[GO DAWG GO]

Nostatic,

I know you think I'm a grammar challenged goofball but, I was a rail builder for years and know a few this about this stuff. I am also trained and certified in aircraft safety and crash investigation. The damage on the right spindle and Idler arm was a pre-existing condition. This is why.

Compare the symmetry of the two sides. The right side idler arm in question is highly distorted and tie rod end is severly bent. If you did this much damage you would know it. You would have to have hit a massive object at a high rate of speed to transfer that much energy and cause that much damage. Second if you notice the undisturbed side has wrinkle paint pretty much intact. The damaged side, the paint has been gone long enough for heavy surface oxidation (rust) to permeate the unprotected area. Typically when steel is rapidly twisted and distorted the stresses propogating through the material will expand and contract exceeding fast shedding any type of finish such as paint. In this case this area endured exceedingly high excelleration/excursions that shed the paint some time ago. I find it hard to believe the paint had been removed from the exact area that became damaged recently. Rust surface oxidation will exfoliate or sluff off when external/internal sresses/excursions are experienced.

I would build my case this way.. Ask him how the paint was removed from the damaged area. Show him the opposing side with the intact wrinkle paint. Why is the paint missing from the area around the tie rod end. Explain that if you had caused this damage there would be some evidense of bare steel where the structure was bent and expanding on one side and contraction on the other. What about the rust where it is damaged. Paint does not like to remain on disturbed weldments and distorted steel. I deal with aluminum airframes but the same type of stresses cause the same affects on both materials.

Tell him to explain the rust on the damaged areas.. That's the dead giveaway. If he wont return your money than challenge it with AMEX.

Hope this helps....Buddy!

Bob