Just finished the Wide Glide conversion on my 2006 FXDI Super Glide using 3 degree Wide Glide polished triple trees from Cass County Choppers. They offer these trees for sale on eBay and from their website at casscountychoppers.com. I made the purchase directly from their website.

I was not impressed with Cass County Choppers at all. They must be the "Earl Scheib" of custom motorcycle shops. First, they were late shipping the trees. Not a big deal, but late none-the-less. They said they would press the stem in the lower tree before shipping, then didn't do it. The most prevalent issue, the trees did not fit. The stem was too long. When assembled, the adjustment nut would bottom out on the threads before it contacted and seated the bearings in the races. And lastly, the fork stops do not allow for use of the fork lock.

I e-mailed them about the trees not fitting correctly and was told I was doing something wrong. I called to speak with them and was told I they would call me right back. I never did get a call. I e-mailed back and forth with them, basically being told I didn't know what I was doing each time. A quote from their final e-mail before I politely told them to kiss my *** (and this was cut and pasted from the e-mail), "Use a spacer then. The frame you have must not be to the specs of a2006-2009 Dyna." Never once did they offer to replace the trees or give me a stem of correct length.

If you are considering making a purchase from them, especially Dyna owners considering the use of their triple trees, I invite to review the rest of this post. It outlinines my dealings with them. Every e-mail that follows was cut and pasted. Nothing was edited (exceptformatting) as I am trying to remain objective.

Feel free to PM or e-mail me if you have questions.

Feedback and comments are welcome.

John

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E‐mail to Cass County Choppers on October 27, 2009

Hello:

Last week, I placed an order from your website for a set of 3 degree wide glide polished triple trees for a Dyna with 49 mm fork tubes. It was stated that these would ship out Today (10/27) or tomorrow. Can you verify that they are still on schedule.

Thanks,
John Pancoast

E‐mail from Cass County Choppers on October 27, 2009

Yes so far these are still on schedule to ship today or tomorrow.
Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on October 27, 2009

Thanks so much for the good service. I am really in hopes of doing the work this weekend, hence the priority shipping. In addition, thanks for pressing the stem in the lower tree.

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Phone call to Cass County Choppers on October 29, 2009

Called to verify trees were shipped by October 28, 2009. They said no, they were shipped on the 29th.
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Trees arrive on October 31, 2009

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E‐mail to Cass County Choppers on November 01, 2009

Ron:

I purchased a set of Wide Glide 3 degree polished triple trees for a 49mm Dyna from you and received them yesterday, This morning (Sunday), I removed my old trees and started installing yours to find the stem is too long. The stock stem measures approximately 8 5/8", while yours is
approximately 8 7/8".

How can I get this corrected as soon as possible?

Thanks,
John
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E‐mail from Cass County Choppers on November 02, 2009

It should be no problem once you have pressed the stem in place on the triple tree. If I remember correctly our lower triple tree is thicker where the stem presses in ,so that may be what you are seeing when you hold the two stems together. We have sold several of these and no one else has complained at all about the stem being too long. Actually some have wanted the stem to be a little longer. Have you actually tried the triple trees with the stem in place on the bike? You can have someone cut down the
stem for you or you can cut it yourself. However, it should be the correct length and no problem once you have pressed it in place in the triple tree.

Ron Mirick

Phone call to Cass County Choppers on November 02, 2009

I called them at 10:30am EST to discuss the above e‐mail and the issues I was having with the install of their triple trees. A female stated Ron was with a customer and would call me right back.
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E‐mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03. 2009

Ron:

I waited yesterday for you to return my call in hopes you could help me correct this issue with your triple trees.

I tried to install the trees before I sent you the prior e-mail. The problem with the stem length is that it is too long. When the adjustment nut is threaded onto the stem, it bottoms out on the threaded area before it compresses and seats the steering head bearings in the neck's cups. The threaded area of your stem is the same length as the threaded area of the OEM stem, but because your stem is longer, the threaded area stops before it reaches the dust cover and upper steering head bearing. Your trees, using your stem, do not work on the application for which you listed them, my 2006 FXDI.
Again, what can be done to correct this as quickly as possible.

