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Ripped Off By "Sandmaster" aka Randy Johnson ***Updated ***Resolved ***

31K views 170 replies 65 participants last post by  greygoose 
#1 · (Edited)
This post is to inform others here on the forum about another member and how he has ripped me of on a sale and has refused to email or return my calls. The sale look place last Wed (1/23/12) and I feel I have given him ample time to respond. I put a wanted ad out for a Wide Track Dana 30 for a CJ. ( ) Sandmaster replied on Jan 15th @ 5:55pm with this-

“i have a complete dana 30 wide track from a 86 cj was completely gone trough a yr ago for a project and then never installed 4.10 gearing, locker, all new berings and seals, new lock outs, over sized chromoly heavy duty steering drag link and tie rod. new brakes and rotors. this is readyt to bolt in and go . make reasonable offer”

So I sent him a PM for details on the axles and what it was built with. He responded on Jan 16th @ 10:08pm with this-

“the tie rods are rugged ridge 1 1/4 dom tubeing with chromoly ends
the axle shafts are chromoly warn shafts
the ring n pinion are richmond
bearings were all timken
oem brakes and rotors
lockouts are superwinch
the locker is either a lock rite or aurbun i dont remember which one ill pop the cover off tomorrow when i get home and let you know which one is in there”

He got back with me about the locker on Jan 18th 11:02 PM with this-

“ya sorry didn’t get home in time yesterday. The locker is a lock rite locker, make a reasonable offer”

Based on what he told me was in the axle and that is was new never run I offered $500 he accepted.

I picked the axle up Wed night and Randy Johnson “Sandmaster” seemed like a nice enough guy and someone who had a lot of history with jeeps.
Friday night when I got home buddy and I got the axle in the barn and started taking it apart to check it out. First red flag was that when we pull the diff cover out came the gear oil all milky, and with a nice frozen chunk of ice under the ring/carrier. (remember back in his email he told me he had to pop the cover to check brand of locker?) Then I took the so called new Superwinch hubs off, passengers side had a mix of grease, water and rust inside, drives side had stripped out bolts but the axle grease looked good. We pulled the shafts out to see if we could find any identifying markings on them and sure enough the shafts are stamped “spicer” just like the stock set I have sitting in my barn. Then pulled the carrier to check the locker out. Pulled the locker apart and all the pins are sheared off! How does that happen in a never run axle? Overall the locker appears to be well used.

See picture-


So the truth- HD Tie Rod and Draglink, 4.10 gears (even though half covered with rust)

The Lie- Warn Chromly Shafts, used damaged locker (pins can be replaced), Used Junk Hubs, Axle has been used so all the bearings he claims as new are not.

His reply to my AD built 1 year ago and ready to bolt in and go. Not even close.

Appon further research for these other treads from his past of ripping people off-
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/bad-...randy-johnson-aka-jeepguynmich-maninjeep.html
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f7/got-screwed-seller-jeepforum-369039/
Anbody else screwed over by sandmaster? *LINK FIXED* - Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest

I have sent him 2 emails and called and left a few messages. All have been just asking him to call me so we can work this out. I have told him its not that I want all my money back and to return the axle but want some money back for what I did not get that he was selling me.

So buyers and sellers beware. Below is his contact information

Randy L Johnson
Lowell, Mi 49331
 
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#4 ·
This post is to inform others here on the forum about another member and how he has ripped me of on a sale and has refused to email or return my calls. The sale look place last Wed (1/23/12) and I feel I have given him ample time to respond. I put a wanted ad out for a Wide Track Dana 30 for a CJ. (CJ Dana 30 Wide Track - Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest ) Sandmaster replied on Jan 15th @ 5:55pm with this-

“i have a complete dana 30 wide track from a 86 cj was completely gone trough a yr ago for a project and then never installed 4.10 gearing, locker, all new berings and seals, new lock outs, over sized chromoly heavy duty steering drag link and tie rod. new brakes and rotors. this is readyt to bolt in and go . make reasonable offer”

So I sent him a PM for details on the axles and what it was built with. He responded on Jan 16th @ 10:08pm with this-

“the tie rods are rugged ridge 1 1/4 dom tubeing with chromoly ends
the axle shafts are chromoly warn shafts
the ring n pinion are richmond
bearings were all timken
oem brakes and rotors
lockouts are superwinch
the locker is either a lock rite or aurbun i dont remember which one ill pop the cover off tomorrow when i get home and let you know which one is in there”

He got back with me about the locker on Jan 18th 11:02 PM with this-

“ya sorry didn’t get home in time yesterday. The locker is a lock rite locker, make a reasonable offer”

Based on what he told me was in the axle and that is was new never run I offered $500 he accepted.

