Rear Axle Pinion snapped while driving

[chri5k]

Good service is hard to find. The independent shop I use left the oil fill cap off my wife's car. Oil was all over the engine compartment. The engine was 1/2 quart low when I found the issue. The shop owner apologized, sent someone over to pick up the car, steam cleaned the engine bay, washed the exterior and gave us a credit for a free oil change. He also noted the problem in their computer / our paperwork and said if we ever have an oil related issue with the car, he will take care of it. I have no doubt he would. Everyone makes mistakes. You keep customers and earn new ones by how you deal with those mistakes.

 

[zogg]

My son bought some used tires for his 1986 S-10. On the way home, the left front came off. He slammed on the brakes and ground 1.5” off the bottom of the rotor and wrecked the control arm and spindle. We towed it to the house, went to a junk yard to buy all the parts and spent four hours fixing it. Then I went to the used tire shop to ask for reimbursement. He did, asked if everyone was ok and said I should have called him…he had a tow truck and wiuld have fixed everything for free. Stupid me!!

 

[Jeepwalker]

I bet a lot of guys here have 'stories' of botched jobs

 

[turkeybird56]

yup ref stories. 9 miles after a service the rear pinion lets go, hmmmmmmmm, May be a Story there too. BOIRD not believe in coincidences also when it comes to vehicle repair.

 

[2020PW]

That drive shaft should have twisted. Looks like the yoke may have been cracked prior to the failure. Axle fill plug doesn’t look like it’s been touched.

 

[Trident309]

Well, good news is I have an extended warranty still in force on the vehicle so.... Hopefully everything is covered and i get reimbursed for the tow by somebody. It sucks either way. It happened in a really bad spot on the service rd of the LIE and i was in the middle lane at a light. I left it there with the hazards on. Amazing how many people pulled right up on the bumper and held their horn down as i stood on the curb watching them, shaking my head. A lot of box trucks and 18 wheelers trying to run the yellow light, not realizing my truck was sitting still, swerving out from behind it at the last minute. I figured someone was going to smash into the rear of it for sure... Thanks again for all your input and stories.

 

[tap4154]

My son bought some used tires for his 1986 S-10. On the way home, the left front came off. He slammed on the brakes and ground 1.5” off the bottom of the rotor and wrecked the control arm and spindle. We towed it to the house, went to a junk yard to buy all the parts and spent four hours fixing it. Then I went to the used tire shop to ask for reimbursement. He did, asked if everyone was ok and said I should have called him…he had a tow truck and wiuld have fixed everything for free. Stupid me!!

Way back when I had a Chevy Vega. I can't remember if it was a radiator or water pump repair, but it was at the dealership being done under factory warranty. I drove it off the lot and about two miles later the radiator hose started spewing. I turned around and drove back to the dealer. I think it was a salesman that greeted me and he said open up the hood, and he took off the radiator cap and started pouring cold water in it, and said start it up. I did, and it cracked the block. By the way I was very young back then, if that happened today I would have never started it up. Anyway, what happened was they didn't tighten one of the hose clamps, and they rebuilt the engine.

Then several years later I had to rebuild it again, because, it was a Vega! Aluminum block with no steel cylinder liners. I bought a short block with steel liners and it actually wasn't too difficult of a job. Then shortly after that my girlfriend at the time totaled it. She wasn't hurt at all. So that was the end of my Vega GT. I actually was very fond of that car. Just had a few bad design issues.

 

[fireflymedic]

... my girlfriend at the time totaled it. ...

I first read that "my girlfriend tolerated it." Which made perfect sense until you started talking about not getting hurt lol

Sorry for getting off op's topic

 

[GTyankee]

The thing that will tell the tale, is when the axles are pulled

if they did forget to put differential fluid in the rear end
there will not be much left of the wheel bearings.

The reason the fill plug is where it is, is so the axle tubes will always have lubrication going out to the wheel bearings.

11 miles of driving without lubrication, would turn those wheel bearings Blue & possibly begin to flatten out the bearings themselves

 

[indept]

Well, good news is I have an extended warranty still in force on the vehicle so.... Hopefully everything is covered and i get reimbursed for the tow by somebody. It sucks either way. It happened in a really bad spot on the service rd of the LIE and i was in the middle lane at a light. I left it there with the hazards on. Amazing how many people pulled right up on the bumper and held their horn down as i stood on the curb watching them, shaking my head. A lot of box trucks and 18 wheelers trying to run the yellow light, not realizing my truck was sitting still, swerving out from behind it at the last minute. I figured someone was going to smash into the rear of it for sure... Thanks again for all your input and stories.

That warranty will cover that unless the oil shop didn't refill the diff. If it's empty the dealer will not fix under warranty. You will have to go after the oil change shop to cover the cost.

 

[healthyrx]

That drive shaft should have twisted. Looks like the yoke may have been cracked prior to the failure. Axle fill plug doesn’t look like it’s been touched.

If thats the oil fill plug in the middle of the diff cover, I'd wager a guess the oil change tech forgot you always want to make sure the fill plug opens before you drain the axle, realized he couldnt open it and hoped nobody would notice...

 

[Brian2081]

I agree with Healthyrx

 

[Brian2081]

Damn it, posted before I finished what I wanted to say. If the grease monkey filled the diff you think there would be a lube trail from the fill plug down the cover, or signs of him wiping up the lube trail. But I don't even see signs that the plug was even attempted to be removed.

 

[Wild one]

If thats the oil fill plug in the middle of the diff cover, I'd wager a guess the oil change tech forgot you always want to make sure the fill plug opens before you drain the axle, realized he couldnt open it and hoped nobody would notice...

It's a rubber plug,that just pops in and out.The OP's plug doesn't look like it's been removed recently.

 

[2020PW]

Is there an echo? Who has the parakeet?

 

[Wild one]

Is there an echo? Who has the parakeet?

Get used to it,it's pretty common on any forum,not everybody reads every post Put a like on their post and move on

 

[WireEd]

I would not accept a used or reman diff. Jolly lube f’d it up. They need to make you whole. I would also be dubious of rebuilding yours. The housing was likely damaged. Demand a new axle assembly. Period.

 

[njjeff201]

Doubt very much overfilling is the culprit. Ring & pinion are a matched set so it’s gonna cost $$$. I’d be there during dis assembly also with a camera

 

[Torque]

It happened in a really bad spot on the service rd of the LIE and i was in the middle lane at a light. I left it there with the hazards on.

Should have put it in 4WD and moved slowly to the side of the road.

Like 2020PW spotted first , it appears they forgot to refill it so the lube shop will be on the hook. Make sure you have someone else check it out and the truck gets a clean bill of health before you sign anything from the lube shop saying they're finished.

Might not be a bad idea to extend that extended warranty too. Chances of seal leaks in the rest of the drivetrain are now more likely since things went boom.

 

[Trident309]

Thank you all again for the inputs. I agree, i would not want a rear from a junkey. must be a new or total rebuild to prevent future nonsense from happening. The truck got towed in this morning. i am waiting for the call from the dealer shop to go down when they open it or do their work. i want to be present to take pictures/video. i explained everything to the service write up guy. Much appreciated all.. thank you!! Sad day for Papa Smurf... At least he's getting the help he needs now..