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LoD Destroyer Series Sliding Roof Rack

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word302

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If it's like any of their other products it will be amazing. These guys don't let anything out the door that isn't top notch.
 

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Rahneld

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Their first run should be shipping this week! I'll keep you posted- it looks amazing.
It does @RSenese, but despite being a fanboy of the product I've said all along that I would have liked to see those slides encapsulated in protective housing. Ideally I'll like to hear how people are fairing with this product a year after ownership.

To point: envision looking at the slide near the rear of a rig in a side view from the passenger's side. I would have liked to have seen it's length (i.e. both slide's lengths actually) encapsulated in a structure that looks like a letter "C" from the side (backwards "C" in front,) with the open side (facing forward) containing brush seal to protect the slide, but permit its movement.

Industrial drawer slides, which make up this product, are simply not rated for outdoor use, let alone offroad use. Mud, sand, rain, etc., IMHO despite the slides being made of stainless steel(?) run risk of gumming up the ball bearings that allows them to move getting attached to the grease in them that allows them to slide.

Other than that--and wishing the price was lower--it really is brilliant engineering.

I hope I am wrong. But aside from Wranglers, woodworking is my passion and I know a thing or two about drawer slides. Even when used in outside applications like rescue vehicle drawers and truck bed slides, the ball bearing type at least are enclosed when the slide is closed behind some truck bed cover or closing drawer.

We'll see. : - )
 
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lodoffroad

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It does @RSenese, but despite being a fanboy of the product I've said all along that I would have liked to see those slides encapsulated in protective housing. Ideally I'll like to hear how people are fairing with this product a year after ownership.

To point: envision looking at the slide near the rear of a rig in a side view from the passenger's side. I would have liked to have seen it's length (i.e. both slide's lengths actually) encapsulated in a structure that looks like a letter "C" from the side (backwards "C" in front,) with the open side (facing forward) containing brush seal to protect the slide, but permit its movement.

Industrial drawer slides, which make up this product, are simply not rated for outdoor use, let alone offroad use. Mud, sand, rain, etc., IMHO despite the slides being made of stainless steel(?) run risk of gumming up the ball bearings that allows them to move getting attached to the grease in them that allows them to slide.

Other than that--and wishing the price was lower--it really is brilliant engineering.

I hope I am wrong. But aside from Wranglers, woodworking is my passion and I know a thing or two about drawer slides. Even when used in outside applications like rescue vehicle drawers and truck bed slides, the ball bearing type at least are enclosed when the slide is closed behind some truck bed cover or closing drawer.

We'll see. : - )
Hi Rahneld,

We have actually take your idea of slide covers into consideration, and have planned accordingly. Although we don't currently offer any slide covers, they may be a possibility in the future depending on need or demand. We have done a fair amount of testing with the current slides, even directly exposing them to dirt and rocks and other debris. We have never experienced a slide locking up, however if they do start to get sticky, simply washing them off with a hose clears out any debris. A good wash and re-lube periodically is all that's needed to keep things moving freely!

If you've got any other questions or concerns feel free to post em up or give us a call!
 
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Please let us know when the accessories are available for purchase online, and when the rack orders start shipping.
thank you.
We've actually started packaging! We hope to post up a few pictures of the first racks getting packaged today. Accessories should be available in the next week or two.
 

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Rahneld

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Hi Rahneld,

We have actually take your idea of slide covers into consideration, and have planned accordingly. Although we don't currently offer any slide covers, they may be a possibility in the future depending on need or demand. We have done a fair amount of testing with the current slides, even directly exposing them to dirt and rocks and other debris. We have never experienced a slide locking up, however if they do start to get sticky, simply washing them off with a hose clears out any debris. A good wash and re-lube periodically is all that's needed to keep things moving freely!

If you've got any other questions or concerns feel free to post em up or give us a call!
@lodoffroad you make terrific well thought out product. I wish you well, and have no ax to grind against you. I'm not a competitor nor in this marketspace.

Dollars to donuts you acquired the slides for this product from external vendors--and good for you. Who could blame you? Slide technology is very specialized and despite you being a metal shop, it would be silly and uneconomical for you to reinvent the wheel and make them in house.

Still more they're probably stainless steel.

But all this said there's this: I'm willing to bet the manufacturer of the slides you use in your product doesn't rate these for outdoor use, much though you do. I say this because I don't know a single producer of industrial slides that does: which BTW isn't to suggest that one doesn't exist--as I'm not the last word on anything.

