Windshield, 84 CJ7

[keith460]

Here, send them these pictures:

Cutting the off the extra wide lip from Crown frame


Crown Auto frame with wide bottom lip


OEM Jeep frame

[4motion]

Thx. But why does Crown and 4WD say, that they don't know this problem and that there is no new, corrected version of the Crown windshield frame? Keith, I thought you talked to Crown about this months ago.

[keith460]

Originally Posted by 4motion

Keith, I thought you talked to Crown about this months ago.

I did, and that is why I'm saying it is BS that they do not know about the problem. I payed a visit to the company back in July, in Canton MA about the issues with some of there products and even directed them, while I was there, to websites like this Jeep forum and Photobucket. They even showed me a new windshield frame when I was there and we went over all the flaws it had but it did not have the extra wide lip at the base. In other words, that problem was fixed. Now I wish I had seen the difference in the thicknesses, but I had not seen that issue beforehand. I'll have to take more photos and e-mail them on that issue as well but that will take time.

Crown Automotive has been making Jeep replacement parts since 1962 and most parts were made in the USA but now they are forced to move manufacturing to China, Taiwan and Mexico in order to remain competitive with pricing just like everyone else. They are also well aware of "word-of-mouth" advertisement that can kill their marketing sales when discussion forums, like this one, gets around on the internet that everyone sees and reads. I'm sure they will read this one as I write this because their management monitors such forums just like we do. I was told it was how they found out about the frame issues, dash lights glowing like night lights and dash pull knobs coming off when pulled. Yes it is unfortunate that we, the consumers, become the guinea pigs for testing and seeing flaws in their replacement parts and tend to be their R&D department while they fix problems for future customers. If they don't fix problems, they simply go out of business.

[4motion]

So who's lying and why are they still selling these old versions? 4WD now told me that I have to take pics of my windshield frame and that they will check with Crown. Crown is still saying to them that they do not have two versions.

[keith460]

At least 4WD is asking you to take pictures as they simply blew me off about the issue back February and I sent them pictures, numerous phone calls......they did nothing. That was the last time I bought from them and never will buy from a company who neglects or doesn't support their customers. I work in the Customer Service Department of our company for the last 27 years on much larger scale type of equipment for the baking industry and we "never" BS our customers or blow them off even for the most simplest of things. It's the reason we have repeat customers and will go out of our way to solve something that usually does not cost the customer anymore money.

The "wrong versions" of the windshield frames are simply NOS (New Old Stock) that 4WD wants to get rid of and your the one who got one. Crown doesn't have two versions, they simply had their supplier modified the manufacturing procedures to correct the flaws in the frame and still use the same part number. The part number is all that 4WD sees and goes by and that is why they are considered the "middleman" and you are the end user. We need the middleman in order to purchase parts from the supplier as we cannot buy directly from that supplier.