[Vwdiesel] HELP - WHEEL FELL OFF !!!

[Rolf Pechukas]

hey all
latest update for those of you following the saga:

- stubby axle arrived and is installed, everything supposedly 100%  
including tranny
*EXCEPT*
they found a hole in the tranny case where end of stubby axle  
apparently got caught by ring gear and punched through
(@ golf ball sized hole, they said)

they are going to have the case welded


Q:

in arguing with them about who pays for what, I have:

- grey area about the stubby axle
my feeling was that it didn't break until I drove long distance on it  
w/ shaft working its way loose
but James has convinced me that its a good possibility axle broke on  
initial incident

so: split the cost of stubby axle ($135)? what's fair here?

- definitely, though, they did not check stubby axle when they did  
initial repair
which everyone agrees was truly  their mistake, and that everything  
that happened as a result of that oversight should be on their dime

I'm assuming stubby axle tip broke through tranny case during my 70  
mile drive after initial repair
but I suppose its conceivable that IF stubby axle tip broke off  
during initial incident, that somehow in the 50 ft it took for  
vehicle to skid to rest, if tranny was still spinning, that piece  
might have popped through

so what's fair here? opinions?



IF they had checked the stubby initially, they EITHER would have  
found it intact, in which case they put on the new retaining clip and  
send me on my way
OR they would have found it broken, in which case I'm buying the new  
stubby, and they're looking for the clip and stubby tip inside the  
tranny, and maybe they also find an exit hole in the tranny case, or  
maybe it's not there at that point

just trying to figure out what's fair and what my position should be  
when I finally (10 days later) get my van back tomorrow and we have  
to settle up $$

(and no they did not provide a loaner vehicle)

thanks for any thoughts
-- 

Rolf in MA