Victory Roof Rack Safety Warning (please read if you have an over-cab rack)

The problem is, Victory is not a huge corporation; they’re a small shop. No windfall here, only damage control.

 

thanks, i wasn’t sure if they were big or small. knowing they’re small sucks even worse for all these folks. hope everyone that installed this product stays safe

 

Luckily for them Toyota has an OEM rack. All those guys have factory threaded attachment points.

 

Isn’t victory a sister brand to a big Jeep shop?? If my memory serves me correctly

 

JCR Off-road. Different phone numbers but the same physical address.

 

This is the part that gets me. The unwillingness to even notify owners to inspect for potential damage to their airbags is hard to take. Rollovers in a truck without SCAs are deadly.

Attorneys give legal advice, they don’t give business advice. If this were to spread to all off-road forums I’d guess their brand(s) would fare far worse than picking up the tab on the repairs and filing a claim with their products liability insurer (if they have one).

Headshaker...

 

Except lawyers don’t care about lives. Only money. If victory called everyone and said there was the potential that their airbags were damaged by following their instructions, that is somewhat admitting guilt. They might do it in the future, but for now until it gets resolved I’m sure the lawyers said don’t say a word.

 

There’s a big difference between doing what’s legally safe, and doing what’s ethical. If I owned a business, and something was wrong with my product that had the potential to injure, or kill someone - I would rather have the peace of mind in knowing that I did the right thing by warning them - even if that meant my business went under and I had to start over. Unfortunately, it’s clear that @brimy311 couldn’t possibly care less about his customers lives.

In all reality, he could likely warn customers to check - but still take a stance that they aren’t going to take any financial responsibility as they clearly stated not to drill in too deep. IF and it’s a big IF any customers go through all of the trouble, and cost of taking them to court - they might be out some cash - but by not even warning customers, they are turning a blind eye to the fact that THEIR MISTAKE MIGHT CAUSE PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR LIVES. I’ll tell you one thing, they’re going to lose a lot more than a business if that happens. Right now they are gambling that no one dies because of their mistake, and because of this THE BLOOD IS ON THEIR HANDS.

 

I agree with you about the ethics 100%.

And, so you know, their install video has been edited as a result of this situation being well-documented and reported. The original install install video DID NOT clearly state not to sink the drill bit too deep.

They did the opposite: verbalized that the drilling locations shown were “safe”, provided a drill bit (without a stop or written warnings about maximum depth), and showed their own installer sinking the bit deep enough to tear an airbag.

 

Victory 4x4 has updated their install documentation (found on their website) as well as their install video.

Install Document - Step 6 (Using bold text below cuz in the doc online it is in 'red' color font)
Before drilling, center punch the marks we made in the previous step. After you center punch the mark, use a 1/8” drill bit and drill through the mark. After you drill the pilot holes, use the drill bit we provide to open up the holes large enough for the nutserts. You only need to drill .25”-.5” through the roof. We recommend using a drill stop on both bits so you do not drill too far down into your headliner, side curtain airbags, or into any wiring. In order to be completely sure there is nothing specific to your vehicle in the drilling area, drop the very edge of the headliner to see what is below.

Install Video - At time point 10:35 : He recommends and demonstrates how to use a drill stop.

 

So do you work for Victory 4x4, or did they pay you to post this?

They still made it glaringly clear that they have absolutely zero desire to make things right with existing customers.

They can update their instructions all they want, but it’s clear that they only care about new customers, and not the lives of their existing customers that may be lost due to their negligence, and refusal to at the very least notify existing customers of the mistake.

 

Nope, I don't work for Victory 4x4. Just trying to update the thread with what I thought people would like to look into that's all.

Regards,

Bob I.

 

Is it illegal to link this thread into their FB posts? slander? libel? Asking for a friend.

 

Thanks, Bob. We’ve been following along and read someone updated previously, that the video has been update. But it’s a long thread, so it could be easy to miss.

 

Pretty sure it’s only slander, or libel if it’s a lie - but I am far from a lawyer.

 

Everything that you say and write can be held against you. Just ask all those folks who gave online reviews and then got sued by the biz. In the legal world, civil lawsuits are the opposite of criminal cases. You have to prove your innocence which is very costly.

 

Can I have a civil lawsuit filed against me for telling you to eat my ass?

 

Depends on what state you are in and if he actually carries through on the act...

I think he was just offering his opinion and not attacking you personally.

 

The truth is always a defense.

 

Anything’s possible, but I think you misunderstood my intent. Not attaching or criticizing you. Offering my opinion based on lots of experience through Out my businesses dealings. I have witnessed some of the most bizarre mind boggling legal dealings that defied reasoning, logic and truth. Just sayin it’s always good to be cautious of the snake looking to attack.

 

Because it just...might...be...Loki! Dun dun duuunn
https://youtu.be/bbq2mYimFrY

 

I was just playing, no hard feelings either way.

 

He should have liability insurance. If he lets his insurance cover the cost of repairs prior to anyone getting hurt, his wallet will take a pounding, but his business can recover - both financially and reputation wise with the customer base. If he turns his back on his responsibility - he's doomed.

I have no stake in this, but if I did, I'd be on the phone and sending letters and documentation to the NTSB, Toyota, and the insurance commissioner and attorney general of my state and the state that Victory is doing business in.

 

Any chance Victory will develop a transmission cooler? With a fool-proof drill bit?

 

I think you need to get a patent real quick like. I’ll do marketing.

 

I hear that Victory is now in the market of making quality off road recovery bumpers too.

 

Oh goody!

 

Whose design are they copying from?!

 

Poor Victory. All they did was make a poor product while relying on consumers to test; offer no way to rectify issues, not stand behind what they produce, and remain virtually silent while a steadily increasing installation PR catastrophe implodes on one of the main websites they use for advertising.

It could happen to any vendor. They should be pitied and not scorned as a cheap knockoff for a reputable fabricator of quality off-road products.