Need Axle Guru's.. Please Help!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
I wouldn't say you made a bad judgement by having a small shop do it, I started as a backyard mechanic at 18 with transmissions and rear ends but I rarely had any problems and fixed them if I did. You just hit on a shop where there didn't have a good differential guy. Those gears are still good you you want to sell them or put them later, they have to give them to you but I think they might be a little low; (more rpms+less mpg). This thread never was too long and we will be waiting to hear more. Don't forget; FULL refund, they owe that to you and more. They used their all around mechanic for an occasional rear end and crossed their fingers but that NOT your problem.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: Parker, CO
Oh... if you only knew my friend.... if you only knew.... (in a scary, whispering voice for effect) 
James
EDIT: As an afterthought, since this is buried DEEP in a thread, I will divulge. Us "old-timers" were taught a technique a long time ago (wouldn't do it today... think lawsuit). "Three from the ring" and "Five from the sky" are different ways in which to deploy a PR24 (L-shaped police baton). Officers USED to carry them in a "ring" on their utility belt. Today I only see collapsible batons on young officers.
Stewart was making reference to something he knew I would understand. :-)
James
EDIT: As an afterthought, since this is buried DEEP in a thread, I will divulge. Us "old-timers" were taught a technique a long time ago (wouldn't do it today... think lawsuit). "Three from the ring" and "Five from the sky" are different ways in which to deploy a PR24 (L-shaped police baton). Officers USED to carry them in a "ring" on their utility belt. Today I only see collapsible batons on young officers.
Stewart was making reference to something he knew I would understand. :-)
Trailering
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 16
Likes: 2
What’s the end of the story?
Went and picked up the Ex from Ford today.
The Technician who performed the operation came up to the service desk and had a good long talk with me. (Sure wished he would have been the one who did this the first time!) He told me that the ring is marked enough to tell that the pinion depth was way wrong. He pulled it out of a box of stuff he had kept for me and showed me where the teeth had been engaging with waay too much toe! He also showed me the factory Ford shims that had been used and beat in there so tight that the bearings had actually begun to eat into the surface of them.
Anyway, long story short, I have what I need to take the other shop owner to court now.
As for how the 20-year tech at Ford did? WOW! These gears are now how it should be. Can't hear anything coming from them... at any speed... on pedal or off pedal. I thought I was going to cry from the joy of having my quiet Ex back! Actually, it is quieter now... with the new custom driveshaft AND the properly installed new rear-end.. ALL I hear is the exhaust note, the Nitto tires and some wind.
g
Am I happy now? Oh yeah.... James is happy now.
I can sure tell the difference between the 4.30's and the original 3.73's. It may not tow heavy as well as the 4.56's, but I'm not worried about that... it will be a huge improvement over the 3.73's.
Only thing left in this saga now is to get my money back out of the original shop owner. This thread is way long, but if any are interested, I can come back and update the "get-my-money-back / court case" part of this....
Thanks to all of you here at FTE for your support and advice! It's amazing how I feel at home letting people I've never met face-to-face know that I made a stupendous error in judgement by letting a small garage touch my rear axle.... embarrassment is still present about that one.
James
The Technician who performed the operation came up to the service desk and had a good long talk with me. (Sure wished he would have been the one who did this the first time!) He told me that the ring is marked enough to tell that the pinion depth was way wrong. He pulled it out of a box of stuff he had kept for me and showed me where the teeth had been engaging with waay too much toe! He also showed me the factory Ford shims that had been used and beat in there so tight that the bearings had actually begun to eat into the surface of them.
Anyway, long story short, I have what I need to take the other shop owner to court now.
As for how the 20-year tech at Ford did? WOW! These gears are now how it should be. Can't hear anything coming from them... at any speed... on pedal or off pedal. I thought I was going to cry from the joy of having my quiet Ex back! Actually, it is quieter now... with the new custom driveshaft AND the properly installed new rear-end.. ALL I hear is the exhaust note, the Nitto tires and some wind.
gAm I happy now? Oh yeah.... James is happy now.
I can sure tell the difference between the 4.30's and the original 3.73's. It may not tow heavy as well as the 4.56's, but I'm not worried about that... it will be a huge improvement over the 3.73's.Only thing left in this saga now is to get my money back out of the original shop owner. This thread is way long, but if any are interested, I can come back and update the "get-my-money-back / court case" part of this....
Thanks to all of you here at FTE for your support and advice! It's amazing how I feel at home letting people I've never met face-to-face know that I made a stupendous error in judgement by letting a small garage touch my rear axle.... embarrassment is still present about that one.
James
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
WIREPULLER
Clutch, Transmission, Differential, Axle & Transfer Case
3
Mar 27, 2007 12:27 AM
