Four wheel parts forgot to put in differential fluid

[Skyvet]

The pinion bearing is trashed in the rear. Neither diff had fluid--bone dry. Front LOOKS ok and the rear gears and the ring and pinion also LOOK ok but that rear pinion bearing is chewed up.

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[DesertsJL]

Hate to break it to you, but if they sent the axles back to you with no shafts it was on you to fill with oil once shafts were installed.

 

[Deleted member 59498]

I have to say my eye went to the big black dog! Just chilling!

 

[Deleted member 59498]

Oh hell thought it was just a build thread.

 

[rohdawg]

this picture is pure nightmare fuel

 

[chevymitchell]

Hate to break it to you, but if they sent the axles back to you with no shafts it was on you to fill with oil once shafts were installed.

Exactly. No shop is going to put diff fluid into an axle without shafts or the entire assembly being together. This isn’t a 4WP issue at all. OP’s at fault, unfortunately. Simple mistake to make, but also easy to fix.

 

[Skyvet]

@DesertsJL, @chevymitchell I don't necessarily disagree but if you look at the receipt they charged me for 5 pints of diff fluid and, if you read thru the post, you will see the tech who did the job told me not to tip the axles since the oil would leak. This would leave any reasonable person to conclude that they had put diff fluid in. Certainly enough to trust driving it approx 500ft at just above idle to listen for any binding etc. Had I actually been taking this on the road (or more extensive offroad) I most likely would have checked when I checked that everything was greased, torqued, marked, topped off etc. But since it was the ONLY part (other than the mounting of the tires) that I paid someone else to do then I agree I should have double checked their work as much as I possibly could have, so in that sense yes it is on me.

@Scott.B, my dogs love being in the shop and in the jeep. That same picture shows both Great Danes. The boss (aka the miniature daschund) is in his own chair

 

[donmontalvo]

I'm no mechanic, but from what I've read, am I right in assuming the pinion would need to be replace but not the ring? Sorry to hear what happened, hoping you're back on the road soon.

 

[Skyvet]

I'm no mechanic, but from what I've read, am I right in assuming the pinion would need to be replace but not the ring? Sorry to hear what happened, hoping you're back on the road soon.

It's possible that it just needs the bearing to be replaced but with that much metal scattered throughout I might feel more comfortable replacing the entire gearset

 

[chevymitchell]

It's possible that it just needs the bearing to be replaced but with that much metal scattered throughout I might feel more comfortable replacing the entire gearset

Everything inside there is perfectly fine. Just replace the pinion bearings, clean it all out, and you’ll be alright. The ring and pinion are fine.

 

[chevymitchell]

I'm no mechanic, but from what I've read, am I right in assuming the pinion would need to be replace but not the ring? Sorry to hear what happened, hoping you're back on the road soon.

They’re a matched set. Gotta replace both if it comes to that.

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

this picture is pure nightmare fuel

Those are break-in shavings!!

 

[Opus]

Those are break-in shavings!!

More like broke-ass shavings...

OP, between what the tech told you (about the potential for the fluid to leak) and the receipt showing you were charged for fluid and not provided it separately, I get why you assumed they installed the fluid. I likely would have done the same but I'll be the first to admit that I'm no mechanic.

I'd trying making the case to 4WP. The worst that will happen is they'll say caveat emptor and you'll be no worse off than you are now. At the very least they need to give you the missing jugs of fluid they charged you for and never provided...

 

[four low]

500" ( feet) at idle speed ? And those machine chips ?
Wow ! Figured assembly lube would count for something,, that is a waste, sorry to see

 

[chevymitchell]

500" ( feet) at idle speed ? And those machine chips ?
Wow ! Figured assembly lube would count for something,, that is a waste, sorry to see

I thought this was suspect, too. The bearings should have been coated with grease or at least put in an oil bath. You have to do that to get the Torque to Rotate, Total Torque to Rotate, and the pinion pre-load figures in the right spot during assembly. Assembling the diff dry is definitely not good. 500 feet for damage like this makes me question several things. Like what the pinion pre-load figure was. It looks like they ran a pattern and it's likely ok. (Well, it was, anyway.)

I have several questions when something like this happens, but unfortunately the whole story will never be told since a shop did the work, someone else installed the axles, and this is the internet. Lol.

Armchair quarterbacking; no oil clearly caused this damage. Maybe when it's apart and we can see more, more of this will become clear. This is a 90 minute fix, at most; that would be with parts on hand.

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