Does anyone know Robtech aka Rob Wertz?

[rusty davis]

Hi, I bought and paid for a newly rebuilt 5.29 4 cylinder diff with a truetrac lsd in it for $530 shipped from Rob Wertz aka Robtech. His original post is HERE (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=438603)

Here's his information under his public profile; hopefully someone knows him personally because he seemed like a nice guy and I hope nothing has happened to him.

Member #25555
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: shingle springs, ca
Posts: 539
E-mail: robtechfabrications@gmail.com
I found another e-mail through his website- synista_racing@yahoo.com some pics and this e-mail come directly from his website, but it hasn't been touched since 2002 so he may appear a little different now.
Age/DOB-08-09-1983

His Last Activity on this board: 02-01-2006 08:15 PM
He e-mailed me last on 2-13-2006 and has not replied to my last 3 e-mails and 1 PM.


Here's our e-mails about the diff with only relevant information shown-

02-03 by Rob Wertz
hey bro...got the moneyt in my paypal account last night...gave the third member so the shippign dept today with your address so it's on its way!!!!
02-05 by Rusty Davis
Do you have any idea when the diff might get here? I'm guessing around Friday(Feb.10th), but I have no idea how your shipping dept. works or what carrier was used.
02-06 by Rob Wertz
yea i'd guess around friday, we use ups.
2-13 by Rusty Davis
Hey, I was wondering if there's any way possible to get a tracking # for my diff. I know you shipped it through work so it may be hard, but UPS came both Friday and Today, but no diff.
2-13 by Rob Wertz - last response
yea those douschebags got dyslexic on me and typed the last part of your zip code in backwards...i noticed then when it got returned to us today (recieving is right next to me) so i gave em hell and they reshipped it out (i typed the address myself this time
2-16
Hey, I was just wondering if you could be so kind as to get me a tracking # for the diff if possible. If not, just let me know the day it went out.. Just wondering when to expect it as I’m planning some mods and the ability to have a vehicle around it
2-22
Hi Rob Could you please let me know the status of my differential as I haven’t gotten it yet and my vehicle is rather useless without it.
2-23
Hey I’m sorry if I’m freakin’ out on ya, you seem like a nice, honest guy. It’s just that I’ve never given so much $$$ to a total stranger before; I’m sure you can understand that I’m a little paranoid. That and the last time I did get screwed over the internet the guy kept saying he was sending it out before finally not returning my e-mails. Also, I’ve had items shipped through UPS, including tires from Arizona and a front 3rd and rocker bars from Cali since you said your 3rd was shipped and they’re all here.

Pleeeeeease let me know something before I go insane worrying about this! Whether you’ve sent it out, procrastinated, had a major hardship, or taken the money and run- let me know something!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that's about it besides the PM I sent through here yesterday.

Any help or info would be greatly appreciated; especially if you know him or how to get in touch with him.
I know I may be jumping the gun on this, but he hasn't replied in 10 days, nor has my differential arrived. Plus, he was not able to give me a tracking number both times this diff was supposedly shipped. Like I said he may be a good guy, but these circumstances are usually tale-tale signs of a rip-off.

Thanks!

rusty

[rusty davis]

After a little searching I *think* I may have found his address and phone #.

*but I took it down since he contacted me again*


BTW, I'm trying to go about this the correct way and have already filed a dispute with Paypal.

EDIT Rob did contact me through e-mail today saying "its shipped it should be here by now."
My response was "Hey Rob, I know it should be here by now. But it’s not. Is there any way you can get a tracking # or something to find out where it is?"

I am still trying to believe that Rob is a good guy and this isn't his fault, but I cannot and will not remove this thread until the diff is on my doorstep.

[rusty davis]

well, once again Rob has dropped the ball and has failed to contact me since his last e-mail on Friday, so I sent this e-mail-

"Rob I’m giving you every opportunity here to make this right without hassling you, but this has gone too far. As you’re aware, a Mod from PBB has been helping me with this, and has provided me your current contact information as well as the contact information for the El Dorado Sheriff’s Department- Placerville Office.

Paypal dispute center is giving you until Monday to respond to my dispute, otherwise the money will be charged back to me. This is assuming that you actually have the money in the account you have registered with Paypal.

However, I don’t plan on waiting that long, nor do I expect Paypal to recover the money.

I really don’t want to take this route, but you leave me no choice. If I don’t receive a tracking # from you within the next 24 hours I will be contacting your local authorities regarding Internet and Interstate fraud in the amount of $530. I don’t know about California, but these are felony charges in NC.

