[Vwdiesel] HELP - WHEEL FELL OFF !!

[David Cook]

Rolf-

Goodness!  I can't believe all that!  Man!

Anyway, I'd personally be happy if the shop owned up
to the error, fixed it up *correctly* in a timely
manner (IE, they aren't putting other cars in front of
it), and not charging you a cent for any of it.  Then
I would never, ever go back for any reason.

If the shop owner tries to get out of (any of) it, you
can mention how their error created a very dangerous
situation.  What if the axle came out while you were
driving?  You could have lost control of the vehicle,
injuring or killing you or other motorists.  Or many
other parts could have been damaged, the new ball
joints, the opening in the trans for the flange, the
trans itself internally if all the fluid leaked out
(why do you think it was popping out of 5th gear? 
Probably low fluid!) before you discovered the
problem.  

They might be having to fork over a *lot* more money,
and they should count themselves lucky to only have to
reinstall an axle and buy a clip, seal, and stubby.

If they still protest, an offhand comment like, "It's
really no wonder there are so many lawers nowadays..."
might encourage some action.  (BTW, that exact comment
was what it took to get some action out of a
small-town police department that wouldn't get around
to preparing a report after my Mom's car was hit.) 

Good luck, and keep us posted.

David

--- Rolf Pechukas <rbp at 4u2bu.org> wrote:

> hey all
> more developments with the 93 Eurovan - it's still
> in the shop with  
> more damage now
> pls excuse the lengthy email - just needed to sort
> this out
> 
> aslo, I'm looking for feedback:
> pls tell me if my take on this is unreasonable in
> any way
> 
> 
> sequence of events:
> 
> - driving slow on side road, vehicle gives sudden
> lurch, driver's  
> side front wheel collapses and locks up, I bring to
> stop in 50 ft
> 
> - see that lower ball joint has given way, wheel
> canted at 45° angle  
> and wedged into wheel well
> 
> - find local garage that will repair within 2 days
> (I am supplying  
> major parts - all 4 ball joints, 2 axles, tie rod
> ends - had ordered  
> these to rebuild front end, BJ failed a few days
> ahead of schedule)
> 
> - tow guy (from same garage) shows up w/ flatbed (I
> had suggested  
> wrecker due to nature of the vehicle's condition -
> would not roll,  
> wheel could not be moved - dispatcher had ignored
> me)
> 
> - tow guy messes around for 45 in, then goes back to
> get wrecker - I  
> wait another 2 hrs
> 
> - shop gets van; quickly reassembles driver's side
> wheel - working  
> outside b/c van can't be moved - so they can get it
> rolling and bring  
> it in and up on a lift
> 
> at this point, they have replaced axle and ball
> joint to get it back  
> together
> they get it in shop and finish rest of front end
> work
> 
> BUT THEY NEVER REMOVE STUBBY AXLE (FLANGE DRIVE)
> FROM BELL HOUSING,  
> CHECK SPLINES FOR DAMAGE, OR REPLACE RETAINING CLIP
> OR SEAL
> 
> according to everyone I have talked to, this is
> standard operating  
> procedure when stubby axle has been pulled out of
> tranny due to ball  
> joint failure - there is NO WAY that clip can
> survive this
> 
> in fact, several people emailed me from this group
> and the VW and EV  
> lists and told me to MAKE SURE the clip and seal
> were replaced
> 
> and I called the shop before they did any work on
> the van, talked to  
> the dispatcher, tried to relay the tips from the
> group, specifically  
> about replacing the clip and seal
> he cut me off - 'yup, all under control'
> me: 'you sure? these guys know this vehicle'
> him: 'we're on top of it'
> 
> so that's the second time he ignored me and screwed
> something up
> 
> - I get the van back; everything seems OK
> 
> - I head out for Boston the next day - @ 90 miles
> 
> after 20 miles the tranny won't stay in 5th gear -
> keeps popping out
> 
> I hold it in and continue
> 
> at @ 70 miles I stop for red light
> when I try to start up again, nothing
> no enganement of tranny
> 
> I push to side of road and look under
> CV axle is pushed away from tranny again
> new part, but same old injury, tranny fluid bleeding
> all over road
> 
> I get AAA'd back home (thanks, AAA Plus!)
> 
> - call the shop next day, let 'em know what happened
> ask them if clip and seal were replaced when flange
> drive was  
> reassembled
> am told the stubby axle was just 'pushed back in'
> 
> !!!
> 
> - OK
> we agree that they need to reassemle the driver's
> side axle at their  
> cost
> I undertake to locate the clip and seal they should
> have ordered  
> themselves the first time
> 
> - I order clip and seal from dealer; 2 day wait
> 
> - clip and seal arrive (today, 11/1)
> I go to shop to consult, make sure they do it right
> this time, etc
> they tell me 'we've got other problems'
> 
> turning green, I ask what
> 
> the stubby axle has been damaged, surprise surprise
> entire tip has sheared off (from retaining clip slot
> to end, about  
> 3/8" of shaft)
> 
> stubby axle needs to be replaced
> we decide to order it ($135 and 4 bus days - that's
> another week for  
> me of no wheels)
> and argue about who pays for it later
> 
> the shop owner is of the opinion that the tip of the
> shaft sheared  
> off when the ball joint failed and the CV was yanked
> out
> certainly a possibility
> 
> but
> 
> pictures from sitting on the side of the road before
> anyone touched  
> anything show stubby axle almost fully exposed and
> still staying  
> engaged with splines
> this indicates to me that there is still full-length
> shaft intact
> 
> here's what I think happened:
> 
> - ball joint fails
> - wheel splays out, yanking axle out of tranny
> - retaining clip is destroyed, but stubby axle
> remains intact (no  
> twisting action at any point - wheel bound and not
> turning from the  
> instant ball joint failed)
> - shop reassembles w/o new clip or seal, or even
> examining stubby  
> shaft for damage
> - I drive to Boston w/ no clip, shaft working its
> way loose
> - but drive still engaged all the way to stop at red
> light -  
> important - no slipping, no missing (except 5th
> popping out)
> - I think by the time I stopped at the red light,
> shaft must have  
> worked so far loose that only the end of the stubby
> drive was engaged  
> by the splines of the final drive
> so when I tried to start in 1st from dead stop, all
> that torque went  
> into twisting the end of that stubby axle off
> probably weakened/fatigued by the axle yank and the
> driving half-out,  
> but I don't think it sheared off until that moment
> starting from stop
> that's the only thing that could explain why it
> drove fine to a stop,  
> but could not get going again
> (unless it somehow in that moment happened to push
> its way another  
> 1/2" out - unlikely - wheels were straight forward,
> no reason for the  
> axle to move a lot at thered light)
> no, I'm pretty sure I'm right - starting from stop
> after axle working  
> out w/o clip is what sheared off end of stubby
> 
> anyone have any other thoughts?
> how to talk to the shop guys about this?
> 
> as far as I can see, the shop is rersponsible for
> not following SOP -  
> replace clip and seal, examine stubby axle for
> damage - following  
> ball joint failure and axle yank
> and because of that they're kind of, hate to say it,
> responsible for  
> everything that happened after that, including:
> damage to stubby, tow from Boston back home, damage
> to tranny caused  
> by clip and/or end of stubby mangling around in
> there, certainly  
> rebuild of driver's side axle
> 
> is there any other way to see this ??
> 
> thanks for any thoughts
> -- 
> 
> Rolf in MA
> 
> 
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> 


David Cook
Red '86 Cabriolet Diesel Powered
Red '90 g60 Corrado 
Brown and White '78 Westy Campmobile "Bear"
and others in various states of disrepair
Pictures here: community.webshots.com/user/superdave5599


 
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