Thanks,
John

E‐mail from Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

John,

I was extremely busy yesterday and I am sorry I did not get back to you.
The problem you are having with the length is because you are not installing the tapered stem nut onto the stem under the top triple tree. The tapered nut is flat on one side and the other side is tapered to fit into the tapered recess in the bottom of the top triple tree. Thread the nut onto the stem with the flat towards the bearings and taper pointing to the sky. The taper is what locks the top triple tree onto thestem and also centers it on the stem. The tapered nut is scalloped for lack of a better word on the outside
edge so you can tighten it with a spanner wrench. You can also use a regular wrench if your careful. That is what preloads the neck bearings, NOT the top tree. The flat nut that goes on top of the top triple tree only locks the top tree to the tapered nut and therefore to the stem. Then the chrome cover goes over the top. That is the issue with the length. If you lost the tapered nut you can purchase one from any local motorcycle shop or we sell some we
make with a hex for around $12 I think. I will check if you want to buy ours. A local shop may be a cheaper place to get them. JP cycles also sells them.
Let me know if you still have a problem but I am sure that will take care of the issue. Hope all else goes well.

Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

Ron:

I assembled the front end as you outlined. I have done several front end assemblies and am aware of the assembly procedure.and the correct orientation of the adjustment nut under the upper tree. Again, the stem is too long not allowing enough thread for the flat side of the adjustment nut to travel to touch the upper bearing, much less seat the bearings in their cups.

John

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

John,

What bike/frame you are working on? What year? Are you using standard bearings? Did you replace the bearings with something different? Did you install different races? Did you include all the washers, spacers, etc when you reassembled it?

We have sold many of these and I have not had one person complain that the stem is too long. I have had people complain about the stem being a little short though. You could always put a spacer under the lower tree or under the tapered nut to get the correct spacing. There are 2 different tapered nuts with different thicknesses. You could try that also.

I am sorry but I am guessing that something is not assembled correctly. Not doubting you or suggesting that you do not know what your doing but we all make mistakes once in awhile. Hope this helps.

Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

Ron:

The parts order in the assembly:

Chrome stem nut cover
Stem/Steering head nut
Hardened stem/steering head washer
Top clamp
Adjustment nut (with tapered side up - flat side down
Dust shield washer
Upper steering head bearing
Upper bearing cup
Lower bearing cup
Lower steering head bearing
Dirt shield washer
Lower clamp with stem pressed in

I am working on a 2006 FXDI Dyna Super Glide. Everything in the 29 degree neck is factory. No raked cups or bearing have been installed. These are the original bearing ands cups installed at the factory. No modifications have been made to the frame or neck. A thicker tapered adjustment nut will not help because the threads do not run down the stem enough to screw it so it contacts and compresses the dust shield and upper head bearing. Regardless of what thickness adjustment nut is used, there is too much length between the top of the lower tree and the lowest point which the adjustment nut will thread on the stem. This measurement is greater than the measurement from the bottom of the lower bearing to the top of the upper bearing when seated in the races installed in the neck. In order to be correct, the stem needs to have the capability for this measurement to be less, not greater.

John

E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

John,

Use a spacer then. The frame you have must not be to the specs of a2006-2009 Dyna.

Ron Mirick

E-mail to Cass County Choppers on November 03, 2009

Ron:

That is a ridiculous response. All Dynas from 06 and up have the same frame necks except the Wide Glide. The product you sold me is not right for these applications, I will make a spacer and make due using a part I paid over $300 for and is not what I ordered.

Your customer service is terrible. First, you were late shipping my order. Secondly, your company said they would press the stem in prior to shipping and it wasn't done. Third, and most prevalent, I had an issue with the product you sold and you offered nothing to correct the issue except to make excuses and blame my ability to assemble the parts. Nothing you have
suggested makes the parts you sold fit as I was led to believe they would.
I look forward to sharing my experience with you on the different forums of which I am a member. I feel I will be doing perspective customers of your products a favor advising them of the money, time, and efforts I wasted dealing with Cass County Choppers.

