Dave Smith Motors Sucks!

[Desert92020]

So I order a new 3500 Diesel from Dave Smith Motors. I have them install a flatbed for me, and what they sent me was garbage. Look at the photos. They took a torch and cut 4 big notches in the frame rails on the bed. They took a 4" frame rail and basically cut it in half, cutting the structural integrity in half. After I called them, Bob Cameron the Manager told me they have installed 100's of these beds, and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with what they sold me. 100's of beds. I was in shock. This clown is not qualified to clean toilets and he is outfitting new trucks. You look at the pictures and draw you own conclusions. No upper management will return my calls or emails. They think I will go away. They are wrong. Dave Smith Motors is a bunch of lying con artists. You were warned.

 

[crash68]

Appearantly Sundowner in Georgia does a similar installation. Sounds like the notching is required due to the truck not being chassis cab version.
(watch at about :55 seconds)

 

[JB1]

Damn that’s crazy, notching the frame may be necessary but they should add a brace or some kind of support to compensate

 

[chrisbh17]

Damn that’s crazy, notching the frame may be necessary but they should add a brace or some kind of support to compensate

Yeah, I think they should "box" the inside of the notch to provide more strength.

 

[Desert92020]

Appearantly Sundowner in Georgia does a similar installation. Sounds like the notching is required due to the truck not being chassis cab version.
(watch at about :55 seconds)

Wrong. There is no logical reason to notch the frame rails. There are no interference's and the rails sit well above the spring purchase's. Only 2 reasons why someone would hack up a new truck bed. Ignorance and stupidity.

 

[crash68]

Wrong. There is no logical reason to notch the frame rails. There are no interference's and the rails sit well above the spring purchase's. Only 2 reasons why someone would hack up a new truck bed. Ignorance and stupidity.

Seeing that two different dealers installed it the same way, there has to be some reason for it.
Bad mouthing a dealer without knowing all the facts also shows ignorance and stupidity. I guessing you can try to raise a stink about this but it's not going to go far. Did it ever occur to you that the flatbed comes from CM notched like that?

 

[adrianp89]

Welcome, first off you are posting in the wrong section. This is for 5th gens only.

Secondly, have you researched how it is normally done on this truck? I am sure there is a reason. It is a lot more work to cut and re-finish the metal. They wouldn't do it if they didn't need to. Time is money, especially the volume that Dave Smith does.

Lastly, if you approached them the way you approached your first post, you will not get anywhere. I can understand being upset, but being respectful and firm is going to get you a lot further than being an ******* tossing out insults.

At this point you should do your homework, find out what is normal. If this is normal then move on. If it is not, then again be nice but firm and explain it to Dave Smith. If they cannot find a proper resolution for you, then get a lawyer.

 

[stimpy433]

Searching YouTube it looks like a common installation practice.... but don't see why they would of had to do it on your bed by the photos you posted.

 

[tjfdesmo]

Why not call CM Truck Bodies? I drove right by one of their plants in Madill, OK last Tuesday.

 

[stimpy433]

Why not call CM Truck Bodies? I drove right by one of their plants in Madill OK last Tuesday.

X2, they even have a "chat" feature on their website.

 

[Desert92020]

Welcome, first off you are posting in the wrong section. This is for 5th gens only.

Secondly, have you researched how it is normally done on this truck? I am sure there is a reason. It is a lot more work to cut and re-finish the metal. They wouldn't do it if they didn't need to. Time is money, especially the volume that Dave Smith does.

Lastly, if you approached them the way you approached your first post, you will not get anywhere. I can understand being upset, but being respectful and firm is going to get you a lot further than being an ******* tossing out insults.

At this point you should do your homework, find out what is normal. If this is normal then move on. If it is not, then again be nice but firm and explain it to Dave Smith. If they cannot find a proper resolution for you, then get a lawyer.

Already have a lawyer. And my first post comes after a whole month of dealing with these people. Nobody in upper management would talk with me. Ever. From day one. FYI, I own a manufacturing company. My partner in that business is a mechanical engineer. I have done the homework . I'm the one that just spent $63,000 for a brand new truck, I got a hacked up mess. I'm just trying to share this with others so that they won't have an issue. Don't believe me? Just read all the bad experiences on Yelp for Dave Smith Motors.

 

[Desert92020]

Searching YouTube it looks like a common installation practice.... but don't see why they would of had to do it on your bed by the photos you posted.

You don't see why they would cut it because it makes no sense. Those are the main longitudinal support members for the bed. We load 6,500 lbs. on these trucks on a regular basis. We put it in SOLIDWORKS to check it and the failures occurred in the corners of the notches.

 

[Desert92020]

Welcome, first off you are posting in the wrong section. This is for 5th gens only.

Adrian,

I have heard that Dave Smith Motors sells 5th gens too.

 

[Desert92020]

Seeing that two different dealers installed it the same way, there has to be some reason for it.
Bad mouthing a dealer without knowing all the facts also shows ignorance and stupidity. I guessing you can try to raise a stink about this but it's not going to go far. Did it ever occur to you that the flatbed comes from CM notched like that?

I know ALL the facts.

It makes absolutely no difference who cut the frame rails up, If Dave Smith Motors installed a new Dodge transmission in my truck with a hole in the case I could stick my fist through, who would be responsible for that?
Dodge? to some degree, but Dodge didn't install it. The dealer, Dave Smith did.

These frame rails represent the main longitudinal support members for the entire bed. I don't know the facts sir? Well I asked for the engineered drawings for this bed, showing the huge torch cuts hacked out of the frame rails in the stamped engineer drawings. You want to guess what their answer was?

 

[Punishher7]

I wouldn’t trust a volume dealer, especially the size of Dave Smith, for anything custom. I’ve bought my last two trucks there and have gotten great deals. Mind you it took hours of dickering but in the end I left VERY happy. You likely signed a document talking about how anything not factory was “as is”. Did you read the fine print?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hardracer]

Does look like that's a big screw up from your pics..doesn't look like it was needed.why was it cut?let alone cut that much.
What's your lawyer say?

 

[soapy]

I had a Duramax with a flat bed mounted on it that I bought used. Who ever installed the flat bed used wood 4x4s to bring the bed up so they would not have to notch it like what happened to yours. Certainly not the best solution but better than notching the frame of the bed. Some good square tube or channel iron should have been used if clearance was an issue.

 

[ford40]

It looks like the notches were cut at the factory then power coated .

 

[tjfdesmo]

Have you spoken to CM?

I understand what you are saying, and I understand it is the principle of it, but for the time you have devoted to your much deserved rant, you could have fishplated it, and been on the road instead of getting an ulcer.

 

[speedracer67]

HOw did it end with the dealer?