Two weeks ago a delivery van from one of the local hospitals showed up at work with a rearend problem. Turns out that the rearend is on the verge of coming apart. The vehicle is an 04 chevy one ton dually with 60-70000 miles. We called around for parts and prices, but no one was even showing this rearend in existance. Called GM, Zumbrota, and the local salvage yards. Turns out that GM contracted American Axle, who is owned by Chrysler, to build this rearend. Am. Axle builds the housing and axle tubes and then contracts Dana to build the rest. Apparently all of these are failling and Dana is blaming American Axle and they are in turn blaming Dana. As a result Dana is not producing replacement parts because of the blame game. If you call GM and tell them that you have one of these vehicles sitting in your shop and it will absolutey not move, they will put you on a priority list, and even then you are still not garrauntied parts. The best part is that you can buy the same rearend from GM completely assembled and put that one in and eventually end up right where you started. We will be receiving this assembly from GM tommorrow and putting it in Friday.

 

OOPS double post

 

Looks like Ford has been picking up where GM leaves off.

 

I hope that it does not end the same way. More than one supplier to build one product never seems to end with good results.

 

GM used bulletproof Rockwell axles in the '90's vintage duallys. I guess the bean counters are continuing to do a good job at GM (and Ford). Much of the blame may be with Dana, considering the Nissan Titan axle fiasco.

Jim

 

We got the replacement rearend today. The thing is just huge. You wouldn't think that something this size could fail after only 60000 miles. It's one of the biggest I've seen in a one ton. The axle tubes alone have to be three inch if not bigger. The guys at work were amazed by the size of it also. I guess if your machining or assembly is off by a few thousants of an inch it wouldn't take long.

 

This is off topic but seein as you're from E. Dubuque, IL I thought I'd give you a holler. That is some of the most scenic country in IL up in your neck of woods. I've been to Galena many a time! It's my favorite town in northern IL.

I grew up in Sterling, IL and worked for Dubuque Foods at the Rochelle plant in the slaughter house (split saw) back in the early to mid 80's .

I have a relative near Freeport which I just visited less than a month ago. Talk about shivy country! Those flatlands/cornfields are coated with shivy's. Never could understand why!

Anyways, good to see someone from a past familiar area of mine!

 

I can attest to the Titan's situation being a fiasco - I had an 04 and was sideswiped by an oncoming 18 wheeler which shredded the rear of the vehicle. I was in a rental for nearly 3 months while waiting on a new rear end. The shop had the truck clogging up their shop & the truck's insurance company had 3 months of rental vehicle to pay for, so everyone was extremely displeased, especially me.

 

We put the new rearend in today. It took about an hour for swap time and another hour for bleeding brakes, filling with fluid, double checking, and a test run.

 

What died inside the old rear? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

I think I saw one of these limping into a GM dealer a couple months ago. I saw a GM van just crawling through a very busy intersection and wondered what was up. It wasn't until we passed that I saw his rear wheels wobbling several inches like the rear axle was broken--and this was at about 5 mph, if that.

Made me feel good to be driving a Ford...

 

I'm not sure as all we did was take the rear cover off and inspect it. There was loads of metal in the fluid. At this point the less we touch the better off we are. Like I said earlier, there is a blame game going on and no one wants to admit what the cause is. You could hear the rearend growling a block away.