Well it took 21 years and 275000 miles but my Excursion got its first ride on a tow truck.
But its not her fault.
I drove from Dallas to Wichita and almost back with the hubs manually locked!
I had locked them during our blizzard to be sure they were locked and forgot to switch them back to manual!
Midnight on I35 north of ardmore OK I heard a very loud growl followed by major vibration so bad I thought I had lost a tire!
Pulled off asap into the grass and jumped out to see so much smoke I thought it was on fire.
Looked underneath and saw transfer case fluid burning off on the exhaust.
Could not get it in park and didn't see anything broken so thought about trying the front wheels to get moving so I checked the hubs and OH NO! FRIGIN LOCKED!
I about threw up! I killed my truck.
I had just 4 hours earlier been bragging on how Ive never had a major failure that required a tow. Specificitly never had a tranny prob. I JINXED IT!

So now what?
Well come here and confess my sin and ask for forgiveness of course! lol
Everyone asked me Are you gonna fix it or dump it?
No way! I HAVE to fix it!
Cant imagine leaving my buddy like this!

So a couple of questions.
Why did this happen?
Ive driven it for 21 years and sometimes its locked when you think its not. You have to get out and check it which I thought about before that trip but didn't.
But it never blew up before.
Its just spinning when in 2 wheel so it shouldn't have mattered other than some extra drag.
So what up with that?

And next what's the chance the tranny is toast too?
I havent had a chance to get a close look at the damage other than seeing a hole where the transfer case once was.
And Ive found one company that sells remans with a core. LOL yeah right!
And Id rather a reman than used. Bout $1000 plus maybe $400 core charge.
Im in Dallas so any recommendations on a shop?

Thats about it.
So let the punishment begin!

 

So many people would have came in here and chalked it up as vandalism, or someone messed with the hubs when I was parked, or my buddy did it or any number of other excuses.

The fact you are telling us the truth speaks volumes. Acceptance is the first step towards learning to never let it happen again.

Can we get some pics to see how bad the damage is?

 

Lots of people leave the hubs locked all the time and never have a problem so I think there might have been something else going on.

 

I think so too. I leave mine locked all winter long where I live. Been doing it on a variety of trucks for 40 years. Never a problem.

 

I think more likely a bearing failure or possibly a chain failure. The only way to know is to pull it apart and find the culprit. Fairly easy to do and you can rebuild it while you're in there! Where was the fluid leaking from? Rear seal?

 

Driving with the front hubs locked in shouldn't cause the transfer case to explode. Certain year dodge trucks that use a very similar NV transfer case don't have hubs or any other method of disconnecting the front axle at all. There must have been some other underlying fault that having the front shaft spinning made worse. I can't see any reason at all that the transmission should be damaged unless the case cracked from torsional stress when the transfer case let go.
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.
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GIVE US PICS, Show us the carnage lol

 

Daaaang!

So, the chain is still intact? And no obvious damage to any other components?

 

You are in the best state possible for this to happen. I used to pick parts at a yard in Austin that specialized in Ford trucks...they had dozens of these. Sadly, they are no longer in business after getting re-zoned by the local town council. You should have NO PROBLEM finding a used one in the Dallas area for under $300.

 

Holy thermonuclear destruction batman, its actually in pieces. I aint never seen that there before. WOWZ. I only just noticed you editted in the pics...

Riddle me this, What if the U-Joints got sloppy and were vibrating a whole lot and got enough energy to snap the case in half, and it wasn't the cases fault at all?

And if so, putting in a new case, and potentially trans would result in the same destruction in round 2.

 

Chain is ok. All I can see inside looks ok. U joints are good too. The crack is the same as the other owners care. Makes me wonder if it’s just a case defect. Everything outside of the case looks ok. So I’ll pull it and see what’s up inside.

 

It's a thing with these. Not common, but not at all unheard of. Google "Ford transfer case exploded", and you'll see a bunch of threads on FTE, alone.

Mark

 

I’d be interested to know if the chain got loose and got into the case from the inside and caused the crack. Certainly been a rash of them lately.

 

The saga continues. UGH!

I've done a lot and learned a lot since my original post on this explosion and although I THINK its over I'm not positive YET.
Waiting to see if its fixed but wanted to do an update today in hopes of saving y'all the same fate.

So let's start where we left off.