Can’t we just get this settled in a friendly matter or do I have to take the aforementioned actions?

Rusty"

I guess I'll just have to wait and see :rolleyes:

[rusty davis]

Rob got me a tracking # for the diff and all is well. Personally, I don't think anything bad about him just to let others know.

It took a little nudging on my part, but Rob remained true to his word and even paid extra $$$ to have the diff sent to me ASAP.

Thanks for making everything right Rob!

~R

[rusty davis]

Yay!

My 'pro rebuilt' 5.29 4cylinder diff finally arrived...too bad I can't install it.

There's 0.0155" BL(yes, that's 15.5 thousandths!) in the carrier (stock being 0.0051~0.0071...I would've been happy with 0.010), one of the bearing caps is actually off by one thread (it doesn't sit flush), and the gear pattern is obviously too far towards the toe (inside) that I may have to have the whole diff torn down and rebuilt since it appears there's too much shimming behind the pinion head.

Let me rephrase that last part- as much shit that's already wrong with the diff I'm going to have to have someone take a look at this diff so I'm not forced to throw any more money away after it explodes 500 miles down the road.

I've never rebuilt a diff in my life and I honestly think I could've done a better job than this if I only had a bearing press....that's pretty damn sad.

Thanks for more wasted time and money douchebag :flipoff:

[steveh]

That sucks Rusty, take it to a diff guy and get a pro opinion in writing, and lets shove it up young Rob's ass. If you want him banned form pbb, say the word.

Rob, I can't believe you ended up screwing this guy after all the crap you pulled!!

[rusty davis]

That sucks Rusty, take it to a diff guy and get a pro opinion in writing, and lets shove it up young Rob's ass. If you want him banned form pbb, say the word.

Rob, I can't believe you ended up screwing this guy after all the crap you pulled!!

Thanks for the response. I can't even afford to have the work done for a while, but I do intend to take the diff to a shop next week and have them detail what's wrong with it and what needs to be done to make it right. Basically get a 2nd opinion that I'm certain will coincide with mine...

As far as banning goes, I've never wanted to be the reason anybody gets banned from a board, but then again I never wanted to put up with so much shit and be screwed over between all the time and money I've lost and will continue to lose until my vehicle is mobile again.

Having that said- robtech does NOT belong on this board any longer. I've been fed nothing but lies, excuses, and bs for the past month and a half- only to get a 'newly rebuilt' $500 doorstop.
The bitch of it all is that I sold my stock V6 3rd along with a solid collar and EZ locker I bought because I thought this was so much better of a deal :shaking:

[steveh]

We will ban him, and if he wants back in, he will need to refund your money.

[rusty davis]

I really appreciate your help...

I doubt he'll come back since he hasn't logged on since he sold me the diff, but I'd send this POS back in a heartbeat for a refund or at least get some compensation for having to pretty much have an R&R done. For all I know the bearings aren't even new; that'd be my luck.

steveh, you've helped me so much with this, especially being a relative noob to the board. That just cements my original thought of getting my Red Star once all of this is taken care of..

[steveh]

No Prob Rusty, I saw he lived in my area, so I don't mind following up. BTW, did you see on the package label where he worked? Call his employer and let them know Rob used the comapny shipping dept to screw you. You also have Rob's addresss, phone # etc, you should go ahead and call the Sheriffs dept here and see if they will pay him a visit for misrepresenting the part. I doubt they will, they will probably say buyer beware.

Banning him lets sellers and buyers alike know that we don't put up with assholes coming here and screwing people.

You can also see if you can file a small claim in our courts here.

[steveh]

Robtech is banned now.

[rusty davis]

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted anyone that knows Rob or the shop that built this differential that it grenaded on me after about 1k miles. And yes, I did proper break-in procedure. When I took it apart for inspection there were about 5 or more teeth missing on the ring gear. After $550 spent I managed to sell the true trac and recouped about $200....and here I am still looking for another 5.29 rear.
My 4Runner has spent more time this year on jack stands than it has on or off road.
Just a warning to those that know Rob or if he by chance registered under a different name here....

[steveh]

That sucks Rusty. I banned Rob permanently way back when. I doubt he came back after the conversation I had with him about what happens to people who screw members on PBB.

My suggestion to you is to buy from Inchworm Gear or any other Vendor here, and know what your getting is quality.