S & S Transmission

Review: My T56 transmission was dropped off at this shop for a bench job eight years ago for a rebuild. An invoice was generated after the rebuild for 1500 dollars to replace a reverse gear, hub and slider assembly, bushings and seals. The transmission did not function as a rebuilt unit. Immediately after installation, only 3rd and 4th gear ground when being driven. All other gears worked flawlessly. This was not the state of the transmission when it was first brought to the shop. The shop was then asked to look at the transmission to figure out why 3rd and 4th gear were grinding when I had asked for it to be rebuilt. I explained that I just put the transmission in the car after they had rebuilt it, even though it sat for eight years. I just got back from Afghanistan and had the time to finish the project. The shop manager told me to leave the car for him to look at. He then called me and said he didn't want to deal with my demands anymore and told me to pick it up. After explaining to him that I knew the owner's son and I really wanted his shop to look at their transmission, he mulled it over and agreed to fix the issue for 1 hour of labor removal, 1 hour of labor installation and parts to fix the transmission. The shop took about three weeks looking at various issues that were unrelated to the 3rd and 4th gear grinding issue including the possibilities of a wrong clutch being installed, to tall of a flywheel, to tall of a rear crank hub among other issues. After consulting with the clutch manufacturer, flywheel manufacturer, engine builder and other mechanics, all signs pointed toward the transmission malfunctioning which caused the 3rd and 4th gear to grind, while driving, after I initially asked for the transmission to be rebuilt. I removed the car from the shop, I was missing two parts. My friend attempted to recover the parts from the shop but was dismissed by the shop manager. I tried to reason with the shop manager and owner but was hung up on during the phone call.Desired Settlement: I am seeking a full refund in the amount of $1735.08.This covers the first invoice from eight years ago in the amount of $1500 for parts and labor as well as the additional invoice for when I sought for the shop to back up its work in the amount of $235.08, where I was charged for "restocking fees", "shipping" of parts I never received as well as sales tax.

Business

Response:

This customer did drop his T56 transmission off to us as a bench job, 8 years ago. For clarification, a bench job is one in which the customer removes the transmission out of the vehicle themselves, brings it to us to rebuild or repair and then picks the transmission up and also reinstalls it back into their vehicle themselves. We never see the car and it saves the customer from paying the labor charge of removing and installing the transmission. After Mr. [redacted] picked his transmission up from us, instead of immediately installing it into the vehicle, he placed in his cold, damp basement with no transmission fluid in it for eight years, which is the worst possible thing that can be done to a transmission. Moisture gets inside the transmission and ruins parts. This is one of the factor that led to the failure of Mr. [redacted]s transmission. Condensation caused the third and fourth synchronizers to oxidize and freeze up. If the transmission was installed immediately after being repaired and installed correctly with the clutch disengaging properly, it would have worked right and third and fourth gear would have been fine. [redacted] even states in his complaint that the original problem with the transmission was not third and fourth gear. So that could only mean that the original issue with the transmission was fixed and the third and fourth gear problem occurred either while the transmission was sitting in the cold damp basement for eight years with no transmission fluid in it or while [redacted] was driving the car with an improperly installed clutch, grinding the gears.

Another contributing factor in the failure of Mr. [redacted]s T56 transmission is that when it was installed, eight years later, whomever installed it, didn't install the clutch correctly. When [redacted] brought us the whole vehicle this time (originally he just brought us the transmission that he had already removed from the car) the clutch wasn't releasing properly which causes the you to grind the gears when driving. Upon removing and inspecting the transmission and clutch, our mechanic also found that the clutch fork was chewing into the flywheel which shed metal shavings all throughout the bell housing. Because the clutch and transmission were installed incorrectly in the vehicle, [redacted] drove the vehicle grinding the gears causing even more damage to the transmission.