The truck was sitting at the airport while I searched for the solution on repair or new or rebuilt. It took me a month to have time to deal with it and I decided to go with a rebuilt unit
from The Gear Shop in Maryland for $895.00 plus $200 shipping. Very good people and it all went very well. It showed up 10/11 to my home. All good so far.

Although Ive done all the work on my Exc since new in 2000 I decided was unable to R&R this heavy unit alone on the ground. Good decision I thought.
So i picked a local tranny shop very near me and had it towed to them after getting a quote. $400 bucks. OK not bad.
The manager, gone now, sounded knowledgeable and was easy to deal with so I took him the crate unopened.
The job was R&R the case and rewire my harness which was mostly cut and lastly and MOST important service the unit with MOBILE ONE 5/W30 per the GEAR SHOPs warranty instructions. No prob.
So they removed the old unit and butt spliced the cut harness.
Then they noticed the front drive shaft and double Cardan joint was bad. Hummm Ok I guess it was destroyed by the failure. Ok what's the damages money wise? $650 bucks. OK that's about right. Do it.

So it took about 20 days but when it was done I picked it up and asked if they had done the Mobile ONE 5w30. Nope. We did the factory fill. We know what to use. I said well no because the warrantee will be voided.
I also got under and noticed the harness hanging below the skid plate or cross member as well as missing the spiral wrap so I and said can yall fix that and put the mobile ONE in? Nope we don't have time. Maybe in a couple weeks. NOT GOOD!
So I thought about Scotts rule number one. If you want it done right and right now do it yourself!
So rather than wait a few weeks being back burnered on a job they are already paid for which means NEVER getting it done and get another ride and not trusting them to actually change the oil to Mobile ONE I decided id finish it myself later and took it to get the State inspection then home to my garage.

That was 11/1/21 at 275601 miles. I went back to driving my Corvette and only used the EXC a few times for short local runs dumping big boxes and put like 10 miles on it till 11/28/22 when my wife backed into my Vette in the driveway which sent it to the body shop where it still sits today over 2 months now.
So I started driving the EXC daily again with no probs until last week when I noticed a faint screeching sound at a crawl going over speeds bumps which rapidly became VERY loud but went away at normal speed. So I limped home and when near my house I put it in 4WD to see if it was the new transfer case as
it seemed to be coming from that location and made a noise Ive never heard before. The noise stopped so and didn't return so I though well maybe it was just a one off glitch and drove it fine the next day.
But the day after it returned so I stopped by the instal shop to see if they had someone that could ride with me and try to identfy the noise. I asked for the manager and a woman I've not met said he had been fired and she replaced him and what did I want. I asked if someone could listen to this and she said not now but maybe later and to check back.
So I parked it till later that day till I could get someone to drive it while I listen from outside to pinpoint the location and I then determined it was most likely the case.

Then I called the gear shop and a very nice rep told me its not a noise they can say they've heard before and that I should have a local shop diagous it with Chassis Ears and to report back. So I called the instal shop to see if they has those ears and was told they did but had no time to do it and to bring it up to
leave it friday night so they could MAYBE look at it sat. I said ok ill be right there. But before I left I thought id look at the rear U joint and lubed it thinking maybe it was the prob. So I got under and lubed it then drove it with no luck. I then went back under again and happened to notice the fill plug on the case was
only half in and the threads where painted as if it was NEVER touched from leaving the factory! I grabbed it and found it to be loose so I removed it and it was bright and shinny without a spec of tranny fluid on it! I then stuck my little finger in as far as a could and sure enough NO OIL!!!!!
So I got a cup and allen wench and pulled the drain plug. A few drops of black oil came out. Not red Tranny fluid. More like makeup oil. ARRRGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!
So I called the install shop back and said Well I've found the problem. NO OIL! Her response? Not possible. No way we didn't service it and no way it would go more than a few miles without blowing up. Then she said how do you know someone didn't mess with it and drain it? OMG Yes she said that!
I said because its MY truck in MY garage so after she continued to argue I said Look here's what I'm will to do.
Ill come up and you can look at it to see for yourself that its never had oil in it. Then you can fill it with the MOBILE ONE that is in the back of my truck. If it sounds ok and after I call the Gear Shop monday to ask them if they think it could be ok Ill call it good and you won't EVER hear from me again.
But if its not you owe me a new transfer case. Nope Im not going to agree to that. If you wanna bring it up we will look at it but I'm telling you there is no way it left here without oil. I said ok ill bring it and you can see for yourself its bone dry inside. I dropped it off with the oil in the cup and she sniffed it and said thats burnt oil.
I said yeah And its NOT mercon ether!

