Feeling the Buzz yet?

Cheshire cat · Jul 17, 2024

They are a big piece of kit. Definitely built for a purpose.

ECrider · Jul 17, 2024

parb said:
Do you know how much weight you can put on that step?

Haven't load tested them beyond 'one fat bstard' but they are well engineered and solid. Bolts are sturdy. If you need more scientific SWL shoot Ryan at Buzz an email and I'm sure he'll help.

Cheshire cat · Jul 17, 2024

ECrider said:
Haven't load tested them beyond 'one fat bstard' but they are well engineered and solid. Bolts are sturdy. If you need more scientific SWL shoot Ryan at Buzz an email and I'm sure he'll help.

I reckon four x fat bstards would be equally fine

ECrider · Jul 17, 2024

Cheshire cat said:
I reckon four x fat bstards would be equally fine

wonder what the collective noun is for fat bstards?

ECrider · Jul 17, 2024

how a bout 'a larder' of fat bstards

Cheshire cat · Jul 17, 2024

I reckon my Buzz sliders could support my mate Mike and his three brothers

Tom109 · Jul 17, 2024

DaBull said:
Me Too.
DaBull

John - looking forward to pics of your special sliders!

DaBull · Jul 17, 2024

Tom109 said:
John - looking forward to pics of your special sliders!

Hi Tom109, Just received them yesterday and setting time aside to get them installed and then take them on a test run. Will be posting detailed info and photos in the near future after the shakedown.Excited as hell! Stay tuned. DaBull

Stu_Barnes · Jul 17, 2024

DaBull said:
Hi parb, I have the Buzz Overland Hinge Steps. They are incredibly stout and very well tied into the door hinges. I would estimate they would easily hold 250 pounds or more.
They are are very helpful when tying down gear up on the high on the roof as once you are standing on them, you can easily reach the middle of the roof. A point of caution when using them is to take your time when stepping up on them as if you miss the step you could easily fillet your shin or calf. I love the fact they are made of 316 type marine grade stainless steel, will last forever. They have a conical washer that goes between the Grenadier door hinges and the Buzz Overland Hinge Steps which keeps the Buzz Overland Hinge Step from even touching the Grenadier door hinges or the paint on the Grenadier door hinges.
Another plus is If you are caught out in the forest without any food, you could take them off and make a bear trap out of them.
DaBullView attachment 7863809 View attachment 7863810 View attachment 7863811 View attachment 7863812

I'm trying to find out the tightening torque for the door hinge bolts to the door. This is an integral part of the safety structure of the vehicle and any excuse from insurance etc should the worst happen.

Stu_Barnes · Jul 17, 2024

So, onto sliders.....

Opened both of my sliders, both damaged in the same place (middle bracket flange) to such an extent they are non mountable, one worse than the other. the really beaten one is below.
Some of the hardware is missing as the bag had split open. (previous shipments had hardware secured in a plastic holder, this time its chucked in a lightweight ziplock bag)
Overall the finish looks good (personally I'm not a fan of aftermarket companies putting their name on every flat surface they can and this is limited to twice per side) , however the powder coating is damaged in places where the flanges are bent.
The QR code for the instructions doesn't work and there are not any tightening torques mentioned for fitment with the instructions that have been supplied after the fact.

I placed the order for these in mid March, they arrived last night. To say that I'm bitterly disappointed is an understatement. The worst part is that this was totally avoidable if sufficient packaging was used. Some light duty bubble wrap and a Bet Fred poster from the Derby inside a single skin cardboard box doesn't quite cut it really.

They were $3,493.89 as delivered....

So have Buzz offered to put things right? Yes, hey will contact OK4WD (their importer and agent in North America) and ask them to find and authorize a shop local to me for repairs.

Will this be enough, well yes, it's just a piece of metal and is malleable enough to bend back into shape. But first impressions count and right now things are on the back foot.

I'm feeling the Buzz but not the type I was expecting, and I know that I'm not the only one. Several units in the latest shipment have suffered from the same damage, but I also know that others have had a very good delivery experience @Krabby looking at you.

