[fsstnotch]

Ernie, if I remember correctly, Mike specifically called and asked which gear to run with his cam. A steel gear or a cast gear. they told him to run the steel gear and because the steel gear was stronger than the cast cam, the dist gear won.

I agree with Ernie's point of view mostly. Where I think that things come into play... Yes they should be held with some liability if they said you should use a gear that you shouldn't. But I also think some of this falls on the builders shoulders. Any true builder would have likely suggested a bronze gear or at a minimum, a gear that is softer than the cam. For the home builder... you are just kinda screwed. There is going to be 100's of variables that could be the fault of a home builder and parts manufacturers can't be held liable for that. This is by no means is anything against you Mike. It is just my opinion of what I know of the situation based on what you have posted. If all of these companies were held liable everytime something like this happened, they would all be out of business. Where your situation is defferent from others is that the DIRECTIONS for the cam say to use the hard steel gear. This is where I would find them liable.