Plastic bag cost me $650

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cros6539

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Anyone else dealt with this?

Recently had my pinion seal replaced because a plastic bag was stuck and made its way into the seal causing it to leak. It’s a 2020 with about 12k miles, love this truck, but a plastic bag is capable of putting it out of commission? Do I need to be checking my rear diff every time I get out of the truck to make sure nothing is wrapped back there?
 

mikeru

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I had that exact thing happen on a '74 Chevelle I used to own. Apparently ran over a black garbage bag. It took out the pinion seal and allowed the fluid to leak out. I only noticed it after the rear end started making noises. I replaced the seal myself, but the rear end whined from then until I got rid of that car.
 

Daw14

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Anyone else dealt with this?

Recently had my pinion seal replaced because a plastic bag was stuck and made its way into the seal causing it to leak. It’s a 2020 with about 12k miles, love this truck, but a plastic bag is capable of putting it out of commission? Do I need to be checking my rear diff every time I get out of the truck to make sure nothing is wrapped back there?
Superfreak occurrence, doubt that will ever happen to you again. Did you feel any vibration before you noticed it leaking ?
 

Zoe Saldana

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Anyone else dealt with this?

Recently had my pinion seal replaced because a plastic bag was stuck and made its way into the seal causing it to leak. It’s a 2020 with about 12k miles, love this truck, but a plastic bag is capable of putting it out of commission? Do I need to be checking my rear diff every time I get out of the truck to make sure nothing is wrapped back there?

Eco terrorism.
 

SniperDroid

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Eaton Township, Ohio
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What still surprises me is that in the countless plastic bags I've run over not one has ever stuck on the hot muffler or converter. You'd think those would be magnets.
I had it happen the day after getting new tires on my work van. I thought the tires were melting, it smelled so bad. Took it back to the shop, and was totally embarrassed by the laughter when they put it on the rack
 

JayLeonard

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I had one get hooked onto my rear bumper on my old 91 RAM CTD. Stayed on for about 65 miles, looked like I was running a drag chute. It was on the driver's side so I could watch it in the mirror.
 

BuschLatte420

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Won't see it much around my area anymore, plastic bags are banned. You have to take your own bags with you to the food store.
Same, purchased a box of 1000 on eBay for $27 shipped. Kind of inconvenient going to Wally World and not even being able to purchase a paper one!
 

DodgeDude99

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I had that exact thing happen on a '74 Chevelle I used to own. Apparently ran over a black garbage bag. It took out the pinion seal and allowed the fluid to leak out. I only noticed it after the rear end started making noises. I replaced the seal myself, but the rear end whined from then until I got rid of that car.
The rear end whined because the pinion bearing preload wasn’t reset to what it was before. There’s more to replacing a pinion seal than just removing the nut & yoke.
 

Noob2Trucks

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Damn, you're the only other person I've ever heard this happening to. Same thing happened in my old Pontiac back in 2000 (74 LeMans Gt Sport Coupe). Somehow the bag got wrapped around the seal in the dif, melted and caused a leak.
 

mikeru

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The rear end whined because the pinion bearing preload wasn’t reset to what it was before. There’s more to replacing a pinion seal than just removing the nut & yoke.
Maybe, but the whine was the same before and after the seal was replaced. The whine is what first alerted me that there was an issue. That car lasted me a few more years after the seal replacement, until the transmission went out.
 

SilverFatBoy

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Wait until you go off-roading & get barbed wire wrapped around your driveshaft & only have a Leatherman tool to remove it. Baling twine also gets wrapped around EVERYTHING!
 

Thornback

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Never had a vehicle problem but once got fishing line wrapped around my boat prop and that started the lower unit to leak oil because the seal was damaged. I replaced that seal myself.
--Yeah, it sounds expensive for the repair you experienced. Could it be there was more damage than just a seal?
 

Dusty

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Then again, be glad it wasn't a mattress...

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 3 June 2018. Now at 83507 miles
 

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