Will they be great slider/steps, I'm sure if I could just get them fitted.... now where is my anvil.

RyanT · Jul 17, 2024

Stu_Barnes said:
So, onto sliders.....

Opened both of my sliders, both damaged in the same place (middle bracket flange) to such an extent they are non mountable, one worse than the other. the really beaten one is below.

Some of the hardware is missing as the bag had split open. (previous shipments had hardware secured in a plastic holder, this time its chucked in a lightweight ziplock bag)

Overall the finish looks good (personally I'm not a fan of aftermarket companies putting their name on every flat surface they can and this is limited to twice per side) , however the powder coating is damaged in places where the flanges are bent.

The QR code for the instructions doesn't work and there are not any tightening torques mentioned for fitment with the instructions that have been supplied after the fact.

I placed the order for these in mid March, they arrived last night. To say that I'm bitterly disappointed is an understatement. The worst part is that this was totally avoidable if sufficient packaging was used. Some light duty bubble wrap and a Bet Fred poster from the Derby inside a single skin cardboard box doesn't quite cut it really.

They were $3,493.89 as delivered....

View attachment 7863919

View attachment 7863921

So have Buzz offered to put things right? Yes, hey will contact OK4WD (their importer and agent in North America) and ask them to find and authorize a shop local to me for repairs.

Will this be enough, well yes, it's just a piece of metal and is malleable enough to bend back into shape. But first impressions count and right now things are on the back foot.

I'm feeling the Buzz but not the type I was expecting, and I know that I'm not the only one. Several units in the latest shipment have suffered from the same damage, but I also know that others have had a very good delivery experience @Krabby looking at you.

Will they be great slider/steps, I'm sure if I could just get them fitted.... now where is my anvil.

Hey Stu,

I've spoken to OK4WD and they will be in touch very soon. As per my email earlier, we'll do whatever needs doing to put this right and have apologised for the inconvenience caused. I can assure you it is heartbreaking to see the damage considering the amount of work that we have put into those. Also for the record, the way you received the boxes, as two separate deliveries, is not how we packaged them and loaded them into the container. We strapped both boxes together which we believed would have prevented them from being manhandled as they clearly have been. If we had know that the boxes were going to be split we would have packaged them differently.

Of the 5 sets of the custom slider that were done I am aware of three that have sustained similar damage and I have been on contact with both customers to resolve the issue. We have not had any reports of issues with our standard rock sliders.

Cheers

Ryan

Zimm · Jul 17, 2024

What gauge/mm is the bracket? 11 sheet? ... Multiple units damaged and not an anomaly? If these can be consistently bent in the mail, how are they gonna handle rocks and 7000 lbs coming down hard in motion? These seem more a tweener product, more a heavy step, than a slider with a step. Too much weight shaving.

MurphyMurph · Jul 17, 2024

@RyanT - Are able to see individual orders from end users? I placed an order through Mule Outfitters in Issaquah, WA on July 5th. I know it’s relatively new order, but with your note about all current US orders being covered by your next shipment due to depart at the end of the month I wanted to check in.

Mule Outfitters order # is 6514.

Thanks in advance!
-Peter Z

DaBull · Jul 18, 2024

Zimm said:
What gauge/mm is the bracket? 11 sheet? ... Multiple units damaged and not an anomaly? If these can be consistently bent in the mail, how are they gonna handle rocks and 7000 lbs coming down hard in motion? These seem more a tweener product, more a heavy step, than a slider with a step. Too much weight shaving.

