Mayday from Loreto BCS

[TomsBeast]

Originally Posted by eddyturn

So timing can be everything and while speaking with hotel owner a US contractor stopped by. He has many trucks that need to be kept up and he made a couple of calls to his wrenches. He had me follow him to a shop that does good work for him and I dropped off the van. Hotel owner will shuffle some rooms around and try to make it as painless as possible. Now we have to start collecting pesos from some banks as the shop has no card machine.

Thanks TB for your post. Time to look at a full float…

You're most welcome. And good on ya with the timing and chance meeting that US contractor with the repair shop connection, we sometimes make our own luck


Hopefully you get the old girl doctored up enough to salvage the rest of your vacation and get back home without any further van drama.

[1der]

Love the community support!

If appropriate and acceptable to you, the shop and contractor I would like to add the contact/location info for the shop to my (or this forum's) resource listing.

Looking forward to hearing you are back on the road!

[moorefc]

Loreto is a great town to get stuck in, and has been already stated, Econoline parts are readily available in baja.....bajanomad forum is also a great general resource, as lots of people mention mechanics and their experiences. Good luck!

[eddyturn]

Update… left axle is toast along with the left side axle bearing. Right side and all within the pumpkin are OK. Van is just too heavy for a semi float rear end. I will address that when we get home.

Problem… nobody in all of MX has this axle. It’s the newer style with ABS and RSC although not sure if the RSC is an issue. The shop will try to find a non ABS axle today and that would be good enough to get to Colorado or maybe AZ and get the correct axle.

I have never done something like this but maybe I can find and buy one in Cali and have it shipped to the shop but not sure who or where that would be.

Any suggestions from the collective that have this sort of experience?

[TomsBeast]

Ford has a corporate presence in Mexico, I used to know a Ford Engineer who is a Mexican National, bounced back and forth between Hermosillia and Detroit.



I'd start with Tasca Ford, that does a lot of internet sales and shipping, has access to dealer/corporate stock. I purchased new F350 front stub axles from them and had them shipped direct to California, weren't that expensive. they also pick up the phone. I'd get a part number first, perhaps they can ship expedited to a local Ford dealership in LaPaz or San Jose, and courier to Loreto, or direct to you in Loreto via FedEx or an international carrier?


Edit: I just looked it up on Tasca's site, looks like p/n F2UZ-4234-B




https://www.tascaparts.com/search?search_str=axle+shaft

[moorefc]

DHL works in La Paz....understanding is you pick up at DHL.... not sure about Loreto

[eddyturn]

Thanks all. Parts are in route from the USA.

[Jack K]

Greetings eddyturn, we were both in Bill Burke's Anza Borrego class back in 2017. Sorry to hear of your breakdown in Baja, fortunately, it sounds like you will be able to continue the journey. It is of no help to you in your situation, but it might be of interest that I had the identical breakdown a year ago. Mine is a 2013 V10 SMB conversion. After multiple trips towing trailers for our move to the Central Coast from Southern Calif., there was considerable fluid leakage at the left rear axle. Thought it was brake fluid. Turned out that the left axle bearing was shot, the seal had given out, and the axle was toast. Fortunately, we were in our new home and I was able to find a reliable repair shop in town. Took a while to get the OEM axle, there was some sticker shock, and the van is back to snuff. Wishing you the same.

There are worse places to be stuck than Loreto. Haven’t been there in many years, but I have fond memories of the place.

Best regards.

[moorefc]

Originally Posted by eddyturn

Parts are in route from the USA.

What was your shipping process?

[eddyturn]

Shipping and ordering was handled by a parts supplier in LaPaz. Spicer axle, seals, and bearing for $380 US vs. $1350 plus shipping out of CA. 6 day lag time for the axle in CA as well. Will be mobile in about a week.