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Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 23rd, 2011, 7:14 am
by StrikeTheory
I had a customer who had a 3 month old VG Nano crack in the bridge. It was 1/4 inch, with 3/4 variance in pitches, it met all the criteria in the warranty paperwork shipped with it.

The warranty paperwork has no mention of this, as it still states the obvious things like keeping the pin away from the fingers, ensuring lateralls, etc.

I was informed the new policy(Effective in 2011) was that they were no longer replacing balls if the bridge is cracked, and that the customer could get it repaired at any pro shop.

They are basically forcing you to plug the ball and further void the warranty, if it would crack around the circumference at a later date. Since I just voided the warranty by plugging it, will this repair be exempted from the warranty?

I did fix the ball for the customer, and of course did not charge him for the repair.

Anyone else heard about this new policy, or other manufacturers following suit? I recently had a 900G ball replaced for a customer, without question after providing a picture.

I'm not sure how I feel about this personally, as we as Pro Shop owners have to stand behind the product we sell, and in most cases will end up eating the cost of the repair to keep the customer happy. How can I as a seller, stand behind a product that they will not stand behind?

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 23rd, 2011, 4:19 pm
by Triplicate
Stop selling their products.

If enough of you stick together and do this I'm sure the policy will change. Stand up for what's right! Don't be intimidated by these kind of Corporations.

Contact the rep and tell him you will no longer promote Storm because of this policy! You have to communicate this injustice to the bozos that have come up with this greedy money scavengers selfish profit over quality policy. :twisted: :evil:

To all the pro shop owners here, you too need to support what's right for you and your customers. Get together. Let them know how you feel.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 24th, 2011, 6:27 pm
by StormTechDept
Dear StrikeTheory,

You didn’t say where you received your information, but this has been our policy for quite some time. I’ll make sure all of our team knows this. If the only issue was a cracked bridge, we don’t see this as a manufacture’s defect. Now if it was through the bridge and continued on, that is a different story.

The reason that we don’t consider this a manufacture’s defect is because there are so many things that can cause this that we have no control over and one of the major ones is where the ball rolls and what or where it impacts down lane. With the finger area being the weakest part of the ball, if the ball rolls across the bridge, (no one has control when it comes back through the machines) or if the bridge area is impacted in the machines, it is almost guaranteed to crack; either right away or over time.

I’m assuming there aren’t any finger inserts, but for those that do have them, the lack of bevel and super glue only makes this area even weaker.

When I was in the pro shop business, I explained to my customers that this is a cosmetic issue and not a performance issue. If they would like me to fix it, I would, but I always suggested they didn’t. It would only waste a good resurfacing. I never had any issues getting the ball replaced via the distributor if it did get worse down the road (within the warranty period).

If you were to plug the ball and it cracked from another area of the ball, we would still warrant it. If it were to crack due to the plugged area, it would have to be examined to determine what we could do. That is another reason I would suggest to the customers to just keep using it. I’ve had many balls with cracked bridges and no further issues.

I don’t get the opportunity to check these sites as often as I would like, so please contact me with any questions or comments at tech@stormbowling.com, or call me at 800-369-4402, you can also contact your Regional Sales Manager.

Thank you,

Storm Technical Staff

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 25th, 2011, 12:53 am
by Triplicate
Well you guys.... what do you say now?

Is this Storms problem or is it your drilling techniques?

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 25th, 2011, 1:13 am
by StrikeTheory
Triplicate wrote:Well you guys.... what do you say now?

Is this Storms problem or is it your drilling techniques?
I'm sure nearly everyone by now has had a bridge crack on them at some point or another. In fact, it's probably the most common type of crack in a ball, due to the reasons already pointed out by the Storm Rep. I had a cracked bridge tropical heat replaced in maybe October or November of last year without issue.

I just wish the warranty information was presented more clearly on this matter, so the the customer is informed.

Here is the warranty information pulled directly from their website. It's the same text that is included on a sheet of paper with every ball. Given the information included, and meeting all the guidelines below, wouldn't you think a cracked bridge would be covered?

How does the customer feel, when we tell them it is not in fact covered after paying top dollar for the best of the best?
StormBowling.com wrote: LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY – BOWLING BALLS

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Storm bowling ball. Storm Products,
Inc. prides itself on manufacturing the highest quality bowling balls in the industry
today and warrants them to be free of defective workmanship and/or materials when
used for the purpose intended, under normal conditions and provided they have
been cared for properly. All merchandise covered under this warranty must be
returned, with a sales slip showing date of purchase, to the dealer from whom it was
purchased. This warranty does not cover incidental costs including, but not limited
to, freight, measuring and drilling.

