Wouldn't get him up the "wall" on Poughkeepsie and I had to use my Warn winch. His was actually rated higher but something was wrong with the clutch. He had never used it because I had to cut the zip tie holdings the controller cable.

Poor QC in my book.
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Sounds pretty accurate.
 
Do you have any Smittybilt items that are great? If so, I love to hear about it. I'm all for functional at a good price that lasts.[/QUOTE]

Actually, I do. Have their SRC front bumper on my '14. Liked the design because of the rub bars that extend in front of the wheels. I live in Pa and deer are a problem on the roads. I liked the design because it would help to keep one from getting caught up in the suspension/wheel well area and make a hell of a mess if I ever hit one. Just this past Friday a teenager pulled out in front of me from a behind a line of traffic. I hit her with my passenger side front from her A pillar forward. Thankfully no injuries but unfortunately her car was totaled. I have some damage but was able to drive home thanks in large part to this bumper. It's slightly bent but honestly, at first glance there is not much damage to it. As hard as the hit was all of the welds held up and the bars did their job. Thumbs up for this bumper.
 
I ran a set of their rock sliders with their rock skins and they rubbed causing an annoying vibration in the cab.. Some would think that since they are marketed and sold together that they would work together but thats not at all true. #shittybilt
 
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I have their SRC Rock rails and their bowless top. The rock rails are ok. They went on pretty easy, so no issues there. They've taken some mediocre, at best, hits on some rocks. My wife wanted something with steps to get into and out of the jeep. The top is an absolute turd. The first one they sent me started leaking from the center seam and would drop water onto my sound bar and collect into a nice puddle on the passenger side rear floor mat. The header bar would not sit flush enough to the windshield frame and would actually lift up while driving at highway speeds. Again, letting water hit me in the face when raining. Quadratec sent me another one, and this time the header channel seats nicely and no leaks as of yet this one has been on the jeep for about a month and a half. The cross bars for the top suck big time. The end pieces are plastic and if they dont break upon install, they just flap around with the top and slap the door frames. As everyone else has said, you get what you pay for. I tried to save money and all it did was cost me more in the long run. I'll run this top however until it leaks again of something else happens. Then I'll just apply the credit toward a besttop.
 
Honestly I have Smittybilt rock rails on my Jeep I've used them so far they seem to be holding up pretty well but I think that's honestly the only piece I've ever used from that company on any of my vehicles
 
Pure shit on the sliders. My JK-8 had the sliders installed when I bought it. On one side the tube rubbed the paint off and dented in the side of the rocker. On the other side it dented the pinch seem up.

The jeep was never been wheeled. Bad fitment. Had I wheeled this and hit the slider it would have damaged the tub. Anyone that wheels with these and think they are protecting their jeeps are insane or don't really wheel.

Needless to say it was the first thing removed my jk8.

Piece of shit
 
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