Just got my head and carb back in the mail from Derek, everything looks excellent. I did not receive my FCI ring back, so I called Derek up on his cell. He apologized and said one would be on its way ASAP. Also had him check the deck and cam journals as the exhaust cam was hard to turn. He even shimmed the head for me since I had sent the cams out to diagnose the said issue.

Originally all I wanted was new seals and springs but he noticed the guides were worn too (after five years of abuse), so I had him install some bronze guides, which also allowed for a better port service.

The carburetor was bored to 42mm.

Sorry for the bright pictures!

Do you have pics of the other side of the carb?

No, but I can get some tomorrow for you. Expect them later on tomorrow night.

Sorry guys, been very sick the past few days. I will get a pictures of the intake side of the carburetor for you tomorrow night as it is down to my dad's shop!

Derek, where are you? You haven;t gotten back to any of my calls. My head is on its way back to be fixed. Call me ASAP.

Your sending it back already to be fixed? whats wrong with it?

Exhaust cam journal. Will discuss details after I talk with Derek.

Whats the outcome george? Hoping to send my hea dout to him soon if all is well.

Jimmy

???

Engine dynamics has the head in the mail back to TTM. Just waiting for him to give it the OK to send it back, with new gaskets...

Didn't get gaskets, but I got a head back. Not the one I sent out though....

That sucks, I know what you are going through

Yeah, I sent my head back to him because of a swapped cam cap that he had "measured out" before replacing (the original exhaust cap had a gouge in the circlip groove that had no affect on its function). The journals were badly scored after 5 minutes of riding so he sent it to Engine Dynamics for repair and covered the small fee from them to make things right. It wasn't a speedy process but it was done. Could not get in contact with him before sending the head so I sent it anyway.

Either Engine Dynamics had a TTM head and swapped my stuff for some reason, or someone at TTM performed the task. I wouldn't be aggravated if this one wasn't painted an off silver, which is flaking off and showing corrosion behind it. Fortunately for Derek it is all the same as my head as far as having bronze guides and the same portwork. I would have sent it back but I just want my quad done.

I also need to send my carb out this winter for proper boring (if possible).

This has been one experience that went from kickass, to never again...

I dont think its Engine Dynamics' fault. They have been awesome to me and for sure will be giving them more bvusiness.

I have yet to receive my head (On Wednesday!) but i REALLY REALLY hope i dont have that problem.

I had 2 of TTM's carbs. I had to turn around and send them to Sredum because Derek wouldnt call me back. One was so screwed up that it couldnt be fixed. Good work and customer service TTM

In Derek's defense, he told me his family has been having some health issues (I don't want to go into detail).

I could see that affecting his customer service, but his quality of service has apparently gone down too. Improperly machined carbs, swapping parts, etc...




His porting work looks pretty impressive. I have yet to actually try it out since I've been waiting for stuff to get to me in the mail. I'm just now getting it running and need to find some bigger jets.... As for Engine Dynamics, I didn't want to rule them out as a possibility because the head was in their hands as well, but I doubt they had something to do with the switcharoo.

yea, i see.

Thats what ive heard from TTM too, but now you and CMAT have had some pretty bad experiences.

I wouldn't let this company replace the spark plug in my lawnmower after the experience I've had with them. I've spent at least 30hrs trying to get my head and throttle body back in running condition.

Did you know that if you replace valve guides that maybe you should check the fit between the new guides and the valves ( I had to drive my intake valves out of the head with a punch), or that if you replace the guides you should probably regrind the valve seats (I could see light between the seat and valve)? All of this was as delivered to me, never bolted on or ran yet, thank god I took the time to tear it all apart.

They broke my throttle body and tried to cover it up with epoxy and send it back to me like I wouldn't find out. Also swapped out one of my valves for some unknown reason with one that had a nice gouge on the face (all of the ones I sent were meticulously cleaned, the oddball valve had carbon all over it).

And please for gods sake quite scribbling the letters TTM on the sides of these beautiful heads, it looks like a kindergartner got a hold of a dremel tool. Luckily I have a CNC engraving machine so that's gone now.....

One last rant, please don't sandblast these heads, you know that sand gets embedded in the castings and can come out down the road, and that's the dirtiest sand I've seen in a while.

I wasn't going to do this post because they sent me my money back but I'm waaay past that money now and I'm just pissed at the blatent lack of quality and people looking to spend their hard earned cash should know about this kinda crap.

just bad to here about ttm just send them to Sredum for crabs and bo for head work.......

sorry my.02

Wow, I guess the ice is broken...