Hi Zimm, I just received my Buzz Overland Rock Sliders yesterday. The build quality is incredibly impressive and stout for rock sliders and made of high strength thick gauge 316 marine grade stainless steel and have a refined black powdered coated finish. Each rock slider alone weighs 74.2 pounds and came in it's own separate box.
I had to help the UPS guy unload each one off the truck because of how heavy they are. Per Ryan, he shipped the two boxes strapped together. I can only think that somewhere along the shipping line someone removed the straps holding the two boxes together because the combined weight with the boxes would have been over 160 pounds. The middle bracket has a welded on tab to hold it tight agains the frame and yes it had a slight bend in the end tab, not the brackets and not the slider. My first thought was how in the hell could anything bend that tab even for the little amount of it that was bent, as it is so stout it must have been dropped or fallen from up high in the container on the way over from England or from 8' to 10' high off a fork lift to impart any bend. I was able to take the slight bend curve out of the tab with a 15" long pipe wrench and lever it back into it's straight original position. I am having them installed tomorrow and look forward to posting photos and reviews once I get some time using them. I have looked at lots of rock sliders and all I can say is that Buzz Overlands design, build quality, finish quality and how stout they are built are as good for rock sliding and overlanding as the best of them out there. It's also a bonus to see they are built out of 316 marine grade stainless as most other rock sliders are either steel
or the lower grade 304 stainless steel. DaBull

Shaky · Jul 18, 2024

I have seen all of the Buzz stuff and it’s top notch, my mind actually boggles at how badly handled the stuff must have been bend them up like that. A high drop or some very heavy weight on top of them is the main contender.

I assume the boxes must have been badly damaged as well and given some indication of the carnage inside.

I feel for you guys, I really do

Cheshire cat · Jul 18, 2024

When I buy an Apple product, I marvel at the quality of the packaging as that is where the experience begins. I think a lesson learned for Buzz, might be to source a far more robust packaging and give the customer (who has paid a fair price), that positive experience from the very start.
I have nothing but good to say about Buzz however, I feel sure that where things are not so good, they would want to know.

ECrider · Jul 18, 2024

DaBull said:
My first thought was how in the hell could anything bend that tab even for the little amount

My first thought as well. That is beyond bad handling to bend such fittings. The mind boggles.

NYC993 · Jul 18, 2024

Used them for their intended purpose and now need to do a little touch up, held up great. Also do a good job of keeping extra dirt and mud off the sides.

Stu_Barnes · Jul 18, 2024

ECrider said:
My first thought as well. That is beyond bad handling to bend such fittings. The mind boggles.

Crossing an ocean does that to things. The height of drop onto a point load to do that level of damage isn’t that high when the weight is 95lbs. As stated above it was fixed with just levering on a 15” Stilton wrench. I used a 24”, a lump hammer and anvil to straighten the bends in mine and one was like a banana. The hardest part was raising the slider to the height of the anvil to get things level.

As for the comment about thickness and durability. By eye they will do the job very well. Steel is malleable by nature and this adds to its toughness. The damaged portions were consistently the same flange that was exposed in transit and when bolted to the vehicle provides support for the mid span position. I’ll jack the Grenadoer up by the slider when I get them fitted to see what the deflection is, but I’m not expecting it to be much.

Stu_Barnes · Jul 18, 2024

Should you have the same or similar experience to me.

To de-banana a steel flange:

You will need

Gaffer tape
Thin steel sheet cut to size for the jaws of your Stilson wrench (a sliding jaw parallel wrench could be better)
Stilson wrench
Hammer (optional)
Anvil (optional)
Support for the slider to being it level with anvil

Tape the area to be remediated. I used 3 wraps total.

Cut some thin steel sheet to size for your Stilson wrench, make a nice crisp fold so it can get right in there.

Using your Stilson tease the flange back to position, only do this a few degrees at a time and move down the length of the flange as you work. Start at the position which has the most deflection. Make sure to tighten the jaws so they're snug, as they will work lose.

After teasing back into the original shape by the Stilson wrench you may need to gently tap the flange with a lump hammer to flatten it out. Make sure to hold the hammer parallel to the work piece to avoid damage. 3 or 4 extra wraps of gaffer tape will provide adequate protection. Note you dont need to hit too hard, just tap things back to shape.

After doing this you should be good to go.

Thanks go out to the MVP, Factor 55 strops for providing support while doing this job.

The whole job took less than 15 minutes once the tools were assembled.

Now onto fitting them.....

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