GM's brainfart
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: east dubuque, il.
GM's brainfart
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.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 798
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From: Alma Arkansas
Looks like Ford has been picking up where GM leaves off.
American Axle & Manufacturing To Supply Ford Axles, Driveshafts - Brief Article
Autoparts Report, April 25, 2000
<!-- google_ad_section_start --> American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. has been selected as the supplier of rear axles and driveshafts for an unidentified future Ford Motor Co. vehicle.
This is American Axle & Manufacturing's first contract to produce axles for Ford, although the company produces other parts for the automaker.
"With this new program and other recently acquired new business, AAM will further reduce its concentration of business with our largest customer, General Motors Corp., to 79 percent," said Richard E. Dauch, American Axle & Manufacturing chair-man, chief executive officer, and president. "For the full year 1999, the GM percentage of our sales was 86 percent," he added.
Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing manufactures driveline systems, chassis systems, and forged products for trucks, buses, sport utility vehicles, and passenger cars.
Autoparts Report, April 25, 2000
<!-- google_ad_section_start --> American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. has been selected as the supplier of rear axles and driveshafts for an unidentified future Ford Motor Co. vehicle.
This is American Axle & Manufacturing's first contract to produce axles for Ford, although the company produces other parts for the automaker.
"With this new program and other recently acquired new business, AAM will further reduce its concentration of business with our largest customer, General Motors Corp., to 79 percent," said Richard E. Dauch, American Axle & Manufacturing chair-man, chief executive officer, and president. "For the full year 1999, the GM percentage of our sales was 86 percent," he added.
Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing manufactures driveline systems, chassis systems, and forged products for trucks, buses, sport utility vehicles, and passenger cars.
Last edited by Krochus; Oct 4, 2006 at 09:53 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,228
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From: Running Springs CA
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
Jim
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From: east dubuque, il.
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.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: IL
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 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!
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Originally Posted by jimandmandy
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
Jim
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.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Lafayette, IN
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...
Made me feel good to be driving a Ford...
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Senior User
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From: east dubuque, il.
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.