I ordered a replacement gear kit from E**ler's ahead of time in February.

Last week, I went to install it now that it's warmer but noticed that, physically, the thick rubber piece does not mate to the brass gear.

Digging through the shipping baggy, the gear is for 1997-1999 (car is 1999) and the rubber portion is for 2000-2004.

Long story short, I have a replacement (and the original) in-hand today and both share the SAME parts screw up.

QUESTION:: ---> Can I simply, albeit carefully, use my knife to trim the rubber portion to fit?

Is that all I need to do? As in, is that the only difference between these pieces is how they mate to the gear face?

If not, I'll have to waste more time in sending them back.

For those not in the know, apparently the 97-99 gears have thicker rounded ends where the 4 cross bars meet the outer gear wall while the 00-04 units must just have straight bars with no curvature at the end.

Thanks for any assistance on this one, guys.

 

Here is a cell pic of the two pieces ordered. Clearly gear for 97-99 and rubber insert for 00-04.



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Additional question -- when I finally get to the project, is white lithium grease usable for the gears?

 

Didn't want to hack them up.

The company is going to exchange them and confirm the NEWEST shipped products come with the correct parts for me.

At least while I drive around with the padiddle, it is a darned BLINDING paddidle.... I see every reflector and street sign vividly for a mile. BONUS: Laser and radar troopers can't hide unless they are unmarked.

 

Sent you a PM.

 

Outcome: 3rd shipment, 2nd attempt to correct and get the right part - failed

To their credit, they were very friendly and eager to resolve the problem with me each time I was in contact with them. I appreciate the response and that they offered free shipping. I believe their intent was to resolve it for me each time, but they were unable to do so. After sending two units back and reading the message below, I was hoping for resolution. Instead, I got the wrong part again. But only one of them, not two like I had shipped back.

"Hello,
Two call tags (prepaid labels) have been done today; the tracking numbers are: XXX and YYY

When we get the parts back before we send another 2 parts out to you, we will have our tech department pull the parts and check them out before we send them to you. Please let me know if I can be of any other assistance.

Thank You,
xxxxx"

Well, I have now been without a headlight since the end of January which should have been up and working again within a week. I am going to seek full refund and move along to the Rodney Dickman kit, instead. This is not a case where there is a grudge to hold against the vendor, but my faith in their service and their commitment to follow through on their word is lost. I don't see myself giving them business in the future.

PS - this regards a separate product, but I dealt with Zip while ordering a pair of Prothane Six Shooters for my torque tube and had excellent results. I ordered online and received notification that my order would be backordered. Since my need is timely (doing McLeod RST, Fidanza, slave/master cylinders, Pfadt tranny brace and a slew of other mods over THIS week) I called them up. I forgot the name of the guy I spoke to, but he checked inventory and confirmed they only had 1 left. Because he was quick, polite, accurate, and even went so far as to offer to fully refund my order ... I went ahead and ordered 1 of the 2 pieces from them. I had never heard of their outfit before searching on the forums here, and they DID just create a repeat customer.

In most cases, the parts can be had from "anywhere." I'm buying their customer relations work, and their ability to back and deliver on said work.