Drivetrain and Transfer Case Carnage - Page 3

UJOINT · 01-16-2015, 07:20 AM

With the power of the internet you just can't get away with this stuff for long. Gears have to be set up perfect and occasionally you get a bad bearing/etc that can cause havoc but shops need to put themselves in the customer shoes to "do the right thing".

SierraHawk · 01-18-2015, 04:31 PM

I agree but my situation is different than most. Up until I was diagnosed with MS, I could pull an engine by myself in 4 hours and have replaced, repaired and restored almost every part on a truck or car over the years. Since I always carry tools many of the repairs were done in remote areas in the desert or snow where there was no help. I am diligent in keeping my van maintained but no longer have the strength to do most of the lifting that is needed to replace a fuel pump, pack the front hubs, swap out a diff, replace pads, change the plugs, etc. I have refused to let the MS stop me but to keep our van operating safely I depend on the repair shops that are available to us along the way. Some of the shops have done a good job but most others reflexively deny responsibility for a failure and can create a flurry of scenarios that they hope will exempt them from honoring their warranties. Last year I posted a link to pirate4X4 that provides a limited list of vendors and repair shops. Being vetted by the pirate gang is about as good as you can get (they cut no one any slack). Hopefully their members will expand the list of shops over time. Since this is the only forum I belong to I have thought about positing on Angies List but they are not set up to allow searches or posts in more than one area.

boywonder · 01-18-2015, 08:50 PM

Sierrahawk: Thanks for clarifying your situation.

I'm guessing the shops that did your work above are not the shops "vetted" by Pirate 4x4?

In your situation it sounds like you need to find a competent honest 4x4 shop......maybe an idea for a sticky here?

jage · 01-18-2015, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boywonder

In your situation it sounds like you need to find a competent honest 4x4 shop......maybe an idea for a sticky here?

The problem is our member to geographical area ratio is too low- we'd get a ton of shops in southern cali, two in SLC, one in Idaho and one in Pennsylvania.

boywonder · 01-19-2015, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jage

The problem is our member to geographical area ratio is too low- we'd get a ton of shops in southern cali, two in SLC, one in Idaho and one in Pennsylvania.

Yes, the demographics here are interesting.........there are a zillion SMBs in CA, and probably 3 in Tennessee.....including 86Scotty's.

**BroncoHauler** · 01-19-2015, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boywonder

Quote:

Originally Posted by jage

The problem is our member to geographical area ratio is too low- we'd get a ton of shops in southern cali, two in SLC, one in Idaho and one in Pennsylvania.

Yes, the demographics here are interesting.........there are a zillion SMBs in CA, and probably 3 in Tennessee.....including 86Scotty's.

and two of those SMBs have been owned by 86Scotty.

86Scotty · 01-19-2015, 09:14 AM

Actually I've just had one Herb! I did go to an overloading get together this weekend. About a hundred camping, mostly Jeep folks. One other van was SCbrian, and I was the only SMB. Even the Jeep/Overland crew in this part of the country thought the SMB was as rare and unique as a Sasquatch sighting. There was a Unimog there though, and the guy who was in it owns 7 of them!

Oh, and I guarantee Twogone has the only one in Mississippi.

BrianW · 01-19-2015, 04:20 PM

Those Overloading get togethers can get heavy, I've heard... (Sorry, someone had to be the first!)

twogone · 01-19-2015, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Oh, and I guarantee Twogone has the only one in Mississippi.

Ironically, I have the best pair of mechanics I could possibly imagine... amazing talents in their respective specialties. Ford dealership 17 year veteran diesel dude... loves the van, interested in keeping me rolling (gives a $%!^), and the other, Ray, OWNS everything camper-related... attacks problems, no redo's.

Not another van in sight

E350 · 01-19-2015, 11:46 PM

SierraHawk: I didn't realize you have MS and I now realize that you likely are/were more mechanically inclined than I will ever be regardless of my intentions to do my own work. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend anyone and, as I implied, it is for that reason that I have been working on my vehicles myself for at least the past 5 years. So far so good. I wish you the best.

I will say this, however. My personal experience with limited slip is that it either is tight and effective and grabby and over-heats and ruins the differential. Or is wholly ineffective. In my opinion, the latter is the better of the two. I have no interest in limited slip ever again. The Ford OEM apparently chewed up the differential and the rebuild was too grabby so I was told to double up on the friction modifier which rendered it useless - but hopefully less likely to self-destruct.