it looks like it happened right where the crossmember is. where the transfer case meets with the tranny. I found that the driveshaft bolts were loose and 1 was completly missing......would this cause this much damage?

 

HIROLLN,

No problems my friend.

Yes, a loose drive shaft will cause those problems. Right near the cross member is the first point where failure is going to happen. All the torque and vibration created in the driveline will be concentrated at that point.

Sounds like you were the victim of some hard luck. Not much you can do I'm afraid. I'm surprised you didn't get any vibration or noise prior to the blow up. Of course, it could all happen in less than 100 miles once it got started.

Hopefully Ford will help you out, especially if they are unaware of the lift. Given the circumstances you described, they'd have a pretty strong case for the failure being your fault, and therefore non-warranty.

It's an odd failure, and the truck is only a year old, so you might get somewhere with Ford.

Good luck,

Waxy

 

Like Waxy said, the loose mounting should have caused a bad vibration as it became more and more out of balance, helping lead to failure of the case. But, did the lift shop remove the x-member at all? If they did remove it did they by chance use an air wrench on re-installation and just hammer it till it wouldn't move or did they torque it to specs? If it was tight as heck that could cause a failure at the mounting points if the frame was subjected to a lot of flex. That is one reason for the rubber isolators and proper torque specs, so the thing isn't entirely rigid, and so the bolts are not straining the case itself.

Either way it sounds like the installers of the driveshaft or x-member may be to blame. Maybe go back to the shop and see what they say. I know who did your last work from your colorado4x4 post and they are pretty stand up guys from what I've been told. Just my .02

 

HIROLLIN,

That Sucks! Who did the lift? Could they have been at fault as far as the loose driveshaft. I know I have discovered lose or only hand tight bolts after work on my suspension before. The shop that did my lift does recommend you bring it back in after a couple hundred miles just to check for loose bolts etc. after a lift or suspension change.

I have not had any tranny problems with mine even with the supercharger, lift etc. etc. etc. I have been using synthetic in the trans and have the Diablo firm shift valve installed..... Still have less than 9K on the truck though!

 

Yeah I am fighting with the *******S that did the install!Everyone is blaming the other right now. Needles to say I am so FU##ING PISSEDOFF right now! I have some connections here in town that I am working on. Who knows I will let all of you know when I findout the rest! I know for a fact that they didnot torque my shaft to spec. The shop is (get this) blamming it on the truck becasue it has too much torque and just sheared off the bolts. HAHA right a stock v-10 with 40's on it and 488 gears, pretty much stock ratios- am I right- They say we may have taken off too fast at a light and snapped the tranny. YEAH KISS MY FU##ING A##. I hate it when people dont fess up to their screw ups and make up bullsh#t like that!

 

Wow, guess those guys are opposite of what I've been told if this is WWOR. If it is them I do know they can't drive a comp rig out of a wet paper bag.

Of all people they should know they are blowing smoke up your **s. They have a few crawlers that put out more torque at the t-case then your stock Super Duty. How are their driveshaft bolts holding up? Sounds like they just threw your stuff in, got a check and that was that. Some of these places employ hacks that can build cool personal stuff cause they have an interest, but when it comes to a customers rig then they don't care about the small things.

Keep us posted if it really is the off road shops fault, I run in circles that these guys are trying to make a name in. I have no problems telling others of them being incompetent fools improperly building stuff and not standing by their work. I hate that type!

 

CO4x4,
You are right on the money with WWOR! You know this is not the first thing they screwed up on the truck. I dont want topass the blame here but I have mixed feelings about these guys! When it comes to hacks you are right on there. In the past there has been a lot of dip****s there one of which had to buy me a new shock because of his stupidity! they seem to build their own **** ok but others stuff I am not so sure of. I see the same rigs there all the time, . I guess it is a lesson learned on my part. Always check your **** after someone works on it! How are you affleiated (sp) with them?? I can see why my truck was the first street rig built by them and the last!