Despite these facts and the fact that we had no legal responsibility for his transmission (being 8 years later), we were still willing to work with him and help him as much as we possibly could anyways. Although we never got paid to remove or reinstall the transmission the first time, we were willing to cover most of the labor cost to remove, rebuild and reinstall the transmission, since the whole car was brought to us this time. We discussed it with [redacted] and agreed that we would charge him the cost of the parts and only a total of 2 hours to remove, completely go through and rebuild his transmission and reinstall it back into the car the correct way assuring that the clutch was operating properly. We proceeded to order the parts for Mr. [redacted]s transmission. A couple days later, [redacted] called and informed us that he wasn't going to have us fix his vehicle after all because he didn't feel he should be held responsible for any portion of the bill. So a tow truck was sent to pick Mr. [redacted]s vehicle up and all his parts along with his transmission were boxed up and given back to him. Due to the fact that we had already ordered the parts for his vehicle, in order to return them or cancel the order, our parts supplier charges us a restocking fee. Since [redacted] did tell us to go ahead and order the parts, we charged him the restocking fee and only an hour labor for removing, disassembling and inspecting the transmission in his vehicle. A couple weeks later, a friend of Mr. [redacted]s came to the shop and told us that they were missing a part from Mr. [redacted]s transmission. The part he described is called a bolt pivot and our mechanic said that he remembers putting that piece into Mr. [redacted]s box of parts. Although our mechanic was 100% sure he put that part in the box, we allowed Mr. [redacted]s friend to look around the shop to see if he saw it anywhere. He did not find it. [redacted] then called up after that and started yelling and cursing at us and accusing us of stealing his part. That bolt pivot is a $8.73 part ([redacted]). We have been in business for 15 years and have never had a complaint to the Revdex.com and wouldn't jeopardize our reputation over a $8.73 part. We would just buy one ourselves.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

The response provided to the Revdex.com by

S&S Transmission is grossly incorrect. S&S Transmission is making a

litany of assumptions and has absolutely no factual basis to make the statements

they are making.

The T56 transmission was dropped off as a bench job eight

years ago. I requested a rebuild and what was replaced was itemized on the

invoice. I removed the transmission from my own vehicle to reduce the overall

labor cost of getting the transmission rebuilt.

I have been working on cars for over ten years and the task requires no

special tools, just the assistance of an extra person to safely remove the

transmission from the vehicle.

S&S Transmission states in its response “instead of

immediately installing it into the vehicle, he placed in his cold, damp

basement with no transmission fluid in it for eight years.” I truly would like

to know how S&S Transmission came to this conclusion. I never indicated or

alluded to where the transmission was kept and in what conditions it was kept.

This is a baseless assumption on the part of S&S Transmission.

The transmission was crated and kept inside a garage. A

properly rebuilt transmission would have all friction linings coated with oil

prior to reassembly thus not requiring the transmission to be filled until

installation and subsequent operation.

S&S Transmission then stated, “Condensation caused the

third and fourth synchronizers to oxidize and freeze up.” The shop that

ultimately rebuilt the transmission, after it was recovered from S&S

Transmission, performed a thorough disassembly, inspection and reassembly of

the entire transmission and every part contained within. The technician

performing the rebuild stated, “I don't remember seeing any seized or rusted

parts.”

“[redacted] even states in his complaint that the original

problem with the transmission was not third and fourth gear.” This statement

completely contradicts my original complaint to both S&S Transmission and

subsequently the Revdex.com. In my complaint to the RevDex.com, the reason I brought the transmission back to S&S Transmission was

for a grinding 3rd and 4th gear. Eight years prior,

during my initial interaction with S&S Transmission, I brought the

transmission to them to have it rebuilt but 3rd and 4th

gear were fully operational. The transmission had roughly 148,000 miles on it

and was due to be taken apart, thoroughly inspected and serviced and then

reassembled. It was not until after they serviced it, 3rd and 4th

gear grinded.

S&S Transmission supplements their case by stating the

clutch was not installed correctly. If this were true, the grinding issue I

referenced to S&S Transmission would have affected all gears, not only two

gears, which also happen to be on the same hub assembly. The clutch merely

operates as an on/off switch between the motor and the transmission. Therefore,

if it is not functioning correctly, it will affect all gears.

