Any luck with Predator factory repairs?

bearsafety

bearsafety

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have a 314 2nd gen and the ferrule cracked in two spots like almost trying to form a ring. I am wanting to send it in and get it fixed because it was obviously their flaw, but has anyone else had this problem or any other problem and sent it back to be told the warranty wont cover it? Are they easy to get along with or wont take rep for for anything?

Also is it inconceivable if persay I took out the foam ferrule and put a tenon in it and put a regular ferrule on it? ( just wondering, not planning on it.)
 
Also is it inconceivable if persay I took out the foam ferrule and put a tenon in it and put a regular ferrule on it?
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Sure, go ahead, its fun to dick with your LD shaft.
 
Just send it in they are great about it I sent one in they sent me a new shaft then fixed the old one.give then a call.
 
Mine cracked, too. It doesn't buzz, so I haven't sent it back. I know of others who have. My friends who have dealt with Predator have all had the same experience as ehn9. They appear to be first class and have not forgotten why they started in this business. You will have issues if you have had someone else work on the shaft. I would try them first.
 
bearsafety said:
I have a 314 2nd gen and the ferrule cracked in two spots like almost trying to form a ring. I am wanting to send it in and get it fixed because it was obviously their flaw, but has anyone else had this problem or any other problem and sent it back to be told the warranty wont cover it? Are they easy to get along with or wont take rep for for anything?
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Predator had a lot of problems with this a few years ago, including two of my 314-2 shafts.

They will probably replace or fix the shaft under warranty.
Check out their warranty link for more info: http://www.predatorcues.com/predator_cues_customer_service.php
 
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bearsafety said:
I have a 314 2nd gen and the ferrule cracked in two spots like almost trying to form a ring. I am wanting to send it in and get it fixed because it was obviously their flaw, but has anyone else had this problem or any other problem and sent it back to be told the warranty wont cover it? Are they easy to get along with or wont take rep for for anything?

Also is it inconceivable if persay I took out the foam ferrule and put a tenon in it and put a regular ferrule on it? ( just wondering, not planning on it.)
Click to expand...


I have found Predator to be great on backing up issues with their shafts. I have sent several back for repair, and I have recommended the same to several people. I don't know of any case where Predator failed to provide warranty service on a shaft that had not been screwed with.

You can have someone else remove the foam, insert a tenon and new ferrule, etc, and the shaft will be fine, but it will not be a low-deflection shaft anymore. If the low deflection is what you are after, send it back to Predator. Worst case scenario is that Predator refuses to work on it (which I doubt) and returns it to you, and you are out a few bucks for shipping.

Joe
 
bearsafety said:
I am going to send it in, but I bought it barely used with no receipt, and online they actlike they wont cover without receipt.
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Good luck with sending it in. On Predator's warranty page, they do state that the limited lifetime warranty only applies to the original purchaser. Without a receipt, your claim may very well be denied.

If the claim is denied, it looks like it will cost about $50 to have it repaired.
 
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I will disagree with the assessment that they are a quality operation - I had the worst experience ever with them, and would never buy a Predator product again.

I sent my shaft in for a new ferrule, it returned "C" shaped - huge warp. They said it must have been that way when I sent it - but noted that they do not document the condition on arrival (it was TOTALLY straight), but said it may have been the shipping that damaged it. They said they would try to fix it (not replace it), but it was still C-shaped.

I then ordered a replacement shaft, and it arrived with a decent (but NOT acceptable or playable) warp. They said they DID document the condition of the shaft before they sent it (convenient for them to not document the shaft I sent in, but to do so for the one they sent out), and that it was straight, and that I must have damaged it (I guess in the 5 minutes I had it out of the box). They refused to replace it, said I could take it up with THEIR carrier.

CRAPPY service. Buy an OB-1 from some people that DO care about their customers; its a better shaft anyway; no warpage problems like with the Predators.

THROW AWAY THE PREDATOR AND GET AN OB-1....sound advice (though I'm sure I'm in the minority, no company could stay in business very long if they treated customers in the manner I was treated...I was very polite, maybe I should have screamed at someone).
 
But the good news is, kind of.
Remember when you asked that question in the Machinery Forum regarding your new lathe?

The guy who answered your question and was teasing you a bit, and you got kind of snarky with him?
That was KJ. He does all the Predator repairs for Seyberts.
He would be the person to contact.

