About once a year I have seen a post about a dealer or brake shop failing to install new bolts when mounting new rotors. I extend my specific and hearfelt thanks to Dantt, tthrsn, and Safecracker for your posts.
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Big O Tire shop gave me verbal (3 times) and written agreement that when new brake rotors were installed that 10 NEW torque-to-yield bolts would be used to ensure that the axles would not fall out. Per Ford, these bolts may NEVER be reused due to safety issues.
When I picked up the van I asked them what torque specs they used. The service adviser looked very nervous, went back to the shop for 10 minutes and came out and handed me 4 pages of torque spec and rotor installation docs (nearly identical to the Ford instructions posted here over the years).
I paid them $689, but due to his nervousness my spidey senses were heightened. I went home and pulled a wheel and discovered that old original bolts were reinstalled (not even using Loctite) despite this company's repeated assurances.
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Without the information provided on this forum I never would have had the knowledge to ask for the proper bolts to be used, or attendant issues ensuing from bad work. Thanks everyone!
So, you may ask, how was this resolved? I returned to the shop and ask to speak with the owner. He was out of town and they blew me off. I filed a formal complaint with customer relations at Big O corporate, as every shop is a franchise. I also filed a formal complaint with the bureau of automotive repair in my state.
To corporate's credit, due to the serious safety failure of the work, I received a call from a regional manager. He arranged for a no-charge New bolt installation the following day at another shop.
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Several days later, I did receive a call from the owner of the original shop. He apologized and I said that his team "should not have repeatedly lied to me", his words. He refunded the full amount I paid. Unexpected and gracious. He stated "I also let him know we were going to have a complete shop meeting with sales team and mechanics to go over the situation and what is expected in the future so this does not happen again." Impressive. 😄
Opportunity for growth, unfortunately at my expense.
Failures on the part of their service adviser and Tech, as the 4 page document they gave me show that the bolts are to never be used again. Who knows what they were thinking?
"Torque-to-yield (TTY) bolts are intended for single-use. When a bolt has yielded, it has plastic deformation and should not be reused in a critical application." FORD MOTOR CO.
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....TTY BOLTS, ROTORS, BRAKES
Big O Tire shop gave me verbal (3 times) and written agreement that when new brake rotors were installed that 10 NEW torque-to-yield bolts would be used to ensure that the axles would not fall out. Per Ford, these bolts may NEVER be reused due to safety issues.
When I picked up the van I asked them what torque specs they used. The service adviser looked very nervous, went back to the shop for 10 minutes and came out and handed me 4 pages of torque spec and rotor installation docs (nearly identical to the Ford instructions posted here over the years).
I paid them $689, but due to his nervousness my spidey senses were heightened. I went home and pulled a wheel and discovered that old original bolts were reinstalled (not even using Loctite) despite this company's repeated assurances.
Without the information provided on this forum I never would have had the knowledge to ask for the proper bolts to be used, or attendant issues ensuing from bad work. Thanks everyone!
So, you may ask, how was this resolved? I returned to the shop and ask to speak with the owner. He was out of town and they blew me off. I filed a formal complaint with customer relations at Big O corporate, as every shop is a franchise. I also filed a formal complaint with the bureau of automotive repair in my state.
To corporate's credit, due to the serious safety failure of the work, I received a call from a regional manager. He arranged for a no-charge New bolt installation the following day at another shop.
Several days later, I did receive a call from the owner of the original shop. He apologized and I said that his team "should not have repeatedly lied to me", his words. He refunded the full amount I paid. Unexpected and gracious. He stated "I also let him know we were going to have a complete shop meeting with sales team and mechanics to go over the situation and what is expected in the future so this does not happen again." Impressive. 😄
Opportunity for growth, unfortunately at my expense.
Failures on the part of their service adviser and Tech, as the 4 page document they gave me show that the bolts are to never be used again. Who knows what they were thinking?
"Torque-to-yield (TTY) bolts are intended for single-use. When a bolt has yielded, it has plastic deformation and should not be reused in a critical application." FORD MOTOR CO.
....TTY BOLTS, ROTORS, BRAKES