So the next day she called and said You have a leak and thats why its empty and we aren't responsible and won't be doing anything including filling it up. Come get your truck Period. I said oh then where is the leak? She said we cant tell because its been massively cleaned. You obviously cleaned it. NO I never touched it! Its a brand-new case! Can you tell me why I would do that?? You think I make a living taking my truck around for repairs and then sabotaging it so you can fix it and give it back to me worse than it was before?? Oh! You got me! Give me a break!
So at this point I asked for the owners name and she said Oh he's right here hold on. He gets on and starts with the same crap she was saying so I said let me start this all over and tell YOU the story first hand.
After that he says it sound like you knew it was leaking all along and have been filling it up until it finally ran dry and now you want us to fix it! Yep he said that! I said why would I do that? Its under warranty both from the manu and you! So I knew where this was going and the type of people I was dealing with.

So I said again put MY oil in and lets see what it doing. So he agreed after telling me I had TEN minutes to come do this and pick it up. Hummm funny. The girl told me the night before it couldn't be done in ten minutes. LOL.
So I rushed up and saw the mechanic back it out and park it and just walk away without talking to me or showing me this so called leak. So got under the truck to look and saw NOTHING leaking.
While I'm laying there the owner walks up and says its leaking he just had fresh oil on his hand after he poured it in. Oh really! where from? Don't know let me get the tech. So he comes out and leans under and tells me it coming from the rear tranny and front transfer case interface gasket and that the gasket looks old.
I looked at him and said who installed this? You right? Do you not replace the gasket when you install it? He gets up and says F**K YOU. F**k this guy! Then his boss tells him so go away. I said I don't see any leak and how would it leak under static pressure when the reservoir is below the drive line seal? He say I don't know Im not a car guy.
Well oil doesn't drain uphill and I don't have 3 qts of oil on my garage floor ether so Im not buying the leak thery but heres what we need to do. Let me drive it and see if its ok like I originally asked your manager to do but refused earlier today. At this point she comes out from the shadows of there garage and says Sir I never refused service to you!
Really? She just called and said they weren't doing ANYTHING! So he sent her away too. Then he proceeded to step up in my face and yell that I owe HIM an apology! That I've made everyone in his shop mad! And that he will see me in court! And that he's recorded every phone call. And that my story keeps changing.

So I said nope you are wrong I did no such thing and your tapes will show that. LOL. And that whatI was going to happen was what I asked for. Ill drive it and call the gear shop. He said OHHH wait! be carefull about talking to them! they will void your warranty! Well if you are telling me its a leak then its a warranty claim right??? Right? Not you forgetting to fill it Right?? Right?? I said Im gonna do as I said and if its bad you will be hearing from me. Period. And I left.

I hate shops like this. They do crapy work then deny it. The denial, accusations and personal attacks that follow trying to resolve things are worse than the incompetent work they perform. It's so common it makes it nearly impossible to get a car fixed nowadays. If you want it done right and right now do it yourself or bring your attorney because you will need his services more than theirs. Just another incompetent abusive dishonest shop from top to bottom. Run don't walk from this one. To be named later. Yelp review too. No redemption without consequences!

So far its not making noise but its been driven 2500 miles with no oil. Its clear to me that they never filled it because the fill port was painted over and I broke the factory paint seal but time will tell if Im right and if its damaged.
We'll see.

The other reason I wanted to update this post is because i, pretty sure I know why it happened in the first place.
It appears my double Cardan joint was bad. It was original and not serviced so it made it to 275000 mile then with my hubs locked to drive it KABOOM on the way home from Kansas that night.
This comes from The Gear Shops website and was posted 5/17/22 so after this thread. https://thegearshop1945.com/transfer-case-go-boom/
At least I have a new one now along with my questionable condition T case.
Sucks that my nice new case may be trashed and its obvious that it would take a small claims court case to get my 2 grand back.

Heres a pic of the trans case as it was when i noticed the fill plug half out.

 

Been there, done that, and I'm also convinced the double cardan in the driveshaft was the culprit. I would recommend checking the condition of the transmission mount. Mine wasn't visibly damaged while in place, but removal of the crossmember revealed that the rubber block was completely split, rendering it essentially useless.