I guess this is a story of what not to do.. (gonna be a book and I am torqued).

I bought the truck new in 2004 and it has been a really great truck. I have had to do very little to this truck but drive it. That is probably the moral to this story, lack of maintenance with some curve *****.

I have always been good about changing the oil every 3 to 5K miles since I have owned it. The only thing that has gong out on the truck since I have owned up until now has been the Master Cylinder in which I replaced myself a few weeks ago. Now I have done maintenance of Air Filters, fuel filter etc.. But nothing serious.

I couldn't quite get the brakes to bleed right after changing the MC and I have been noticing a few noises here and there plus it needed tires and we want to keep the truck around for several more years. So my wife and I decided to take it to a shop and have them go through it for any and all repairs needed to make everything sound again. (This may have been a a mistake)

The truck has 120K on it and here is some of the things they found.

Both front wheel bearings shot, Transmission coolant hose leaking, carbon buildup in engine, 2 pulley's bad bearings, belts, shocks (all 4) two lower ball joints bad, one lower tie-rod bad, changing diff fluids, TC fluid, service transmission, 4 new tires, front alignment, bleed brakes with fluid change and probably a few other things I have forgotten.

We go to pick the truck up today choking on the price tag for all of this and when we get there they have it up on a rack and the entire underneath is covered in fluid from the transfer case. They told me that when they were done they test drove it about 15 miles and all seemed good but a small noise from underneath. They put it up on the rack and seen all the fluid. When they originally drained the TC they only got about 1/4 cup of fluid out but the truck had no signs of a leak, no dirt, stains or anything that the fluid had leaked out. Bottom line is they found a pin hole in the side of TC. By now I have about $5,000 into getting this thing fixed so I couldn't stop there. It is going to be another $1600 to replace the TC. We talked about welding it etc but figured the noise they were hearing is a slack chain inside the TC and it probably had grooves worn in the housing in which it would probably not last long before it rubbed another hole or locked up etc from going without fluid.

Now my issue is, that now the truck has 120K miles on it, but I have a receipt from another place where I had the transfer case serviced at 111K miles only 6 months ago. I am thinking they drained the fluid but did not refill the TC due to no signs of leaking what so ever.

What would you do in this situation, what kind of retribution should I expect if any from the first place that serviced it.

The truck was taken in to the first place for a noise (grinding sound in the front end) and a thud sound occasionally when taking off or going from reverse to drive.

They didn't catch the wheel bearings, and I think they screwed my TC up.

Sorry for the long post but needed to vent. One thing about it, I think it will be good as new when I get it back, it is paid for so i keep telling my self the $8,000 I am going to have in it is cheaper than payments.