[martyroy]

2000 safari awd

I had a small accident where the right rear tire was hit, the shop did an alignment and replaced the right rear axle that was bent they said but the rear tires seem like they are cambered in to far.

Are they even suppose to be cambered in ?

Also the van has an obvious dog track to it which it never had proir to the accident .

Should a proper alignment bring the vehicle straight again and get rid of the dog track ?

I drove behind another safari and it seemed to have no camber to the rear wheels,the handling is not very good on snowpack or ice at highway speeds either it seems to pull and almost lose control,very scarey

 

[spongebob218]

Camber and toe on the rear wheels should be zero, being that it is a solid axle. There is no way to make any adjustments to the rear alignment.

Is the axle tube bent? I'd think you would notice some noise or possibly binding, though, if this was the case. This is the only thing I can think of that would cause a camber issue.

Is one of springs' center bolts broken? This wouldn't case a camber problem but would definitely cause a dog-track condition if the axle shifted.

 

[Matrixx]

Hi martyroy

Welcome to the Forum

Is the insurance company looking after this? No it is not normal at all and I'm surprised the alignment shop would even allow you to leave like that. That really does put them in the Legal Loop for sure if they did.

Can you post a picture or two of what your talking about? Either way, I would get a another opinion on this (but that will be your choice if you do or not). I wouldn't drive it anymore than you have to (if at all) and definitely not highway speeds.

Is their a government agency in your area you can call or get them to look at it for you? This is the route I was going to take when I had my front end hit by person who was towing a tandem trailer behind him, he cut the corner to sharp where I was sitting and he hit my left front wheel and almost took it right off. When I got it back from the auto body shop that looked after the insurance claim and alignment it was way off.

When I found out where the body shop took the vehicle for the front end work, I called them and he told me he was instructed to only do a Tow In on it?? I then asked him if he knew how dangerous that was and legal ramifications he would be facing if something happened. He refused to do anything about it. I said fine, and told him I would be taking the vehicle to a friend of mine that does Commercial Vehicle and Accident Inspections (causing death) for a local police department and if he found anything wrong or "BuckSheed" back to together, that I would let him do the follow up.

Needless to say, he insisted that I didn't do that, and to bring it back to them and they would make sure everything was safe (which it turned out to be no where near safe). 2 days later, I got my van back and everything was just the way it was before the accident. I told the Auto Body shop and the Alignment shop what I thought, and also told them I carried a Special Needs child in the vehicle on the weekends (at the time) and did alot of highway driving with her in it.

This was a body shop that had a very good reputation in the Burnaby area that instructed the alignment shop to just do the tow in, the lady at the body shop was very friendly, but the guy was very Cocky and Arrogant and he was the one that instructed the alignment shop to do this. After I told him what I thought about his "Cut Corners" workmanship and that I would be filing a complaint against them on such a dangerous decision he chose to make, he got all real "Pretty Friendly" at that point and apologized for such a stupid mistake, I accepted it, and moved on. I will never take anything to them again and I will never recommend them again either because of it.

I know some people may think I'm a trouble maker and give everyone a bad name for no reason, not the case at all, I'm very easy going overall and I always give the shop an opportunity to make things right first. I don't do this kind of work and I don't expect this kind of work to be done on "my" vehicle, If it is, and they refuse to correct it, then you just pulled on the "Monkeys Chain" and watch out, because he's coming down from the trees with hands and feet fly'n . Just to much of this going on these days, I see it all the time at the shop when customers bring their vehicles in with a problem another shop made and refused to correct it.

Ramble Off

Something to consider and definitely get a another opinion that has some pull in you favor with this. Hope this helps. Please keep us updated, I'm curious now on the outcome. Thanks martyroy.

 

[Gary]

Totally agree with the replies so far.Any frame shop would plum bob it(well lazier beam).That dog track is not normal.Maybe a angle to play would be take it back to the insurance adjuster telling him the repair shop couldn't fix it and the insurance should now total it. :think:

 

[martyroy]

I went to the dealership [Chysler jeep] where I had the work done and they are finally going to send it to a chevy dealership to have them look at it.

The body shop mgr. had given me pretty lame excuses for my concerns originally,but I guess my persistence paid off.

I'll post tomorrow on what the chevy dealer has to say.

I put a level againest my rear wheel rims and found them to both be out by quite a bit.

 

[Matrixx]

Thanks for the updates. I'm curious to see what happens here, Thanks.

 

[martyroy]

OK ,heres the lateset update after the chevy dealer had it for 2 days.

right rear toe and thrust angle out of spec.

measured rear suspension and found rear differential housing bent.

The crhysler dealersship says it has to get back to my insurer and get them to approve more repairs before he can do any work.

The body shop manager explained the process and it sounds like a big job that might require a rebuild of the rear axle and housing or an entirely new rear axle/diff.

If this was found on the first assesment of damage the vehicle would have been written off for sure.

I guess I'll find out next what the finally answer will be.

I think the body shop manager said my tires being cambered in had something to do with the axle damage and the dogtracking not just an alignment issue.

It's to bad I have had this vehicle since new and it is in near mint shape with only 185,000 km, and I had just found the matching rear bench with the reclining seat for it.

I'll post again when I hear the finally decision from my auto insurer.

 

[Gary]

Sorry to hear this.Hope it works out for the best for you.

 

[Matrixx]

Hi martyroy

Thanks for the update.

Why wasn't the vehicle taken to the Chevy dealership in the first place? (just curious). What does the Chevy dealership recommend being done to the rear end?

