Need your thoughts

[cojnit]

So there I was last night making a run from the old house to the new house at about 10:30pm, when all of a sudden I feel a large crash and hear an enormous explosion from my truck. Then I realize that I am somehow now sitting in oncoming traffic! "what happened?" I am thinking to myself... just then I look into my rear window and realize that my tire has just hit me in rear end. Shaken and still somewhat confused I emerge from the truck and stagger in the road for a second., only to realize that something very unusual has happened. My lugs for the tire have all completely sheared off. I find 5 out of 6 in the road with all of the lug nuts still on them ( and able to be turned by hand) This is made even more clear when I realize that I just got my car back from midas a few days ago, after taking it to them for a second time because I was concerned that they had not fixed the braking problem that I had originally had it in for several weeks before.

All of this being said, I am a little banged up and confused as to what should happen now, as well as out of a vehicle. If anyone has some thought as to the actions I should take I could sure use the insight.

thanks

[71-longbed]

did you notice any vibration before the incident ??

i'd go back to midas after checking the other wheels lug torque, and raise hell

[silvertonguedevil]

Originally Posted by 71-longbed

i'd go back to midas after checking the other wheels lug torque, and raise hell

ABSOLUTELY!! I totally agree. If they failed to tighten down the nuts properly, you should be able to get that fixed--studs, nuts, wheel and body damage on their tab!!

[CPNE]

You need the advise of a lawyer, not this board.

[justbcuz]

^^^^That will also insure that they get their ass's in gear. And yeah, it sounds like they over tightened your lug nuts.

[barn9]

I'd say the boys at Midas got a little carried away with their impact gun, and they need to get their checkbook out.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by barn9

I'd say the boys at Midas got a little carried away with their impact gun, and they need to get their checkbook out.

I agree with this. They definately over torqued the lugs (stretches and cracks the lugs until they suddenly fail when in use). I've seen this happen before. I don't let anybody go near my lug nuts if they aren't using a torque wrench to tighten.

[cduster]

Originally Posted by barn9

I'd say the boys at Midas got a little carried away with their impact gun, and they need to get their checkbook out.

[VetteVet]

My guess is that your insurance will have to pay for repairs and you might be able to get Midas to pay for your deductable. Did you call the police or have any witnesses?
If you take the repair bill to Midas and can show them that they worked on your truck on that side then they might just pay off. They have insurance to cover things like that. My bet is they are going to say that they didn't have anything to do with it and your're on your own. I hope not but that seems to be the way business is done. You should contact your insurance and you can get a free consultation from an attorney sometimes. Good Luck

VetteVet



m

[724wdcopper]

get yourself a lawyer. you gottem by the short & curlies. they overtightened your lug nuts and stressed the studs. they are at fault. slam dunk. dont take no crap from them, either. they might try to bully you into thinking they are not liable. that's crap. they are 100% liable.

"SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

[cojnit]

the other thing is that if you look at the drums they dont look like I got them several weeks ago, looks like they are very old.

[cojnit]

check it

[724wdcopper]

Originally Posted by cojnit

the other thing is that if you look at the drums they dont look like I got them several weeks ago, looks like they are very old.

those are supposed to be freshly done brakes? i dont think so. at least not competently. there seems to be no pad material left (other than dust on everything). perhaps they were clueless and over adjusted the shoes? wore them out in 2 weeks? if that's the case, these guys have their heads up their tukasses! there is something seriously wrong here if those are "fresh" brakes. another reason for the lawyer. and it looks like they owe you an axle. the centering flange appeares severly damaged. what else is hurt? suspension componets? i see the quarterpanel is buckled. they just better get the checkbook out, cause this is not gonna be cheap. just remember, you pay the insurance company, so you can dictate who you take it to. the cannot force you take it to a cheaper shop. if they do, threaten to cancel. bottom line is, you pay their salary. you control where your vehicle goes.

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by VetteVet

My guess is that your insurance will have to pay for repairs and you might be able to get Midas to pay for your deductable. Did you call the police or have any witnesses?
If you take the repair bill to Midas and can show them that they worked on your truck on that side then they might just pay off. They have insurance to cover things like that. My bet is they are going to say that they didn't have anything to do with it and your're on your own. I hope not but that seems to be the way business is done. You should contact your insurance and you can get a free consultation from an attorney sometimes. Good Luck

VetteVet



m

He's right about this. I took my acura to a place a few years ago and had my brakes done and when i picked it up the first time i noticed an awful streaching sound and so i turned right back around and dropped it back off to be fixed right. The next day i get a call saying its done again and i pick it up and dont get half a mile down the road before i have one of the front brake pads come right off the caliper. I had it towed back to the shop i had the brakes done at and told the manager what had happened and can you guess his response? "what do you want me to do about it?" I told him that i wanted him to pay the tow truck driver and fix it right and replace any components that were damaged as a result of their poor work. He said he wasnt going to pay for anything and that it was my problem. The sad thing is that i had a similar experience with my wifes Volvo as well. You just cant get good work done anymore and NO ONE will take responsability for anything they do. Its a sad state of affairs we live in these days and chances are your on your own here.

