Sprocket Recall - What's Wrong With BRP's Logistics?

[SpyderGTL]

Getting a little frustrated with BRP's response on the sprocket recall. We took my wife's F3-T in for the inspection of the sprocket in early September, as we planned several Spyder trips this fall now that the weather was getting cooler. Unfortunately, hers was one of the apparently small number of Spyders that failed the inspection. The dealer couldn't order a replacement until late September due to all of the computer issues that they had in August/September. Three months in without a Spyder that we can confidently ride safely, the dealer still has no idea when they'll get the sprocket or recall kit in. In Shawn Smoak's latest video, published 12/7/22, he commented about going upstairs to get the sprocket kit to do the recall sprocket installation on a Spyder that was in there for another reason. As noted in a different thread, he did the recall sprocket installation a few weeks ago, also on a Spyder that had an acceptable sprocket. That bothered me a tiny bit, while we continue to wait to get a replacement for a failed sprocket, but it was nice to see that the recall kits were finally available. Today's comment implies that his dealership has some amount of stock of the recall kits. Why is BRP sending the recall sprocket kits to dealers to have as an inventory for the recall when there are open orders for the sprockets that have failed? I guess it's nice if you live in the western Washington state area and can ride to Pro Caliber and get the recall performed, but why not first fulfill all of the orders from dealers where the Spyder has actually failed the inspection? It was really frustrating to miss all of the nice fall riding weather and the frustration grew exponentially when a tech from another dealer can just "go up there and get the sprocket recall kit" to replace a sprocket on a Spyder that hasn't failed the interim inspection while we still wait with no end in sight. Hey @BRPCares - do you really care? ...rant over...

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Getting a little frustrated with BRP's response on the sprocket recall. We took my wife's F3-T in for the inspection of the sprocket in early September, as we planned several Spyder trips this fall now that the weather was getting cooler. Unfortunately, hers was one of the apparently small number of Spyders that failed the inspection. The dealer couldn't order a replacement until late September due to all of the computer issues that they had in August/September. Three months in without a Spyder that we can confidently ride safely, the dealer still has no idea when they'll get the sprocket or recall kit in. In Shawn Smoak's latest video, published 12/7/22, he commented about going upstairs to get the sprocket kit to do the recall sprocket installation on a Spyder that was in there for another reason. As noted in a different thread, he did the recall sprocket installation a few weeks ago, also on a Spyder that had an acceptable sprocket. That bothered me a tiny bit, while we continue to wait to get a replacement for a failed sprocket, but it was nice to see that the recall kits were finally available. Today's comment implies that his dealership has some amount of stock of the recall kits. Why is BRP sending the recall sprocket kits to dealers to have as an inventory for the recall when there are open orders for the sprockets that have failed? I guess it's nice if you live in the western Washington state area and can ride to Pro Caliber and get the recall performed, but why not first fulfill all of the orders from dealers where the Spyder has actually failed the inspection? It was really frustrating to miss all of the nice fall riding weather and the frustration grew exponentially when a tech from another dealer can just "go up there and get the sprocket recall kit" to replace a sprocket on a Spyder that hasn't failed the interim inspection while we still wait with no end in sight. Hey @BRPCares - do you really care? ...rant over...

They arn't going to reveal this " IF THEY EVEN KNOW "..... as with the " DESS " issue they might not know if they have fixed it yet !!!! .... Companies rarely if EVER let anyone ( except maybe the NHSTA ) ... if they are investigating it )...... they rarely even admit there is /was a problem ..... good luck .... Mike

[Mikey]

If your dealer called his dealer maybe they would ship one over!!!! If I wanted the new sprocket on my ride I would bring that up, it's only a phone call away and the most they came say is NO, then you ask why!

[oldguyinTX]

According to the service department at my dealer - RideNow Austin - they were able to get a large number of sprockets, based on their aggregate BRP sales. I agree with Mikey, ask your dealer to call them to ask RideNow to send your dealer a sprocket, and if they won't (but they should), you should call RideNow @ 512-459-3311 to make an appointment to put the new sprocket. Not sure where in Texas you are, but is a trip to Austin feasible? Also, BRP is full of it when they say that the installation will only take "about an hour" when in reality, it takes closer to 2 1/2 hours. BRP only pays the dealer for .6 - yep you read that right - .6 hours to get the work done. My dealer is not too happy with BRP. So see, BRP not only screws us Spyder Riders, they screw dealers as well. Heck of a way to run a business.