I've not known KJ to be vindictive so you might send him a PM and inquire
about the repair.

And you know, seriously, its something that I should have PMed you about but it was too late by that time. KJ was just teasing you. He wasn't trying to be mean spirited.
 
i have had several predator shafts in for repair since the company's start. never once have i had an issue, or denied warranty repair on any of them.

as a matter of fact i bought one of their first 10 piece shaft, had it for at least 5-6 years, the laminates came apart. i sent it in and they replaced it with no question or hassle, of course with a current model (bye bye precat314 :(...)

each of the several shafts i had, NEVER was accompanied with a receipt / proof of purchase / purchase location / purchase date and again all went well.

best of luck to you
 
daimion said:
i have had several predator shafts in for repair since the company's start. never once have i had an issue, or denied warranty repair on any of them.

as a matter of fact i bought one of their first 10 piece shaft, had it for at least 5-6 years, the laminates came apart. i sent it in and they replaced it with no question or hassle, of course with a current model (bye bye precat314 :(...)

each of the several shafts i had, NEVER was accompanied with a receipt / proof of purchase / purchase location / purchase date and again all went well.

best of luck to you
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Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
But the good news is, kind of.
Remember when you asked that question in the Machinery Forum regarding your new lathe?

The guy who answered your question and was teasing you a bit, and you got kind of snarky with him?
That was KJ. He does all the Predator repairs for Seyberts.
He would be the person to contact.

I've not known KJ to be vindictive so you might send him a PM and inquire
about the repair.

And you know, seriously, its something that I should have PMed you about but it was too late by that time. KJ was just teasing you. He wasn't trying to be mean spirited.
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He got testy with me! - i was teasing him by his sarcastic comment and said, "Thanks a lot einstein!" and then he got upset and started ripping my intelligence cuz apparently he is soft on the issue.
 
Williebetmore said:
I will disagree with the assessment that they are a quality operation - I had the worst experience ever with them, and would never buy a Predator product again.

I sent my shaft in for a new ferrule, it returned "C" shaped - huge warp. They said it must have been that way when I sent it - but noted that they do not document the condition on arrival (it was TOTALLY straight), but said it may have been the shipping that damaged it. They said they would try to fix it (not replace it), but it was still C-shaped.

I then ordered a replacement shaft, and it arrived with a decent (but NOT acceptable or playable) warp. They said they DID document the condition of the shaft before they sent it (convenient for them to not document the shaft I sent in, but to do so for the one they sent out), and that it was straight, and that I must have damaged it (I guess in the 5 minutes I had it out of the box). They refused to replace it, said I could take it up with THEIR carrier.

CRAPPY service. Buy an OB-1 from some people that DO care about their customers; its a better shaft anyway; no warpage problems like with the Predators.

THROW AWAY THE PREDATOR AND GET AN OB-1....sound advice (though I'm sure I'm in the minority, no company could stay in business very long if they treated customers in the manner I was treated...I was very polite, maybe I should have screamed at someone).
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I have actually went through 3 predator shafts now, and I know 2 of my buddies who have too. I had two of them warp out of the blue, and I keep my cues in humidity controlled places all the time.. and this one cracked ferrule( I dont break with them either).
I have seriously thought about switching but I LOVE how they play.
 
bearsafety said:
I have a 314 2nd gen and the ferrule cracked in two spots like almost trying to form a ring. I am wanting to send it in and get it fixed because it was obviously their flaw, but has anyone else had this problem or any other problem and sent it back to be told the warranty wont cover it? Are they easy to get along with or wont take rep for for anything?

Also is it inconceivable if persay I took out the foam ferrule and put a tenon in it and put a regular ferrule on it? ( just wondering, not planning on it.)
Click to expand...

E mail them first to get approval. That's a common break in the original 314-2. it's a defect. It happened to me, I sent it in and had it fixed and it was back in a week or two, the repaired ones were fine. They didn't ask me for a receipt or if i was the original owner.

If you have a tenon put in, the shaft will lose some of it's low squirt chracteristics.

Chris
 
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bearsafety said:
I have seriously thought about switching but I LOVE how they play.
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Bear,
My experience was that the Predator and OB-1 played identically (at least as far as how much squirt to allow for - I did NOT have to make any change in allowance when I switched shafts....sweet...).
 
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