Scared to drive my truck now.....

96B2300 · #1 12-01-2010, 04:06 PM

My grandfather in-law spent $2500 fixing my truck when I bought it.

New Spindles
4 new shocks
New Calipers/pads
Rear axle seals
Rear axle bearings
the works

Soo you would think it would ride pretty good huh?
Well about a month after that I was driving down the road and my left front brake locked up on me sending me into the ditch. I drove it home with it locking up on me ever 50 or 60 feet, luckily I was driving in my neighborhood and I made it home okay. Thank God I wasn't going 70 on the highway. When I got home I jacked it up and found out that the bolts holding the caliper on were gone and only one was holding it on. I drove my dad's truck down the road near my house and what do you know I found my other bolt laying in the middle of the road. It turns out that not only did they use the wrong bolts but they wern't long enough and they didn't have any loctite on them either.

I went up the shop to tell them about this major BS and the owner just smiled and looked at me and asked what I wanted done to my truck today. I got so mad I just walked out.

Anyways today I stopped by Advance and I asked one of the guys to come look at my truck and tell me what the problem was. My rear end felt loose and it made me uncomfortable. I have tightened all the bolts in the rearend and everything connected to it and it still does it. When I shake the truck it sounds like my rotor is hitting against my wheel but it's not because I tightened it up too. So the guy said it might be my bearings (which were replaced at the shop) and when I was driving home from the store it felt like my rear end was about to fall apart. I am scared to drive my truck now. I never go over 70 but even then loosing a wheel or something can really screw you up even at low speeds.

What should I do???

ben10 · #2 12-01-2010, 04:14 PM

contact a lawyer, if the shop did all that work and your truck starts falling apart due to those parts, i would be all over it, if you get a lawyer to even call that shop up i would bet they would give you a call and get it all fixed RIGHT. if they do that, dont be easy on them, hold your temper and dont walk out, but milk em for everything you can get. sounds like a shady shop.

96B2300 · #3 12-01-2010, 04:28 PM

I don't know where to get a lawyer and I'm 17 anyways and I told my dad and his girlfriend and they don't even care. They said since I painted my drums and I took them off and that somehow messed up my bearings and I told them it had nothing to do with each other and they said I shouldn't mess with my truck and leave it alone like everyone else.

ben10 · #4 12-01-2010, 04:37 PM

best bet is to google it, if your parents wont help you talk to your grandpa, or google a lawyer local to you, go talk to them and explain the situation, if they cant help you they will point you in the right direction. make sure and bring the reciept with you stating what the shop fixed. also go try one more time at the shop to get them to make it right, if they refuse remain calm, it will hel you in the long run. if he refuses let him know you are then going to look into legal options.

96B2300 · #5 12-01-2010, 05:01 PM

Thanks man I'm going to do that when I can, I can get the receipt I think and I will go up there when I have a chance and talk to them. If I wreck and it's because something they did does that give me a right to sue or something like that?

I'm not looking for comp I just want to be able to drive my truck normally.

ben10 · #6 12-01-2010, 05:04 PM

honestly the sooner you do it the better, and take pictures, if you wait the shop is gonna have more pull. take pictures and make note of what happened. see if you can get a mechanic to check it out and tell you what happened. and get him to give you an estimate of the repairs.

terryduanemiller · #7 12-01-2010, 05:06 PM

there is natural axle slop, so the parts move freely.. you can grab any vehicle and shake the rear side to side, and hear a clunking sound..... sorry bout ur troubles

96B2300 · #8 12-01-2010, 05:10 PM

Is it normally on just one side of the truck? When I turn or stop it feels like my back end is going to fall out. It started vibrating today too when I was coming home from work.

littleblue · #9 12-01-2010, 08:25 PM

Is the shop a nationwide chain store like Midas, Pepboys, etc. If so contact the corporate offices with a complaint. As said by everyone else take pictures asap to document the problems. Google or check your phone book for a legal aide organization in your area. They can provide you some up front legal advice without cost so you know whether to spend the money on attorney or not. Best of luck.

MooDib · #10 12-01-2010, 08:35 PM

I agree with ben10 and try contacting lawyers and if you can't get a lawyer talk to the repair shop and threaten to sue, report them to the BBB, etc.

96B2300 · #11 12-02-2010, 05:59 PM

It is a local shop but I didn't take pictures of it because I was more worried about fixing it. I don't know how I can take pictures of the problem now because I think it's internal.

ben10 · #12 12-02-2010, 07:56 PM

then find a mechanic who will look at it for you, maybe take it to the autoshop at your school, or talk to the shop teacher and see what he thinks.

yocalif · #13 12-03-2010, 12:21 AM

It isn't likely that you will find a lawyer to take this unless you put up a retainer, which will cost you $500-2500 and nothing will ever happen. Its too long, you said 30 days, if you drove out of the shop and your wheels locked up on the way home then you might have a case, even a week out you might. Its too easy to say you drove the vehicle super hard since your a kid.
Besides if it is less than $10,000 that is small claims court and you can't take a lawyer into small claims. Small Claims court usually favors the consumer, take the pictures, get written testimony, and have your day in court. The fact that you painted your drums can be a point against you. I don't think you have to be 18 before you can make a claim, but your grand father can on your behalf. Gramps should be really upset that this happened.

Do make the BBB complaint. If the business is listed on Google maps then you can rate the business, it does get read.

4evermodding · #14 12-03-2010, 12:52 AM

First their are steps you have to take first, first go back to the shop calmly and tell them the problems and ask them to remedy the issue ASAP, If they don't budge, than pay $50-$100 for a independent Mechanic to check the car and he will be able to show that either the shop screwed you or it's something completely different, he will also be able to do a full complete writeup as he is a certified mechanic, Next take the papers and make 4 copies, take 1 back to the shop and demand they fix the issue, If they don't than contact the better business bereau and file a complaint, They will contact the shop and schedule a meeting with you and the shop owner to hopefully minimize any further legal actions, otherwise a fine is issued depending on the State, and the shops name is than listed on the BBB, and you can file a claim in small court.

ben10 · #15 12-03-2010, 08:36 AM

good call bru and calif, i feel really bad for this kid, its hard being young and not knowing what to do when you get screwed...