[pauly1]

I called Freedom Powersports, Weatherford, yesterday. The service guy stated they were getting sprockets in 1 - 2 weeks upon ordering, but he wanted my VIN numbers to make the order. Doesn't seem they were stocking any.

[Gunner3773]

According to the service department at my dealer - RideNow Austin - they were able to get a large number of sprockets, based on their aggregate BRP sales. I agree with Mikey, ask your dealer to call them to ask RideNow to send your dealer a sprocket, and if they won't (but they should), you should call RideNow @ 512-459-3311 to make an appointment to put the new sprocket. Not sure where in Texas you are, but is a trip to Austin feasible? Also, BRP is full of it when they say that the installation will only take "about an hour" when in reality, it takes closer to 2 1/2 hours. BRP only pays the dealer for .6 - yep you read that right - .6 hours to get the work done. My dealer is not too happy with BRP. So see, BRP not only screws us Spyder Riders, they screw dealers as well. Heck of a way to run a business.

Shawn Smoak has commented about how little some of the warranty work he does pays.

[PeterKelly]

I don’t think the underpaying for warranty issues is unique to BRP. I have heard the same tales from both HD and Honda dealers.

I guess the dealers have to make a overall business decision as to wether they want to continue with a particular manufacturer. It’s a free enterprise world.

[old Timer]

BMW pays full retail for parts and Dealer posted labor rate to the Dealer. Generally on the 2nd of the same type of warrantied job the tech can meet the labor allocated for the Job. Good techs can easily beat the allocated labor amount. A good certified BMW Motorad Tech makes good Coin. Shoddy work is not tolerated.

[Arion]

I receiv3d a call from my local dealer (Kent Powersports, Selma, TX - northeast of San Antonio) one morning last week that sprocket replacement parts had arrived. Took my 2015 RT-S in that afternoon and had it back in about an hour. It was something of a surprise because during an earlier visit the service manager indicated they did not expect kits in until January 2023. I'm surprised and pleased.

[SpyderGTL]

Need to call Freedom in Weatherford tomorrow - they’re the dealer we’re waiting on to get the new sprocket! This ticks me off if they told you one to two weeks!

[old Timer]

You might be experiencing parts delays because of the way the dealership does it's internal business, not always obvious to the customer. We always ordered daily and always paid our Bills on a very timely basis. We always kept the Mother ship very happy and pleased with us. Really paid off in the long run for both us and our customers.

[Gwolf]

I called the dealership in Gainesville today and talked to the service manager. They do not have enough front pulleys to do very many. He told me they are getting a few in, but they are trying to schedule the older ones in first and the newer models will be scheduled after they clear out some of the older models. That makes sense. He told me there was no use in calling back before next March or April.

So far, I am not having a problem with it. I am going to keep riding it and hope it lasts a long time.

[jcthorne]

I receiv3d a call from my local dealer (Kent Powersports, Selma, TX - northeast of San Antonio) one morning last week that sprocket replacement parts had arrived. Took my 2015 RT-S in that afternoon and had it back in about an hour. It was something of a surprise because during an earlier visit the service manager indicated they did not expect kits in until January 2023. I'm surprised and pleased.

If you got it back in an hour, the repair was NOT done correctly. The loctite bonding agent has to cure overnight before you can ride it. Ignoring that makes it useless and defeats the whole recall.

[Knizar]

If you got it back in an hour, the repair was NOT done correctly. The loctite bonding agent has to cure overnight before you can ride it. Ignoring that makes it useless and defeats the whole recall.

Using the correct bonding agent and letting it cure is the key element to this fix! JMHO! Bill

[Cobwebs]

If you got it back in an hour, the repair was NOT done correctly. The loctite bonding agent has to cure overnight before you can ride it. Ignoring that makes it useless and defeats the whole recall.