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E-mail from Cass County Choppers on November 04, 2009

John,

I can only assume you have something wrong with your frame or you have a different model year or something like that. Since I have sold 127 of these triple tree sets and I have had no complaints on installation problems at all.
I cannot diagnose a problem in which I have never had any experience with. I do not know what you have done or what has been done to the frame you are working on. You could have a bike that was produced with a 2005 frame but built in 2006, I simply do not know.

The parts were shipped on time, you got them at the exact time you wanted them this last weekend. You said you were installing them on Sunday right?
The products are RIGHT for the application we sell them for. You have some other issue going on. We have sold way too many of these for them not to be correct. Our record speaks for itself. And by the way you paid less than $300 and the closest competitor to us is over twice that amount.

Ron Mirick

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This was my last correspondance with them.

The cost of this purchase:

Trees - $285.00
Shipping USPS Priority w/Insurance - $31.70

Total cost - $316.70

 

Sounds obvious that the stem was not threaded enough.
What are the chances of the frame not being to spec,LOL!

So their policy is to blame the problems on the customer?Thats nice!

 

Don't know why OP being would bring up paying over 300 for the trees when he paid 285 for them, shipping has nothing to do with the price of the part. Cass County was assinine to bring up that the trees are 2x more somewhere else, maybe it's ok to not sell a correct stem if you sell it for less? At the very least he should have offered to re-thread the stem the extra length OP wanted and shipped it back to him for free.

 

I agree if you order something it needs ot be 100% right. I also agree if the guy sold 127 of these and you are the only issue, then I can understand him doubting you. I agree they should have sent you another stem if it were wrong, but if all the stems they make for that year are the same size, then what are they supposed to do?

I ran into the same problem when I did a wide glide conversion on my sportster, they gave me the wrong stem 3 times. Luckily for me I was working with a local shop that I could drive to, it was 30 min away, but atleast they resolved the issue.

I guess my question is do you still have them if so, run the spacer like he said or go have the stem chopped and re-threaded. This would cost about $10 at a machine shop if that. If you do not want to deal with it, then PM me and I would be interested in buying them

 

His very own words, could he think that possibly this applys to him as well? i would take them to a reputable machine shop, get the work done i needed and never do business with this guy agian.

 

I have installed these trees using a spacer I made. The fork stops are positioned incorrectly and the fork lock does not work.

This ******* had more issues with these trees than just me. I have spoken with others who received incorrect stems for their Dyna applications. They had contacted Cass County about the stems.

Ron Mirick lied when he said I was the only one who had problems.

They have since stopped taking orders and selling trees, except to deplete their stock. I only hope I was a enough of a pain in his *** to contribute to that.

 

I think that the point of this thread is to determine if he is the only one or not. I agree it is good to get feedback. It would be good to see how many have had issues and how many have not.

It is tough to pick a side with out having these myself. Good thread though.

 

Being the originator of this thread, I feel i can speak on the point of it. It is offered to provide information to anyone who has or is considering doing business with a guy who is selling potentially good products which fall short of his representation of them.

No one is asked to choose sides. Again, the intent was to pass on information, not solicit support. The side a person takes will be determined when they decide to spend their money with Cass County or not. I decided to spend my money with them and I got screwed. When I bought this to their attention, they felt the screwing was OK with them.

 

So did you end ip using them? If not do you want to sell them. On thing I have learned about aftermarket parts is the are never perfect. I agree it should be 100%, but it normally do not happen that way.

 

127 sold doesn't meant there correct. I have installed HVAC products that had wrong directions, wrong part numbers, even missing parts on all units sold. and were talking thousands of units sold. And when we bring it to there attention the problem is fixed on there new units and we are given the replacement parts/accessories needed to make it function properly. If i ever had a problem such as this with a manufacturer i would never use them again and recommend that my other friends in the industry did the same.