[71-longbed]

got me worried .. whats a good torque ?? 100 ft-lbs or alittle less

[86SILVERADO]

Same thing happened to me when I had new tires put on my truck. Except they stripped them so all the lug nuts backed off until the tire flew off on a sharp turn. I didn't fare as well as you however. I can't stand courts and lawyers but If I could I would ahve gotten at least a few grand I suppose. Glad to see you made it out O.K.

[CHEVY & GMC FOREVER]

Originally Posted by 71-longbed

got me worried .. whats a good torque ?? 100 ft-lbs or alittle less

I tourqed mine to 75 ft.Ib

[powell72]

Those ARE NOT new rear brakes. Usually Midas likes to stick you good and sell you shoes, wheel cylinders, and a hardware kit.

[longhorn71]

i had that happen one a 1-ton f@rd.it was not fun wacthing the two rear wheels pass me on the hi-way.Talk about a white kncle ride!!!you should be able to get them to fix it .keep us posted.the torgue for my kenworth at work is 650 foot pounds.

[Tully]

Over tightened lug nuts is a pet pieve of mine. I have been out on the road trying to change a flat when some nuckle head used a impact to tighted the lugs. When I tighten lugs I use a impact also but I don't over do it then I always check them with a little four way so I can get them back off on the road. Never had a nut come loose in my life. Well one time, I have an electric impact I use to use before I got an air one and it only had enough power to tighten a lug to where I got in the habit of not rechecking them. One day I was putting all four tires back on and the brushes went out of the impact on the last one. I went and took the impact apart and forgot to go check that last wheel. About a week latter I started getting a vibration and I was wondering what it could be and remebered that impact quiting on me and never checking the lugs, I was going to stop for gas in a few miles so I would check them then. Well I forgot and latter that day I was going about 70 on a gravel road slowed and turned a corner then bam the rear end went down and the tire passed me. I got out expecting body damage and no studs. To my surprise only one stud was broke and no body damage, I walked down and got my tire jacked it up, stole some nuts from the other wheels and was back on the road. Sometimes you get lucky.

[franko72]

I would contact the Midas Corporate office first and explain the situation and how that they are responsible for all repairs.Tell them that their reputation is at stake! If you dont get any satisfaction call your local news agency, if it airs Midas may go above and beyond your needs.

[byrd]

The lawyer is the way to go. I had my neighbors 72's oil change at a valvoline instant place(his decision not mine) and they didn't get the oil pan plug back in right. I made it about 6 miles before the #'s matching block thru a rod. funny thing is that I didn't hear any knocking or anything like that, although the truck had about 250,000 on that motor but it still seamed odd to me that there wasn't any noise prior to the rod being thrown out the side of the block. I contacted them imediately and the owner of the franchise show up on the scene as the wrecker was picking up the truck and he addmitted fault right than and there, however we did get into a pissing contest about the cost of repair and I said you ruined a #s matching block from a 72 cheyenne and that they would have to replace it with a crate motor with similar specs. They put up a little fight and then i had my lawyer contact them and things progresed pretty swiftly from then on. The crate replacemnt would have cost $4200 and they kept saying that the truck was old and they should not have to put a new motor in it. I insisted on it and had the truck appraised and it appraised and the appraiser said the truck was worth $7500-8000, nearly three times what it cost new so therefore their exscape goat of it being old was shot all to hell. They made an offer of $3000.00 and he took it and went to the local machine shop and had a similar spec motor to the crate motoer put in it for the $3000. Insurance co are scum of the earth and they want your money and don't ever want to pay. All you ever hear is that they can't pay this or they won't pay for that. I hate insurance co. and the federal governmet sucks for mandating, but not regulating them. Please force those guys to fix your truck by any means nesesary, the lawyer being the easiest route ,but may cost you some of your settlement, but worth it!! Randy

[dtlilly]

I had my tires rotated on my Ram at the dealership last year. A day or two later I felt pulsing in my pedal when braking. I took it back to the dealer and told them I think the over tightened the lugs with an impact wrench. He said they don't use an impact to install lugs, just as a mechanic was using an impact to tighten some lugs, lol. I ended up with new front rotors out of the deal.

Good luck on your deal. I know you must be sick about the damage on that sweet Burb!

[SLS]

cojnit,

I am sorry to hear of your misfortune, but the bright side is that you, and no one else, were injured....or worse.


Have YOU contacted YOUR insurance carrier yet? I have my vehicles insured through Farm Bureau and they would not hesitate to sic one of their own lawyers on Midas (or anyone else), after they had their appraiser document the case do the estimate on the damage. That's their job, to protect YOU and themselves from liability.

One time I was a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in an accident and wound up in the hospital overnight with a split-open chin and a few broken teeth. The insurance carriers of both vehicles did not want to pay my medical-dental bills................then my father suggested my Farm Bureau agent for advise.

Being that I had 'uninsured motorist' coverage, they put their own lawyer on the case.....and I got my $$$$$ pronto.

Good luck!

[skokie]

2nd that.