EDIT: And yeah, I definitely don't like the sandblasted head idea, plus now that this paint is flaking off, it looks like straight w00ter. I wish I had the head I sent BACK out for repairs.

welll i respect everyones opinions but i have nothing but great things to say about derek.....he has some great customer service.....my cylinder works cylinder just cracked and he called for me to get info and help me get a new cylinder and rings and gaskets and he even sent me a free pair of rings for the piston that was in the cylinder......he made my quad be very fast with one of his +1 heads......i think he does great work and this isnt my first built quad so.... these are my two cents......but builders are all good its just who you prefer.....and want to back and i back many builders and dont disrespect neither one.....they all have their flaws and good features....take what i say for wat its worth.....

Derek sponosored my this year for mx racing. I've had alot of bad luck with my quad...electrical issues, broken swingarm, etc. Derek has helped my with everything I needed help with. If everyone remembers back in late winter/early spring Derek's family's business burned to the ground. They have been working extremely hard to rebuild it. They wanted to be opened by Labor Day. I believe that they opened yesterday but I don't know for sure. I haven't driven over to see. I know alot of ppl have had trouble getting a hold of Derek including myself. I live 5 minutes from his shop so I just drive over. Everytime I've gone over, nobody has been there so I'm guessing they've been busy getting everything ready to open the business. And he's probably under a crazy amount of stress especially the way our building inspectors are for this county. I'm not defending anyone, I'm just saying that this probably has alot to do with it.

That's all fine and well, I'm glad that you guys have had good experiences and I don't doubt that he's a nice guy, but that doesn't exuse the blantent lack of quality/craftmanship I experienced. I'm now in a position where I probably have to get a new head, the valve guides he installed in my head are so far off alignment from the stock guides that when the seats were ground to the new position it dropped the valves in the head beyond what the valve shims can make up for and you really can't trim the tips of these valves because the bucket is so close to the retainer. So now I'm left with a big pile of junk that I have tons of time and money invested in and nothing to show for.

Here's a picture of my throttle body that they broke for me and then tried to cover up with epoxy and some pics of the gouged valve and some nice gouges they put in the sealing surface of my head.

Epic FAIL

Derek needs to step up or step out

WOW that's pretty crazy myk. Derek is definitely a nice supportive guy whenever I speak with him, and in his defense I know he is having some troubles with family...

That kind of craftsmanship should never leave the door though. I have heard much good from TTM so I invested nearly $600 for parts and labor. Unfortunately I got back an ugly looking (not sure on its condition yet, no access to a leakdown tester this week) head and improperly bored carburetor... the ORIGINAL head had to be sent back to him, which in turn he sent to Engine Dynamics for journal repair on the exhaust cam (which he ate the cost of, and shipping, thanks!) and I received back a different head in the end...

I'm sure he can explain this stuff, when he has time. Hopefully.

See guys I told you about this guy with the problems my buddy(jim_beam_racer) had all of last year. He got the motor back the day before or first ice race and it still ran like w00ter, plus the head had scouring in the cam journals. So he spend alot of money for a new head and other things. Now he went with a local engine builder and has had no problems yet.
TTM= Major Failure, is what I think.

+1

I had Derek port my TRX 450R Head. He did an extremely good job on it and it runs very strong. There family has been going through some very troublesome times trying to get there other business back up and running and dealing with Code Enforcement officers on there new building. Him and his family have really busted there butts to get this business back up and running for the people in the community.

I have been having motors built by various builders for 30+ years now and there is not a motor builder out there that can claim to be perfect. My suggestion would be just be patient and things will turn out positive in the end.

LA Sleeve once had to send me 3 different Pro-X cyinders for my 250R before I got one that finally didn't leak. I had a friend that had to get 2 different T-Rex cylinders before he got one that was right. These companies make great products, but the fact is mistakes do happen.

I am not going to get into a internet pissing contest, do the searches, every builder has had a costumer complain about there work at sometime or another, and the internet only magnifies it.

Yes mistakes do happen, but those companies made it right with you. Derek has yet to make any thing right with me, or even try he wont even call me back. I gave up a couple of months ago and just realize it is a lesson learned. I dont think he has made it right with several people.

