Hello, I just had a rear pinion seal replaced in the rear end of my 2004 expy by a local business and 10 days later (approx. 100 short-trip miles), I hear this 'rumbling' noise coming from the area that was just worked on.

The mechanic said that I now need a new rear end and that'll be $2200.00. Well, needless to say, I didn't have them rebuild it.

I then took it to the big boys at Ford (without mentioning the recent work) and asked them to diagnose what the noise is I'm hearing coming from the rear end. They called me two hours after dropping it off and they asked if I've recently had the rear end worked on. I said, well as a matter of fact I have!!

Ford said I need a new rear end (for $2200) and that the re assembly of the pinion seal was done improperly. He said that the original pinion nut is still present and that it has been rounded off suggesting it was way over tightened.

The local business isn't playing nice and they say they aren't responsible. They're argument is that the rear end wasn't making noise or 'rumbling' when they did their test drive. They are saying that if they messed up the re assembly that they would've noticed the problem immediately.

I'm writing to ask how I argue their point? As I understand it, it would take time for the gears to start wearing and the metal shavings would start to accumulate over a period of driving the vehicle prior to the rear end starting to fail.

Bottom line is - they local shop that did the original work is not willing to accept that they screwed up and do not want to pay for the new rear end.

I just picked up the EXPY from Ford today and drove it down to the courthouse to file my small claims documentation.

How would you intelligently respond when they say that they would've noticed the symptoms immediately?

Thank you!!
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Without getting into legal discussions which we can't do anyway, hire right the person / people to represent you.

Get a statement from the Ford dealer detailing all that you told us for starters.

Good luck.

 

I would get at least one expert statement of the root cause of the failure. It sounds definitely that they overtorqued the pinion nut and subsequently overcrushed the crush sleeve. I have done a few and have a story myself. Bought an 01 Excursion diesel a couple of years ago with 160,000 miles. The pinion seal was leaking some but I let it go until 1 week before vacation time-rearend was very quiet. I decided to have the local dealership do the job as I knew the service manager. He quoted it cheap and I should have known better. I picked it up and had a noise (rumble) in the rearend that was not there. I called him immediately and took it back the next day. I crawled under the X and showed him that it was overtorqued and demonstrated that it took two hands to rotate the driveshaft. When I took it to them, it was very easy to turn with one hand (I am speaking of the slight slack in the backlash). Anyway, I asked him if he tore it down and replaced the crush sleeve or at least checked the drag on the bearing as they tightened it (I believe it is a in/lb reading). Of course they did not. I should have known better. Anyway, the noise got better as I drove it over several months. I later tore it all down and replaced all bearings myself and found the front pinion bearing was pretty bad. Service manager said the noise was coming from my slightly rusted out muffler. That went through me and I let him know that all of the work I have sent to them will cease simply because I knew he was lying to me-he knew I understood how it all works.
Anyway, I understand your frustration. My wifes Expy has the gear howl at 168,000 miles and I am letting it go until I find time or the need to tear into it myself.

 

Unfortunately Ford will not write such statement or give their opinion, they say they're not in the business of getting into pissing matches with the local auto repair places.

So, it looks as if I'm on my own in trying to explain what has been explained to me. This may not end like it should.