Storm agrees to replace this ball if at any time during the warranty period it is found
to be defective in material and/or workmanship. Storm Products, Inc. shall for no
reason be responsible for any damage caused by the following:
o Ball plugging or the installation of inserts for the fingers and/or thumb
o The width of the bridge being less than ¼”
o A bridge that has been weakened by holes that intersect or by insufficient lateral
pitches
 A minimum ¾” difference in lateral pitches must be used
o Holes lacking sufficient bevel
o The distance between any hole and the pin being less than 1”
o Damage caused by pinsetters, ball return systems, gutters and/or lanes
o Bowler abuse
o Exposure to extreme temperatures (above 140°F or below 40°F)

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights
which vary from state to state.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 25th, 2011, 1:55 pm
by Triplicate
I would imagine that the ball has been fixed already. The trouble then would be to have this ball in hand to show the Manufacturers rep that you didn't do anything wrong when you drilled it.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 25th, 2011, 4:14 pm
by JohnP
I have been bowling for almost 50 years, from rubber through plastic and urethane to reactive resin, and I have never had a ball crack across the bridge. I don't use grips and put a substantial amount of bevel on the finger holes. Coincidence? -- JohnP

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 25th, 2011, 4:30 pm
by Triplicate
Since you brought it up, I too have never had any bridge issues but maybe for different reasons. I have used 5/16 bridge for many years have have all my stuff drilled at 3/8 now and yes I use inserts. I ask my driller to always take away that sharp edge on the top. My pitches provide for a 7/8 pitch difference (3/8 left and 1/2 right). I used to be 0 and 3/4 til Mo and I made some changes.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 28th, 2011, 9:27 pm
by LPOliver
StormTechSupport posted a reply above, which begs a question, even though I have never had a ball crack.

I use finger inserts but to prevent my fingernails from catching, I have the holes beveled with the insert cut short, so that it is below the circumference line of the ball.
I also use a thumb insert because my thumb has the bad habit of changing sizes to such a degree that I have too much tape in the ball when it shrinks. The thumb slug, which is also recessed in its beveled hold, allows for a quick refit with a new slug.
An added benefit is that I have found that doing this also relaxes my hand and I no longer get sore spots or calluses.

Since the finger inserts are flexible, how is it that the glue weakens the ball when it is at least ¾ of an inch below the surface?
I have also noted that the glue for the slug is also placed well below the surface, and have the same question about the thumb-hole.
Is it the type of glue?

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 28th, 2011, 10:37 pm
by Mo Pinel
LPOliver wrote:StormTechSupport posted a reply above, which begs a question, even though I have never had a ball crack.

I use finger inserts but to prevent my fingernails from catching, I have the holes beveled with the insert cut short, so that it is below the circumference line of the ball.
I also use a thumb insert because my thumb has the bad habit of changing sizes to such a degree that I have too much tape in the ball when it shrinks. The thumb slug, which is also recessed in its beveled hold, allows for a quick refit with a new slug.
An added benefit is that I have found that doing this also relaxes my hand and I no longer get sore spots or calluses.

Since the finger inserts are flexible, how is it that the glue weakens the ball when it is at least ¾ of an inch below the surface?
I have also noted that the glue for the slug is also placed well below the surface, and have the same question about the thumb-hole.
Is it the type of glue?

Having drilled balls since the Jurassic period, I use very little glue. Because they'll probably have to be removed at some time. A small drop of glue in the left and right front of the insert. I never glue the backs and I have fired, or castrated, people for cutting the top of the glue nozzle on super glue, so I never over glue an insert.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 29th, 2011, 1:14 pm
by JustinWi
Mo Pinel wrote:I never glue the backs and I have fired, or castrated, people for cutting the top of the glue nozzle on super glue

Cut of my tip, I'll cut off yours?

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 29th, 2011, 2:11 pm
by crazyjim
JustinWi wrote:
Cut of my tip, I'll cut off yours?
wrong forum big guy

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 29th, 2011, 2:44 pm
by JohnP
LocTite has brush bottles of super glue, that allows you to use just a very thin film of the glue. Lately, though, they have been hard to find. About a month ago I found one bottle at the local Wally World and snapped it up, a bottle lasts a long time if it doesn't gel up. -- JohnP

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 29th, 2011, 4:33 pm
by TH58PZ700U
I glue my inserts on left, right and bottom, never on top to allow for carding. I'm not 100% sure what my bridge size it but I know its sufficiently large to allow any potential crask to be warranted by Hammer if necessary. I own 18 balls ranging in age from my 1993 Blue Hammer to my Arson that I just bought. Not a single one has ever cracked between the bridge except for my black widow clear that I dropped taking out of a car and cracked the bridge that way.

I'd have FAR more trouble with radial fractures around drill points (about 5 or 6 separate cracks on my last plastic ball before I switched to urethane) and I think that's the bigger concern for me at least.

EDIT: I use "space-filler" super glue sourced from a local hobby store and I use turbo quads. I put the glue in the little recessed space on the grips and never have any issues. My guess is the glue type helps.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: August 31st, 2011, 10:41 pm
by kidlost2000
Glad I went away from finger inserts in 2001. Got a better feel and had far fewer bowling balls crack. On my thumb slug I always put the glue a little further down below the outer shell/coverstock. On inserts I agree with the use of very little glue as well and also trying to get it below the outer shell.

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: September 1st, 2011, 8:30 am
by kwettig
So I guess I should be informing my customers that all storm balls will not be warrantied if they use finger or thumb inserts and the issue is "caused" by installing either the finger or thumb inserts? That's only 98% of my customers. Maybe 99%. I should probably do some research on other companies warranties concerning finger or thumb inserts...

Re: Storm no longer replacing cracked bridge balls

Posted: September 1st, 2011, 4:21 pm
by JohnP
I think you'll find that all companies' warrantys are similar. However, other companies I've dealt with have replaced cracked balls as long as the pin is >1" away from holes, the finger holes are beveled (even if grips are used), the bridge is at least 1/4" wide, and the holes don't meet down in the ball. I submit any claims through my distributor, Classic Products. -- JohnP