And when I say outdoor use I'm talking about being part of sliding drawers where at least half the time or more (a lot more) the slides are inside some type of housing like a closed drawer, or much of their length in a closed housing 24/7. Such devices do appear, for example in emergency vehicle slide out drawers to facilitate access to gear and I'll bet the slides used there aren't outdoor rated.

Your testing, thorough though I am sure it was, and done as well as possible to simulate years of use couldn't have been good as actual time testing. I remain of the belief that your best play would be to encapsulate those slides in "C" channel like enclosures whose open side (facing rear for the front slide and vice versa) contains brush seal https://www.garagedoorweatherseal.com/product/garage-door-retainer-1-inch-90-degree/ that permits free movement of the slide but some protection from the elements. This could be done at minimal expense and appearance compromise.

The grease that keeps them running smoothly holds on to the very particular matter that could affect their smooth movement and since the slides likely don't come completely apart, given their size and length, cleaning such a hydrophobic lubricant with water may not be as trivial as thought. I truly hope I'm wrong, but believe the best play is to not expose them to gunk in the first place.

I wish you well; which is why I tell you this. We Wrangler owners get in bed with our vendors. We buy your gear but play an active role in ways to improve it. What can I say?!

May the product fly off the shelves for years to come as a result of time tested happy customers.
 

69 ORIGINAL

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We've actually started packaging! We hope to post up a few pictures of the first racks getting packaged today. Accessories should be available in the next week or two.
LOD Offroad - I placed order # 100002373 for the destroyer rack and crossbars on September 15. Have not been able to get in touch with you. Please be so kind as to contact me regarding the timing of the order. Thank you.
 
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RSenese

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LOD Offroad - I placed order # 100002373 for the destroyer rack and crossbars on September 15. With no delivery or ship notification after two weeks, I tried reaching you through your website contact form with no reply. I tried calling your number several times - getting a 'mailbox is full' message each time with no ability to reach anyone or leave a message. Today, I replied to your order confirmation email. I got a bounce message 'undeliverable' from gmail - see below. That was kind of the last straw. I figured you were bankrupt or just a scam. At that point, with no response after multiple attempts to contact you, I told my bank to reverse the charge for the rack. I just found your posts in this forum tonight - apparently during the same time that you were unable to answer your phones or your emails. With no other way to reach you - I am doing it here. Please be so kind as to respond. It might be good if you check out that phone number and email too ...

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Your message couldn't be delivered to [email protected] because the remote server is misconfigured. See technical details below for more information. The response from the remote server was: 550 5.4.1 [[email protected]]: Recipient address rejected: Access denied [CO1NAM11FT041.eop-nam11.prod.protection.outlook.com]
Hey 69 Original,

Im sorry about your situation and frustration. But I would just like to tell you about my experience so far concerning my rack order.

I placed my order on August 9th at 3:31 PM, which is within minutes of it going live on their website, and before it was announced on this forum. I think it's safe to say I am one of the first orders, if not the first, placed for the rack. Ive been waiting for a long time for someone to release a rack that will work with my sky one touch roof. Ive been really wanting to get a tent on my Jeep.

Since then, I have been in constant communication with LOD, through emails and phone calls and also private messages on this forum. Honestly I have threads of emails that go on for days. I ask random questions like "how should I hang my gravity pro 6 lightbar to your rack?" and "What diameter is the tubing of the rack's bars?" things like that.
Each time, usually within 24 hours, I have a response, through every platform of communication I use, no matter what the question.
There may have been a time or two when I called and no one answered, but I call a lot, so statically, I would say maybe 13 out of 15 times I called I got someone to answer. And if I had a question they didn't have an answer to, I was put on hold and got an answer. The number I use each time is 765-385-0631 (I never tried the toll free number because I didn't need to)

I have found that my iCloud email didn't work and bounced back the same error message you see, but every time after that, that I had a question, I used the "contact us" page on their website. I just went back and checked my emails, and most of them were responded the same day, if not, the next business day.

Granted, I am a little disappointed it has taken a little longer than expected, it was estimated at 6 weeks, and we are going on 10 now. I really wanted it for Overland Expo East, and BROG Roof Top Tent Rally, which I had to cancel, but thats on me, I made plans based on an estimate. Im just generally impatient. When I think about it outside my impatient attitude, its the first of its kind they are making, Im sure there are hiccups along the way, Im sure they outsource things like powder coating like most companies do, they are learning packaging, what works what doesn't, etc along the way, and 10 weeks isn't so bad when a big company that makes only racks and nothing else, quoted me a minimum of 16 weeks production time. In reality, LOD has sent me response emails every time I have inquired, stating things like- it went into coating....the base rack has been packaged... we are packaging the sliding portion... things of that nature, so I cant ask for much more than that. It is their first production run and although there was a delay in the estimate, thats all it was, an estimate. The communication has been outstanding.