Derek needs to quit working on quads and just go into his family business, whatever that is. My $0.02

+2 even though I have always backed him enough is enough I am not going into all the good stuff but this pic should say it all

my moter/carb was put back together with extra stuff laying around i KNOW FOR A FACT there where not 2 mix match screws in my carb

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?...mageID=63805783

I know this is probly pretty abd to say, but your personal life should not show in your work life. Even if you are having family or personal problems, it shouldnt show in your work that needs to be very precise. Nothing should leave that shop unless is passes the TTM standard that they set for all there other high performance builds. If thhey want to keep there business running and keep very valued customers in these tough ecomomin times, they need to step it up and not let there personal life get in the way of there high standards.

you know i thought derek was top notch and still think tht unless he is hideing it and just seems like it but i highly doubt it.

i like my TTM topend.

oh no doubt, he has awesome work. But lately i have seen LOTS of screw ups by him. The epoxy to hide the crack?! Come on, thats just not right. You dont drop someones head/throttle body and not tell them about it, or fix the damn thing!

he helped me out after i screw up he went thru my whole motor and thats a huge job. only problem was tht a screw for the clutch and tranny were in the wrong place. but was able to switch them!

I dont understand how people think he is top notch from the feed back other people have said and especially with what my buddy had gone through ALL of last summer!

I have never done business with this so called top notch guy and NEVER in a million years would. It just pisses me off how people have to go through stuff like this even though I should care less because its not my stuff.

I have gone through Rossier Engineering and let me tell you THEY are top notch people down there in Plover, WI. Sure its only the two of them, but I would never second guess those guys. I have questions for them and they can answer it before I'm done asking the question. And I have had no problems what so ever with my motor since the day it left their shop last year, sure I had the piston replaced two months ago by them but it was an actual reason for my motor to be back down there, not because something was put in wrong or broke but still put in like some people say ttm has done.

If any of you guys are looking for a serious engine builder who actually knows stuff and have years of experience, I HIGHLY recomend Rossier Engineering (715-341-9919).

Sweet feed back, way to keep your customers happy TTM.

I used to work at a local shop near TTM and one day derek sent over a customers motor that he was building and said something was wrong and it wouldn't run right. We took it apart and there were dowel pins missing on the head, wrong gasket size, and dirt everywhere. IMO he is useless. They didn't even buil;d there own drag bike, someone did it for them!!! Their " sponsored" riders in D-3 arn't worth a w00ter either. Derek himself is the biggest poser too, hhe offers mx porting but the closest he's been to a track is watching a race on tv. Sorry but these guys are pathetic.

Ya thats what he told me to last year when I had told someone about his w00terty work. Then he found out about me sending the pm to the other member. He told me that he goes to all the national races every year so he knows exactly how to build his engines to be better then the other engine builders. Then he told me that if I wanted to talk about building motors (cause I told him I probably know more than him) and he told me to give him a call whenever I felt like talking to him about building engines. I'm like yea whatever. LOL

Also looked at his profile and saw he hasn't been logged in since aug. 24. Maybe he has wised up and got off this site? That would be nice!

i cant believe any of this comes as a surprise to you guys. you can only do so much out of a shed in the middle of the woods. he poped out of nowhere a few years back with no credentials or proven expirence. i questioned this back in the day when he first came around. it was a shady, no name opperation back then, and it clearly still is.

exactly

When derrek first came on seen here it seemed like he had alot to offer. I had my head ported for mx, and the butt dyno tells me he did a good job. Ive had a full season of normal riding on it and its still strong. And he had top notch customer service.

I am just stating my experience with him.
I am sorry for everyone else that has had less then exceptional service from him.

I would like for derrek to come on here and give you guys a good explanation for this service now.

is TTM still in buisness??? anyone have any work done from them lately?

it says in your sig that there your sponsor lol you should know that question. Or thats just prving another bad point; doesnt even tell his sponsored riders whats goin on.

yeah pretty much how it is, he sponsored me with free motor work so i do owe hima good rep, but i tried callin a few times, constant email and pm;s. So i donno what the deal is anymore.

Danm that sucks.... time to call up another engine builder bro..

Still hasn't logged in since aug.

yeah w00terty part is his port job wasnt even that great looking, then he tells me to send it up and he will report it and updated the porting, i recived the head pack with carbon all thro the intake adn packaging peanuts that i sent with the end still stuck in the intake and exshuast. He never touched the head all he did was ahve me send it there turned around and sent it right back to me without even looking at it. I have found a new engine builder.