“When [redacted] brought us the whole vehicle this time

(originally he just brought us the transmission that he had already removed

from the car) the clutch wasn't releasing properly which causes the you to

grind the gears when driving.” First, I didn’t have a choice whether I could

bring the car back or just the transmission. [redacted]he shop manager, told me he

wasn’t going to do anything to help me unless the car and the transmission came

to him as a whole. His exact words were, “I am not going to do this as a bench

job.” Second, the clutch was releasing properly. The problem the next statement

from S&S Transmission partially alludes to is when we first got everything

in the car back together; the stock master cylinder was over-extending the

clutch fork causing it to touch the pressure plate. This issue was resolved

prior to the problem with 3rd and 4th gear being brought

to the attention of S&S Transmission. Based on the geometry of the clutch

linkage and assembly, it is physically impossible to only partially disengage

the clutch while the clutch fork touches the pressure plate.

“Upon removing and inspecting the transmission and clutch,

our mechanic also found that the clutch fork was chewing into the flywheel

which shed metal shavings all throughout the bell housing. Because the clutch

and transmission were installed incorrectly in the vehicle, [redacted] drove

the vehicle grinding the gears causing even more damage to the transmission.”

As per my previous paragraph, I said they partially allude to the

“interference” issue. Whoever wrote the response on behalf of S&S

Transmission, stated the “clutch fork was chewing into the flywheel.” This is

physically impossible. The clutch fork is on the opposite side of pressure

plate in relation to the flywheel. In order for this type of interference to

occur, you would literally have to bend the clutch fork in half to make it

touch. An analogy for this would be if you took a plate, put it on a flat

surface and laid a fork half way on and half way off the plate and tried to

make the fork touch the underside of the plate while it is still laying on the

flat surface. It is a physical impossibility. The metal shavings were from the

non-friction surface side of the pressure plate caused by the clutch fork being

over extended. This issue was resolved prior to the car being brought to

S&S Transmission and damage was cosmetic only. Any damage to the

transmission occurred prior to installation. The only issue I ever had with

this transmission after receiving it back from S&S Transmission was a

grinding 3rd and 4th gear. This grinding was noticeable

immediately upon putting the transmission in the car. All other gears were

serviceable and the transmission remained in this state until S&S

Transmission agreed to service it.

“Despite these facts and the fact that we had no legal

responsibility for his transmission (being 8 years later), we were still

willing to work with him and help him as much as we possibly could anyways.”

Initially, it seemed that way. The lady at the front desk told me, when I first

stopped at S&S Transmission regarding the issue, “We back up our work.”

This was very promising. However, my first and just about every interaction

with [redacted]he shop manager led me to believe quite the contrary. On first

encounter, when I first stopped at S&S Transmission on 3/24/2014 to get

their opinion of the issue, I was told I had to drop it off because he couldn’t

drop what he was doing. Being a car of high value to me, I was reluctant to

drop it off and let it sit in their parking lot until they could look at it. I

offered to come back when they would be able to have a mechanic see the

grinding 3rd and 4th gear issue for themselves. [redacted] came

out after I asked if I must leave my vehicle. [redacted] began aggressively

questioning me as to if I expected him to drop everything he was doing just to

look at my car. I told him I was not. I left with my car and made arrangements

to drop the car off the following day on 3/25/2014. I dropped the car off and

left my contact number as well as a very concise description of the problem I

was experiencing with the transmission. A day later on 3/26/2014, [redacted] called

me and informed me he did not want to work on my car. He said he didn’t want to

listen to my “demands” and told me get the car “out of his shop.” I explained

to [redacted]he reason I brought it to S&S Transmission in the first place was

because I went to school with the owner’s son. [redacted] hung up and mulled it over

for an hour. He called me back agreeing to determine what was wrong with the

transmission and to fix it. The conditions were originally stated in my

complaint. After we agreed, days would go by where [redacted] would call, telling me

to come down to his shop to show me a reason the transmission wasn’t working

right. He pointed to many things but none were conclusively ever the reason the

transmission was grinding 3rd and 4th gear. I pointed

this very fact out to him and he got mad. He became fixated on the clutch and

refused to go any further with the transmission until the “clutch issue” was

fixed. [redacted] had me call the clutch company to see if they would send me a new