Hang on I'm officially confused again If thats the case why aren't we all just buying a bottle of 603 or equivalent and doing our own thing?
Cure time is 3 days by the way if 603 is whats being used.
Add to the fact a lot of us are some distance to a stealer so quite inconvenient or a trailering exercise. Double that if you have a couple of the things in the family
Enquiries to BRP on the metallurgy of said sprocket replacement and point of the washer have yielded me the expected response of ask your stealerHell mine can't even return a call as to when these lumps of crap will be available let alone what they're made of and why.

[Gwolf]

Hang on I'm officially confused again If thats the case why aren't we all just buying a bottle of 603 or equivalent and doing our own thing?
Cure time is 3 days by the way if 603 is whats being used.
Add to the fact a lot of us are some distance to a stealer so quite inconvenient or a trailering exercise. Double that if you have a couple of the things in the family
Enquiries to BRP on the metallurgy of said sprocket replacement and point of the washer have yielded me the expected response of ask your stealerHell mine can't even return a call as to when these lumps of crap will be available let alone what they're made of and why.

I don't know if this is accurate or not. I asked the service manager what the new pulley was made of when I called the dealership. He told me it was an aluminum alloy.

[Knizar]

I don't know if this is accurate or not. I asked the service manager what the new pulley was made of when I called the dealership. He told me it was an aluminum alloy.

More recycled "Beer Cans", I'll to that! How long might they last???

[Gwolf]

More recycled "Beer Cans", I'll to that! How long might they last???

Harley has been using aluminum belt pulleys for decades. They lock on with a woodruff key system. Got secure locking system to keep the nut from backing off any. They will run for 50,000 plus miles in the highway, somewhat less if they are used on sand and dirt roads. They don't usually fail without any notice. What happens with the Harley aluminum pulleys is the teeth wear down and get sharp edges on them. That eats the belt. It is obvious when you inspect the pulleys. You can change them before they start eating the teeth off the belt.

[ulflyer]

Has BRP stated for sure what Loctite product is called for?

[jcthorne]

I don't know if this is accurate or not. I asked the service manager what the new pulley was made of when I called the dealership. He told me it was an aluminum alloy.

Its not aluminum. Its cast iron and its the same casting as the prior sprocket, just machined differently to accept the spacer behind it. Metallurgy has not changed.

[TCBoone]

According to Shawn Smoak an experienced Spyder tech and long time youtuber, he states the only one to use is Loctite 609 in the US.

[Peteoz]

Its not aluminum. Its cast iron and its the same casting as the prior sprocket, just machined differently to accept the spacer behind it. Metallurgy has not changed.

……and a “Service Manager” doesn’t know this, James?
It’s a real worry. It would be ok to say “sorry, I really don’t know”, but to just make something up hints at a larger, underlying issue at that dealership.

Pete

[Peteoz]

According to Shawn Smoak an experienced Spyder tech and long time youtuber, he states the only one to use is Loctite 609 in the US.

Yes, but the confusion is that there are some very experienced Spyder techs and engineers on this forum, with just as much, or more, experience than Shawn, who have been using Loctite 648 to fix the issue successfully for years, TC. …….and BRP engineers have been known to slip up in the past, on the odd occasion or two .They sometimes confuse “activity” with real “progress”.

I know who I would trust to get the job done right

Pete

[Gwolf]

……and a “Service Manager” doesn’t know this, James?
It’s a real worry. It would be ok to say “sorry, I really don’t know”, but to just make something up hints at a larger, underlying issue at that dealership.

Pete

Doesn't surprise me at all. That is why I qualified the statement with " Don't know if this is accurate."

When I went down to pick the F3-S up at the dealership, they filled out a lot of papers. Then the one in the sales office told me I needed to bring it back for an oil change and valve adjustment at 3,000 miles. I asked him to explain their procedure for adjusting hydraulic lifters. He told me I had to talk to the service department about that. I took it home and never took it back there for anything. I been doing all the service work myself.

[Gunner3773]

According to Shawn Smoak an experienced Spyder tech and long time youtuber, he states the only one to use is Loctite 609 in the US.

I saw in his recent video, that using Loctite 609 only requires 10 minutes to set.