 

Not affiliated at all. They have been plastering their name all spring on their custom rock rigs and trying to get their business going. Looks like they are trying to be a player in the crawler building business from the looks of things. They seem to do nice work on their personal rigs but looks like not the customers. The only bad thing I notice when I see them out is all the young'n's hanging around, even in pics of the shop. Don't know if they are the installers but if they are then I'd run away fast! If they aren't maybe they provide enough distraction that the shop can't focus on doing things right. They talk a lot of smack on the colorado boards and half of it makes little sense. Just my observations.

Like I said, keep us posted, I'll give them some s**t about being hacks if they don't do you right. I got screwed a few times in the past by just these types, invested a ton in my own tools just so I can avoid them at all costs now!

 

I Feel Your Pain!

Passing The Buck seems to be SOP most everywhere. I've had similar situations and no one ever wants to admit responsibility.

 

I think all Fredvon4 meant was that there had to be a reason for the failure... turns out he was right. Save that frustration for the lift guys, go easy on us!

Matt

 

Hey HIROLIN,

Sorry to here about your troubles!!! I had the privilage to work on a truck the had a similar problem as yours.
The guy was coming over the cascades in the snow last winter and of course he was in four high. So anyway, at approximately 35-45 mph his front driveshaft decides that it no longer wants to be connected with the transfer case. He said that he tried to stop as soon as possible, but the damage was being done. Destroyed the back case half of the 6-speed trans, the front case half of the transfer case, the floor board under the drivers seat, the crossmember, brake lines, hydraulic clutch lines, fuel lines, wiring into the engine bay, the frame and miscellaneous small items. He argued with his insurance and they finally caved. It was later that I found out that he had some work done that involved the front driveshaft and they failed to relock tight the driveshaft bolts. His bill ended up around 13K.

I hope this true story helps,

 

Since I got HIROLLIN all pissed at me for being a smartass anyway let me tick him of further by playing devils advocate here.

The V10 will produce some very awesom torque and the design of a TORQUE Converter is to MULTIPLY that torque. If you couple that with gear reduction of the trany then add in a dose of 4.88:1 rear gears, turn it all 90 degrees and try to rotate giant *** 40" diameter tires then you can cause drive line torques well up into the thousands of pounds.

Noteing that HIROLIN has no device to prevent axel wrap, it is entirely possibe that there is enough torque, and bad angles for him to twist the drive shaft bolts and breake the tail shaft housing.

On the other hand, if I was a bettin man, I would vote that the lift shop either over torqued, or under torqued, and most certainly reused the drivshaft fasteners.

Sorry for the grief, I understand that with the cool truck you have, and the extreem amount of cash invested, that you are naturally pissed off.

Later after it is all settled, please reread you first, second, and third posts on this subject and take note that you got US all worried, and we had a natural need to know what the hell happened..... yes my first post was a tad smartassed but at that point we/I had no way of knowing what had happened.

Hey, you really wanted to get a NEW BULLET PROOF 4R100 anyway

 

I spoke to the owner of WWOR this weekend. We talked for a long time and ironed everything out! I was a little quick to judge. I said a few harsh things about a few people at that shop! I am sticking by what I said about them. I am not in anyway bashing the owner of the company, as he made things as right as he can within his power. I did not start this thread to bash him or his company I just got a little heated. Some of the stuff I wrote was pretty harsh and uncalled for. I still stick by this company for they do great work. **** HAPPENS and to be expected when altering anything!

G at WWOR-
I apoligise (sp) for what I said. I should have talked to you personnally a few more times!
I will let everyone know how everything turns out!
Later
ROLN

 

My tranny just went out last week, I am in the process of getting a new "BUILT" one. I took it to Ford but for some crazy reason they would not warranty it at all. They said 44's were hard on the drivetrain..... who knew.

Anyone know of an aftermarket transmission that can withstand a real beating for my application?

 

HIROLLN

Question... ? What were you doing when the tranny went? Towing, starting off at a light, cruzing?