All of my email communications are done with someone named Chris, who I have come to assume is the owner. And every time he apologizes for the delay, but they are working hard to get it out. So as far as customer service goes, it's been top notch the whole way.

And if all goes well, I think mine should be shipping this week.
 
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lodoffroad

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LOD Offroad - I placed order # 100002373 for the destroyer rack and crossbars on September 15. With no delivery or ship notification after two weeks, I tried reaching you through your website contact form with no reply. I tried calling your number several times - getting a 'mailbox is full' message each time with no ability to reach anyone or leave a message. Today, I replied to your order confirmation email. I got a bounce message 'undeliverable' from gmail - see below. That was kind of the last straw. I figured you were bankrupt or just a scam. At that point, with no response after multiple attempts to contact you, I told my bank to reverse the charge for the rack. I just found your posts in this forum tonight - apparently during the same time that you were unable to answer your phones or your emails. With no other way to reach you - I am doing it here. Please be so kind as to respond. It might be good if you check out that phone number and email too ...

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Your message couldn't be delivered to [email protected] because the remote server is misconfigured. See technical details below for more information. The response from the remote server was: 550 5.4.1 [[email protected]]: Recipient address rejected: Access denied [CO1NAM11FT041.eop-nam11.prod.protection.outlook.com]
Hi 69 Original,
Sorry for the trouble trying to reach us, seems our email/phone system was kind of bonkers for a couple days. And I assure you we are not bankrupt or a scam... :like: If you would like to get your order in, feel free to do it online or give us a call and we can help you out! Our first batch of racks is taking a little longer than expected due to some last minute changes in packaging. Going forward, our estimated delivery time is 6 weeks.
 
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lodoffroad

lodoffroad

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Hey 69 Original,

Im sorry about your situation and frustration. But I would just like to tell you about my experience so far concerning my rack order.

I placed my order on August 9th at 3:31 PM, which is within minutes of it going live on their website, and before it was announced on this forum. I think it's safe to say I am one of the first orders, if not the first, placed for the rack. Ive been waiting for a long time for someone to release a rack that will work with my sky one touch roof. Ive been really wanting to get a tent on my Jeep.

Since then, I have been in constant communication with LOD, through emails and phone calls and also private messages on this forum. Honestly I have threads of emails that go on for days. I ask random questions like "how should I hang my gravity pro 6 lightbar to your rack?" and "What diameter is the tubing of the rack's bars?" things like that.
Each time, usually within 24 hours, I have a response, through every platform of communication I use, no matter what the question.
There may have been a time or two when I called and no one answered, but I call a lot, so statically, I would say maybe 13 out of 15 times I called I got someone to answer. And if I had a question they didn't have an answer to, I was put on hold and got an answer. The number I use each time is 765-385-0631 (I never tried the toll free number because I didn't need to)

I have found that my iCloud email didn't work and bounced back the same error message you see, but every time after that, that I had a question, I used the "contact us" page on their website. I just went back and checked my emails, and most of them were responded the same day, if not, the next business day.

Granted, I am a little disappointed it has taken a little longer than expected, it was estimated at 6 weeks, and we are going on 10 now. I really wanted it for Overland Expo East, and BROG Roof Top Tent Rally, which I had to cancel, but thats on me, I made plans based on an estimate. Im just generally impatient. When I think about it outside my impatient attitude, its the first of its kind they are making, Im sure there are hiccups along the way, Im sure they outsource things like powder coating like most companies do, they are learning packaging, what works what doesn't, etc along the way, and 10 weeks isn't so bad when a big company that makes only racks and nothing else, quoted me a minimum of 16 weeks production time. In reality, LOD has sent me response emails every time I have inquired, stating things like- it went into coating....the base rack has been packaged... we are packaging the sliding portion... things of that nature, so I cant ask for much more than that. It is their first production run and although there was a delay in the estimate, thats all it was, an estimate. The communication has been outstanding.

All of my email communications are done with someone named Chris, who I have come to assume is the owner. And every time he apologizes for the delay, but they are working hard to get it out. So as far as customer service goes, it's been top notch the whole way.

And if all goes well, I think mine should be shipping this week.
Hi RSenese,
We are still expecting the racks to start shipping this week. Sorry for the delay and thank you for your patience!
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