mechanics ethics

[lighthouse]

So, i got brand new tie rods installed, inner and outer, just last summer. only drove it a bit and had it parked all winter. At the end of last summer I noticed the tire on my right side was really badly worn. Turns out my right inner tie rod (the new one) was totally shot and thats what caused the wear.

I took it back to my mechanic and he agreed the tie rod was totally shot and said I need new inners, and should definitely do both sides. and ofcourse, I will need an allignment, and probably a new tire. money, money money

He said the tie rods he put in obviously werent strong enough for my deli and I need better ones. (l300 originals i guess) this guy works on delicas all the time. wtf? he s not offering any discount on the work or the parts because he "cant guarantee the parts"

i think this is bullshit. what do you think? should I just get the new tie rods and take them elsewhere else? should any shop be able to do this job?

[nxski]

So, i got brand new tie rods installed, inner and outer, just last summer. only drove it a bit and had it parked all winter. At the end of last summer I noticed the tire on my right side was really badly worn. Turns out my right inner tie rod (the new one) was totally shot and thats what caused the wear.

I took it back to my mechanic and he agreed the tie rod was totally shot and said I need new inners, and should definitely do both sides. and ofcourse, I will need an allignment, and probably a new tire. money, money money

He said the tie rods he put in obviously werent strong enough for my deli and I need better ones. (l300 originals i guess) this guy works on delicas all the time. wtf? he s not offering any discount on the work or the parts because he "cant guarantee the parts"

i think this is bullshit. what do you think? should I just get the new tie rods and take them elsewhere else? should any shop be able to do this job?

I would make sure the parts are correct and pay him. Get mad if it happens again. This is a problem that occurs only on lifted Delica's when lesser tie rods are used. Unfortunately, this exact scenario has happened to me 4 times in the last year, the most recent time was when I finally found out that not all tie rods are created equal. I'm extremely pissed about spending so much money multiple times, but can't blame the mechanics for not knowing and can't blame the supplier because I didn't tell them my vehicle was lifted. That being said, I bought my vehicle from RMI, told them it was lifted and was still sent the cheaper components. For this reason, they gave me a refund when they blew out again, but it still cost me in labour. A very frustrating occurrence, but unfortunately no one can really be blamed for ignorance, that blame will rest on the mechanic and/or parts supplier if it should happen again.

[lighthouse]

wow, sorry to hear that happened 4 times! ya, im just going to get it done and get over it. even if I take it somewhere else, ill still hve to pay. at least I know this guy can get the right parts, the second time round.

[nxski]

wow, sorry to hear that happened 4 times! ya, im just going to get it done and get over it. even if I take it somewhere else, ill still hve to pay. at least I know this guy can get the right parts, the second time round.

Hopefully that solves your problem! I'm still having alignment troubles, but I know it's not the tie rods this time.

[CordlessDrill]

I've got a standard L300 and had a 2" lift kit added without changing the tie-rods. Sounds like I should be looking for these stronger tie rods too.

[FalcoColumbarius]

There was this company that told me my forward stab-links needed replacing and I should get them replaced, so I told them to go ahead, after all ~ they are the professionals.

A couple of years later I'm driving north on the Lillooet Lake road when I feel this thump from underneath my feet, then another thump ~ followed by this loud and obnoxious rattling. I found a prudent place to pull over and crawled under the wagon: Both stab-links had snapped at the same point and the stabilizer was making the rattling sound by bouncing off the skid pan as I drove the forest service road. I got back to Van and cannibalized an L300 wreck for a replacement set of stab-links. I was astonished to discover that the stab-links I procured were far more robust than the ones I took off of my wagon! I realised that the company that replaced my stab-links had done so with the wrong set, for whatever reason.

Another time I met up with a member of this club who related to me a story about how he went to another company to get an oil change. At the end of the day he picked up his Starwagon and drove home. On the way home he noticed his headlamp pattern appeared strange on the road, as well as looking dimmer on one side. When he got home he discovered that one of his headlamps had been replaced during the oil change.

Both these companies dealt with the selling of Delicas. Beware. I'd be inclined to ... interview the company who replaced your tie-rods, perhaps consider finding another garage. I've lifted the Miss Lil' Bitchi one and an half inches when I had the added leaf installed and re-indexed the torsion bars and although I've since replaced my tie-rods, I did so due to common wear, nothing out of the ordinary. Besides, I can't see how a lift would affect the tie-rods as they are more related to the axle rather than a part of the suspension, no?

Falco.

[lighthouse]

Hmmm, so Falco, what are you trying to say exactly? that these guys are making stuff up to rip parts of the delica? or what?

[FalcoColumbarius]

Hmmm, so Falco, what are you trying to say exactly? that these guys are making stuff up to rip parts of the delica? or what?

Well, in the instance of the headlamp/oil change story, yes ~ although this story was not one that I personally witnessed, I believe it to be true. In the case of my stab-links there is the possibility that the mechanic just didn't know what he was doing. All I know is those stab-links that I pulled off my wagon were better suited to say an Acty. In fact, the guy whom I purchased my wagon from had a garage do all the work of getting her ready for the Canadian market, they put the wrong pads in the brakes, consequently with the wrong shims. The guy was a good enough man and I wouldn't think twice about buying from him again but for whatever reason his mechanics put the wrong pads in, which could have been a sad ending ~ I first noticed the pads because the way my wagon braking changed from time to time.

It's not rocket science for the mechanic to order the correct part for your vehicle. It's not like your tie-rod is a very exotic and hard to come by part that is hand hammered by a wise man in a small hut high in the Himalayas and required determination and a strong ass to climb through the mists to acquire. When Mitsubishi makes a machine, they don't make every vehicle with unique parts. For instance the Starwagon transfer case is the same as is used in the Pajero or the Mitsu Jeep, I understand the frame itself is used in other vehicles. How long have you dealt with this garage? I'm not saying that they are guilty, mistakes do happen. All I'm just saying that I've crossed this story before and although most of the people out there are generally nice folk ~ on occasion you come across a bad apple.

I had a slow leak in my rear left tyre due to a screw from a construction site. I went to a tyre company to get it fixed, cost me $25.00. While I was there the owner asked me if I had trouble driving such a dangerous vehicle, being RHD and all. He went on to say that they really should be banned from the NA market. I just smiled as I'm no longer interested in arguing this point any more. You know what? I currently have a slow leak in my rear left tyre. When I get the cash to get it fixed again it will be at different tyre place and I'm going to be there when they pull the tyre off it's rim and we'll see if there is a patch inside the tyre, or not.

In my opinion ~ I'd talk to the guy. Perhaps it was a silly mistake that we can all make but you know.... your suspension is a vital part of your vehicle performance and a broken tie-rod on the street at fifty kliks can become a sad story real fast when one of your wheels suddenly turns and your vehicle suddenly goes into the oncoming traffic or mows down a pedestrian on the pavement, God forbid.

Falco.

[nxski]

There are different qualities of tie rods for the L300. The suppliers default to the cheaper ones because they work well in un-lifted Delica's. If you have a lifted one, then you want the heavier duty ones (I believe these are the same as the originals rather than aftermarket brands. I have a long chat with RMI about this. I don't think that your mechanic was trying to screw you over, or that he made a mistake. I think that he likely just called a parts supplier and asked for tie rods for an L300 and the company defaulted to an aftermarket brand because they weren't informed of the lift.