clutch or to troubleshoot the problem. He said, “Since something is wrong with

the clutch then they should be paying for the labor here.” More days went by,

of phone calls asking me to come to the shop, to call the clutch company, to

call the flywheel manufacturer, etc. Essentially, all the footwork was on me to

track the down the root of an issue that never existed. I asked on multiple

occasions to speak with the owner. The owner was always “at home”, or “out of

the shop.” Every request I made to speak with him was sidestepped. I would

truly be interested to know where the owner was for so long when a situation

like this was unfolding in his own shop. Bottom line, S&S Transmission,

regardless of legal obligation, showed absolutely no interest in working with

me. Every issue raised by [redacted] was to divert attention from the ultimately

defective transmission.

“A couple days later, [redacted] called and informed us

that he wasn’t going to have us fix his vehicle after all because he didn’t

feel he should be held responsible for any portion of the bill.” False

statement. I told [redacted] on 4/11/14 that I couldn’t afford to keep throwing money

at the problem. I told him I had to cut my losses and take my car home. I

arranged for [redacted] to arrive once [redacted] released the vehicle to me

and they towed the car to my house. Never once, did my responsibility for any

portion of the bill get raised as an issue for withdrawing my car from S&S

Transmission.

“our parts supplier charges us a restocking fee.” I asked

[redacted] who this parts supplier was on 4/11/14. His reply was, “Why does it

matter?” I believe it is my right as a consumer to know if I am getting charged

for parts, I should know where those parts are coming from. If the parts were

ordered and not shipped, then the order can be cancelled. Interestingly, while

the car was still under the care of S&S Transmission, [redacted] ordered a stock

clutch for my make, model and year of vehicle as a comparison but never with

any intent to install the part. Was I charged for a restocking fee for a part I

was never going to receive?

“Since [redacted] did tell us to go ahead and order the

parts, we charged him the restocking fee and only an hour labor for removing,

disassembling and inspecting the transmission in his vehicle.” I was charged

Sales Tax as well. In 2006, when I originally had the transmission serviced at

S&S Transmission, I was not according to my invoice.

“Although our mechanic was 100% sure he put that part in the

box, we allowed Mr. [redacted]s friend to look around the shop to see if he saw

it anywhere.” When I got the box home, I laid out each and every part I

received and took a picture to document what I received. The part is not

located in the picture. As for my “friend”, [redacted] he was helped up

until [redacted]he shop manager returned to the shop. [redacted] has written a

narrative as well, which is also included.

“[redacted] then called up after that and started yelling

and cursing at us and accusing us of stealing his part.” Slander. The instance

of the missing part occurred on 5/10/14. [redacted] explains the issue in

full. I was at [redacted]t when I was informed the part was not

missing and was needed to complete installation of the transmission. I have

three witnesses that can say during the first phone call with [redacted] and the

second phone call with [redacted] (and surprisingly, the first time I was able to

talk to him since this issue began) I never swore, yelled or accused anyone of

stealing. I did suggest it may have been left behind because this was the same

part that [redacted] wanted to shave down to chase down the clutch issue. I suggested

maybe it was just still on the bench. I literally pleaded with [redacted] to just

look for the part. [redacted] said he would call me back if he found it. Almost three

hours went by and I received no call. I called again. [redacted] answered and ensued

to lecture me about how he had to pay [redacted] for the half an hour he had him

looking for it and that he was “elbow deep in grease” and “didn’t have any time

for this.” I began to respond on the phone when I was hung up on.

I ultimately purchased the part which is called a Pivot Cam

and Bolt from an online retailer. I installed it with the same but newly

rebuilt transmission from another shop. I used the same clutch, pressure plate,

flywheel and everything else. The only thing that was changed was I had the

transmission rebuilt. The car drives perfectly fine now. There is no clutch

interference, the crankshaft hub is not too tall, the clutch fork is not

grinding into the flywheel.

I just simply want to resolve a very clear injustice that

has been done. Make right what is wrong. My requested resolution to this

complaint has not changed. I am still requesting the full reimbursement of

money paid to S&S Transmission.

Sincerely,