Personally speaking here, but I would insist on having the rear end replaced completely. From my own experiences with damage of this kind, is it really never gets corrected properly. When the housing is bent so much you can actually see it with the naked eye, then their is more than likely internal damage that isn't seen, and why I would insist on a full replacement instead of a repair.

The Chevy dealership might have the proper tools to straighten it, but the Jeep dealership has lost ALL credibility with me when they sent you out the door with that amount of damage in the first place and that's the mind set with those people your dealing with (as little as possible). Actions speak louder than words in this case and I personally don't trust them at this point and why I would insist on a full rear end replacement.

It's not me dealing with them, and the choice is obviously yours on how you want to handle it, and thanks for the updates martyroy.

 

[spongebob218]

The insurance company will probably fix it at this point, being that they already fixed the rest of it. They will probably take the cheapest way out however, and replace the housing with a used one. If they do this, insist they get one with the same or fewer miles than what you have now, and have it checked internally for wear.

 

[Gary]

The thing is if the housing is bent(and it is),then is the springs twisted,or the shocks/mounts bent,or the frame effected??.I think the real question is where did the damage end??.What was the last component to absorb the shock of the hit and isn't correct because of it??.That doubt alone ,if it where me, would make me take whatever steps to force the insurance company to total it out.For you I hope what I am saying isn't the case,but.......

 

[Matrixx]

Their has been some very good points brought up which I hope you will consider martyroy. Thanks again for the updates.

 

[astro355]

The thing is if the housing is bent(and it is),then is the springs twisted,or the shocks/mounts bent,or the frame effected??.I think the real question is where did the damage end??.What was the last component to absorb the shock of the hit and isn't correct because of it??.That doubt alone ,if it where me, would make me take whatever steps to force the insurance company to total it out.For you I hope what I am saying isn't the case,but.......

I think that is dead on. When any vehicle has been damaged like that, it will never be the same again.

 

[martyroy]

The auto insurer got back to both myself and the dealership chrysler,they were not happy at all with the dealership and if they approve the repair which sounds like they will they want the dealership to swallow have the cost of the additional work because they missed such an expensive addition [ at least $1300 more] to the original claim that the car would have no doubt been written off.
The damage so far has reached $3000.00
Manitoba public insurance is politly telling me I have to stay with the Crhysler dealership so that they will have to pay half the cost of additional work.
The body shop manager and I have keep a good relationship through all of this and he has said that he is going to try and send my van across the street to the chevydealer to have them do the rear end work .
I would feel better at the chevy dealer ,because they have all the spec.s and technical bulletins for any changes or recalls of any sort that the other dealer would have any clue about.
The body shop manager has promised me that he will find out the history of the used axle tube that they are using to replace mine.

The reason I used the Crhrysler dealership was that the guy who caused my accident is the sales manager and I thought that if my vehicle was written off that maybe he could help me out with a better deal than usual.
As that turned out in the very beginning I was asking about a vehicle and he gave me his BEST price ,which was terrible. I had made one phone call to another dealership and hadn't even told my price yet and they were lower with there first offer,I seem to be getting the stick that is dirty at both ends from this dealership.

Oh well lessons learned, and I will ask about the rest of the vehicle components that were mentioned above.

Thanks for all the help so far

Marty

 

[Matrixx]

Thanks for the updates Marty. Man, you are in one nasty mess their. I would insist on taking it to the Chevy dealership with your insurance company because of the very reasons you just gave.

With the dealership being faced with 1/2 the costs, I can "assure" you without any doubt in my mind, they will do as little as possible to fix it (right or not) as already been proven by them when they fired you out the door the first time. Let the insurance company know what's been done already by them and why you want the Chevy dealership to deal with it now.

This isn't suppose to be your problem, this should be between the Chrysler dealership and your insurance company now regardless of where you take it. You might want to consider one thing here, is it will be you driving the van and dealing with problems down the road if it isn't repaired the way it should be.

It sounds like you at least have one friend among foes their and that's a good thing for sure. Have the Chevy dealership look at the van afterwards if you have to get the work done by the Chrysler dealership.

$1300.00 is nowhere near the repair costs to have it done properly and that's for sure from what you have described. It sounds like both the Insurance company and the Chrysler dealership want to cut their loses and run on this one. Don't let them is my strongest suggestion here. Have it done right. In A Nut Shell.

Dirty end of the stick indeed.

Please keep us updated, Thanks Marty.

PS:From what I have gathered here Marty with your posts, you seem to be a nice person in life. You were nice enough to take it to the place suggested by the person who hit you and what did he do? I feel this person took "full" advantage of your kindness and gave you the gears in return. This is just my take on things and how you deal with it will be entirely up to you but I do wish you the best here either way.

 

[Gary]

If it where me-now is the best time to get a lawyer involved.I would think that might change the insurance company's mind on who is going to pay for what and who is responsible for getting who to pay for what.It is the insurance company's problem to take the jeep dealer to court for any increases in the repair,not you.Given it is your insurance,they should just pay you first.Let the jeep dealer pay for any legal fees for the lawyer too.

 

[martyroy]

Ok the end of the story is here ,the jeep dealership gave the van to the chevy dealer accross the street and they put in a used rear axle housing and did all the proper alingments.
The jeep dealer gave me all the paper work from the chevy dealer and it had al the spec's. of before and after degrees of all toes ,cambers, thrust and so forth.

The van drives well finally .

Thanks for all the help with this matter and all the other great topics on this forum.

Marty

 

[Matrixx]

Hi martyroy

As long as your happy with the results, then that's all that really matters. I'm glad to hear it's driving properly now. Thanks for the update.

 

[astro355]

Definitely glad to hear that.

 

[Leeann_93]

I'm glad they made it right, finally.