I picked the axle up Wed night and Randy Johnson “Sandmaster” seemed like a nice enough guy and someone who had a lot of history with jeeps.
Friday night when I got home buddy and I got the axle in the barn and started taking it apart to check it out. First red flag was that when we pull the diff cover out came the gear oil all milky, and with a nice frozen chunk of ice under the ring/carrier. (remember back in his email he told me he had to pop the cover to check brand of locker?) Then I took the so called new Superwinch hubs off, passengers side had a mix of grease, water and rust inside, drives side had stripped out bolts but the axle grease looked good. We pulled the shafts out to see if we could find any identifying markings on them and sure enough the shafts are stamped “spicer” just like the stock set I have sitting in my barn. Then pulled the carrier to check the locker out. Pulled the locker apart and all the pins are sheared off! How does that happen in a never run axle? Overall the locker appears to be well used.

See picture-


So the truth- HD Tie Rod and Draglink, 4.10 gears (even though half covered with rust)

The Lie- Warn Chromly Shafts, used damaged locker (pins can be replaced), Used Junk Hubs, Axle has been used so all the bearings he claims as new are not.

His reply to my AD built 1 year ago and ready to bolt in and go. Not even close.

Appon further research for these other treads from his past of ripping people off-
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/bad-...randy-johnson-aka-jeepguynmich-maninjeep.html
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f7/got-screwed-seller-jeepforum-369039/
Anbody else screwed over by sandmaster? *LINK FIXED* - Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest

I have sent him 2 emails and called and left a few messages. All have been just asking him to call me so we can work this out. I have told him its not that I want all my money back and to return the axle but want some money back for what I did not get that he was selling me.

So buyers and sellers beware. Below is his contact information

Randy L Johnson
925 Grindle Dr
Lowell, Mi 49331
Cell- 616-890-9644
Home- 616-987-3414
wow
 
#6 ·
I will vouch for the condition of the axle as I helped with disassembly. I personally pulled chuncks of ice out of the housing , drilled out the stripped out head on the lockout. I think its pretty crappy that Sandmaster couldn't respond at least with a " hey that's what I thought was in there" but to totally ignore phone calls, emails, etc come on man. Make it right with Paperboy326! He has even talked to your kid on the phone. Have the decency to respond.
 
#12 ·
I have only dealt with a few guys on here as far as doing business with, and I can say they were all stand up guys. I would do business with them again. I feel bad this happened to you. I've had the lower hand in a deal before and it does suck. Hope he makes it right, but from what I've learned and seen, chances are he won't. But good luck!
 
#17 ·
He has two negative feedbacks. One stating he misrepresented an engine, and another stating parts from the deal were missing and he wouldn't respond back to the buyer.

Not responding is a HUGE red flag for me. Misrepresentation "MAY" be a miscommunication and buyer beware rules apply......but...Not responding once a miscommunication has taken place?

$500 on an axle, pop the cover before you drive home, check the parts out.

"IF" you had it shipped/delivered, then you took the sellers word, in this case the seller has misrepresented and should make things right. At the very least he should respond to PM/Emails.
 
#21 ·
I will get some pics of the gears, lockouts, and shafts. I seen his bad itrader feedback but that had been a few years ago and looked like he had cleaned up his creditability. He had everything all listed out and when I meet with him he seemed like just a good fellow jeeper. We stood there and BS about jeeps a bit and made the deal. I mean he invited me to his house knowing he was screwing me. I waited for 3 days to post this thread to give him ample chance to make right. From the time I sent my first message to him Friday night he has been online 3-4 times, so I know he has seen the 2 PM's and have left him a couple voicemails since and no return call.
 
#24 ·
why did you not verify what you were buying when you were at his house picking it up? At the very least it seems you would have noticed that he had not in fact popped the diff cover to verify the locker like you indicate in your first post. Why didn't you pop the cover when you were there?

This doesn't take away from him misrepresenting, or from him not returning calls, but you picked it up in person, you had every opportunity to make sure and verify you were getting what you were getting.
 
#32 ·
I will take the fault for not taking the cover off. But still feel he lied about what it was and not even responding to ripping me off. And as to why $500 for a Dana 30 as it was sold to me with chromoly shafts, locker, new hubs, HD drag link and tie rod, 4.10 gears. It was a good fit for our jeep and budget.
 
#34 ·
Man, that sucks. Sorry for your bad luck. I would think sandmaster might want to fix the problem, this kind of news travels fast.

Where are you sandmaster?

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#35 ·
x2... I think sandmaster needs to come in with an explanation.



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#41 · (Edited)
He was interested in some parts I have for sale. After thinking about the name all day and looking at contacts I have made buying and selling parts I realized that ive bought parts from him before. It was 2-3 years ago but he seemed like a decent guy, he even delivered and help unload what I bought.
 
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