jim Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Before we start, I expect the answer's probably 'yes' The story goes...I left my split rims to a local refurbisher to get sealed and powder-coated as two were leaking air through the splits. The wheels are fairly rare - they're Stich Mesh 3's and as far as I know were built to order when they were available, but aren't made anymore. They're staggered widths and different offsets front and back. They're also drilled for 5 stud on the fronts but multi-fit on the rears. The guy had them for five months, during which time he said many times that they'd be ready next week etc. He told me they were welded, then later told me they couldn't be welded. Long story short, I got them back, fitted the tyres and discovered that three were now leaking. I knew that he'd had a lot of hassle with them and felt a bit sorry for him so decided that I'd take it on the chin and say nothing, and just move on. It wasn't a lot of money anyway. I took them to another guy who sealed them in his work using aircraft sealant, he didn't split them, just used this liquid stuff round the join and it worked. Happy days! Tyres were fitted again and left for ten days or so to make sure they weren't leaking. All good, so I went to fit the wheels and discovered this: rear front The guy had mixed up one of the faces from the front with one from the rear, meaning that I've got wheels with different offsets on the same axle. To resolve it properly they need to be split and reassembled, but I'm not paying someone else to do this again. I'm also not keen on risking splitting them again as they were very difficult to get sealed in the first place. The guy that managed it can't do it again for me as it was a favour to take them into his work to do it last time. Spacers would sort it too, but running a spacer on one side and none on the other probably isn't that clever. At the minute the wheels are worthless as no-one would buy them with odd offsets. Anyway, back to the issue. I messaged the guy (he's a trader on a local forum) and asked for a refund. He's come back to say no, and that he should be given the chance to put them right first. Fair enough and good on him, but bottom line is I don't trust him and don't want him working on them again as I don't think he's capable of putting them right (as in getting them sealed again). He had them for five months last time and couldn't do it. So we're at an impass - I'm not giving them back to him, he's not refunding me. Am I being unreasonable? The guy's self employed and works out of a unit at a farm so it's not like it's a proper business. It was also only £120, not a lot but it's the principle. I've threatened to document the events fully on the forum that he's a trader on but this doesn't seem to worry him. I'm not sure where that would get me anyway, it would probably take some business away from him but as he's cheap people will continue to use him, and I'd definitely not see a refund then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Are you sure he didn't just mix up one of the fronts with one of the rears? Edit: Looking at the dish I'd say not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 No bud, I went through all those possibilities (did a lot of head scratching that day lol) and it's definitely a mix up of the faces when being reassembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 To be honest I would probably cut my losses and get them back to the guy who was able to seal them to sort out the problem. I would let the folks know on the forum exactly what happened. Stick to the facts though rather than mud slinging and also mention that he did offer to take care of the issue but due to the fact that he had them for such a long time and couldn't sort them you didn't trust him with the task of putting them right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Doesnt seem like the guy knows his ass from his elbow and it took him 5 months I wouldn't be rushing back to him, find somewhere that knows what their doing, its not rocket science I assume your wheels are 3 piece ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 I'm thinking the same about posting up on that forum Scott, but the guy that did seal them isn't a refurbisher so it's not really an option to ask him to sort them. I can't ask him to risk brining them into his work again anyway. Yep, they are three piece Dunk. What bugs me is that it'll cost me to get someone else to do them, which will be the third time I've had to pay to get them sorted out. I think I need to accept that I'm not getting refunded, and while I'll feel guilty about potentially damaging his business by posting about it, at least it might help others decide whether they want to trust him with their wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kill1308 Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 while I'll feel guilty about potentially damaging his business by posting about it, at least it might help others decide whether they want to trust him with their wheels. Don't feel guilty about it, if there's going to be any damage caused to his business, then it will have been caused by himself not doing a proper job. Hope you get it sorted with minimal cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 You could take them apart yourself its not that hard to do if you can get the correct socket for the rim bolts and a small torque wrench. Are they the same as mine with bolts and nuts on the back ? if so Just get the tyres whipped off, de seal them and undo the bolts Refit the correct inners/faces and outers together and re bolt them, use a small amount of thread lock on the bolts. torque them up to approx 20ft lbs then re seal them with sikkaflex sealer. Leave for 24hrs then refit the tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 Cheers kill, that makes me feel a little better about it looking at it from that perspective. Yep, they are like yours Dunk, I've looked at those pics of yours lots of times in the past to get an idea of what's involved cheers for the tips bud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 If as you say, they are 3-piece, you can fix this without removing the sealant providing the inboard and outboard parts of the rims are correctly matched. Just let the air out of the tyres, unbolt the wheel centre from the other 2 parts of the rim - the sealant doesn't need to be disturbed and it will hold the 2 halves of the rim together whilst you then offer up the correct wheel centre which you'll then bolt into place. Just be gentle with the 2 halves of the rim when they are without the wheel centre to hold them firmly together and you should be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Yep, they are like yours Dunk, I've looked at those pics of yours lots of times in the past to get an idea of what's involved cheers for the tips bud Glad to be able to help Jim When your splitting them and putting them back together i found it much easier to stand the wheel on its side in a stack of tyres, you hold the bolt side and get a mate on the back side to undo the nuts, then reverse the process when putting them back together. Just rotate the wheel in the tyres as you work your way round the bolts, you also dont damage the rims them I've done a sketch for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 If as you say, they are 3-piece, you can fix this without removing the sealant providing the inboard and outboard parts of the rims are correctly matched. Just let the air out of the tyres, unbolt the wheel centre from the other 2 parts of the rim - the sealant doesn't need to be disturbed and it will hold the 2 halves of the rim together whilst you then offer up the correct wheel centre which you'll then bolt into place. Just be gentle with the 2 halves of the rim when they are without the wheel centre to hold them firmly together and you should be ok. If their like mine you can't do that as the centre is sandwiched between the two outers so it all has to come apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 If as you say, they are 3-piece, you can fix this without removing the sealant providing the inboard and outboard parts of the rims are correctly matched. Just let the air out of the tyres, unbolt the wheel centre from the other 2 parts of the rim - the sealant doesn't need to be disturbed and it will hold the 2 halves of the rim together whilst you then offer up the correct wheel centre which you'll then bolt into place. Just be gentle with the 2 halves of the rim when they are without the wheel centre to hold them firmly together and you should be ok. D'oh!! If that works I owe you a pint amigo! I've a feeling that they're like Dunks though, and to remove the centres they need to come apart. I'll check for sure later though. Nice drawing skills Dunk, Ed's got competition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 D'oh!! If that works I owe you a pint amigo! I've a feeling that they're like Dunks though, and to remove the centres they need to come apart. I'll check for sure later though. Nice drawing skills Dunk, Ed's got competition! Glad you like it I think most of the 3 piece wheels i've seen are like mine but worth checking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I've done a sketch for you Looks well dodgy, what's occurring `ere then? Is it one of those we met in the public conveniences type activities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Being a self employed mechanic, if I fit for example, a faulty starter motor, I expect to be given reasonable time to rectify it FOC. I had this recently, the girl threatened to take it somewhere else because I couldn't get a replacement starter motor the next day, it was coming in the day after. I told her she was well within her rights, but not to expect any compensation from me as I'd offered to rectify it as soon as I could do it. Legally, that's how it is. However, if you don't think he's capable of carrying out the work necessary, or he's refused to rectify it within a reasonable time frame, you can get onto trading standards as the wheels are no longer "fit for purpose", and as you handed him the money, it's his duty to rectify within a mutually acceptable time frame, or refund you. Also, if they STILL leak, it's his duty to stop them leaking, or pay someone out of his own pocket who can! Sent from my iPhone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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