Help! Stuck in Seattle-Rear end gone!

Discussion in 'Kenworth Forum' started by BridgettAnn, May 13, 2012.

  1. BridgettAnn

    BridgettAnn Light Load Member

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    Jul 5, 2011
    Allen Park, Mi
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    Hi,
    We have a 1999 KW W900L. We brought a load into Seattle from Vegas and about 15 miles from the delivery the rear end blew. Babied it into the KW dealer here in town. Back up to the day before.... while making a turn onto the freeway, We heard a big "clunk", and then everything seemed fine. So we continued on to the delivery. And then to dealership. KW dealer wants over $6,000.00 to repair:biggrin_2555:. That sounds so unrealistic! When the mechanic was checking things out, he drained only about 1 and 1/2 quarts of oil from the rear end. My husband was concerned because he just had two wheel seals replaced two weeks ago at a KW dealer in Sioux City. There was no oil to be found anywhere under the truck or around the tires etc., except for the leakage that the mechanic said probably occured at the time of the rear end going out. The mechanic was saying that perhaps the Sioux City mechanic did not add oil after replacing the wheel seals. Now, the service manager had a different opinion. He said that there would be no signs of oil splashing because of a shield that would prevent the oil from splashing everywhere. When we asked why we saw no leaking at all during all of the pre and post trips between having the seals replaced and now, he said that it was because it would only leak when the truck was moving. The mechanic discreetly disagreed with the service manager. He said there would be oil everywhere, since it should approx 4 gallons. (I think that's what he said) So here we are, stuck in Seattle. Dealership wants over 6K to fix the truck (rear end, yokes (<--sp?) etc. Two questions: One, doesn't that sound high? and two, should we be concerned that this has anything to do with the wheel seals being replaced? any comments or advice is greatly appreciated.
    ADDITION: it was the front diff that went out. The front axle on the drive tires- same as where the two wheel seals where replaced. ALSO, had a DOT inspection at the Western Star dealership in Monroe, MI which is 785 miles from Sioux City. They are our home base mechanics. They ABSOLUTELY would have seen if there was any oil leaking out onto the housing. From that point, we drove approx 3200 miles between Monroe and Seattle. Could we have lost 4 gallons of rear end dope with no sign of oil anywhere?
    ~BridgettAnn
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2012
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  3. Prairie Boy

    Prairie Boy Road Train Member

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    Nov 18, 2010
    Edmonton, AB
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    Get a price from them on a remanufactured diff. Is it the front or rear diff?
     
  4. paul 1052

    paul 1052 Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 9, 2010
    Sand Springs, Ok.
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    I got a differential replaced a couple years ago at a KW dealership for about $3,500, rebuilt unit.

    I'd be calling the dealer that replaced the seals and raising all kinds of hell, you would have seen the oil leak.... then again.... hot hot was that axle running for those 2 weeks?

    Call around to other shops too.
     
    BridgettAnn Thanks this.
  5. Hanadarko

    Hanadarko Independent Owner/Operator

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    Oct 1, 2009
    Midwest
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    A KW dealer is my last place and I mean DEAD LAST place to take my truck, ever again....

    :biggrin_25513:
     
  6. bender

    bender Road Train Member

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    Jul 20, 2010
    Don't Kid Yourself
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    The mechanic is right, the last mechanic failed to fill the diff when replacing the hub seals.
    You can purchase a good rebuilt diff for $1800 with a good core for exchange. If your old diff is totally smoked and won't pass for a core then the price goes up. 4 hours labor to replace the diff and an hour to clean out the housing, plus 30 pints of diff oil. $3000 should cover it.
     
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  7. BridgettAnn

    BridgettAnn Light Load Member

    92
    51
    Jul 5, 2011
    Allen Park, Mi
    0
    It was the Front Diff. The same axle that the wheel seals were replaced on. Also, had a DOT inspection 785 miles from Sioux City at our home base. There was no leaking at that time. The mechanic here at the KW dealership in Seattle told us that he thinks the oil that we see on the hub now (minimal oil seepage on rear of front housing, and more on the front of the housing) was due to when it blew. I hope he doesn't find himself in trouble with his service manager... but he is standing his ground. He says we would have seen that oil everywhere. period.
    What would you do? We can't afford $6000 for someone's mistake. AND this IS for a reconditioned part! However, we don't want to blame a KW dealership if they have no responsibility either.
    Thanks again,
    BridgettAnn
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2012
  8. bender

    bender Road Train Member

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    Jul 20, 2010
    Don't Kid Yourself
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    The service managers BS perspective is to divert blame away from the KW dealer that changed your hub seals and failed to fill the diff. How much diff oil were you charged for on invoice from hub seal replacement? Any at all?
     
  9. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    May 7, 2011
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    Visit the local truck boneyard and see if a set of Eaton rears off a truck with a similar suspension are available.

    Tell Dana's customer service that since they refuse to stand behind their products, you are not buying the replacement part from them and instead are removing their component from your vehicle in favor of their competitor's product, and will encourage your friends not to spec Dana products on any trucks they buy in the future. If they decide to "help you out" and warranty the repair, great. Otherwise, go get those Eaton rears.

    Try to get the shop that screwed up & didn't refill your diffs to cover the labor for the axle swap....and possibly even the axles. If they won't, do the job yourself in the KW dealer's parking lot. Any customers who ask what you are doing, tell them that KW won't stand behind the work done at their shops...so you are left to fix their screw-ups on your own.

    If you take the Dana rears you remove back to the boneyard, you might get paid enough to nearly cover the cost of buying the Eatons.



    I've run into situations where shops that couldn't get me in until the next day suddenly found an open bay when I suggested buying the parts and doing the job myself in their lot. I don't care much for these shops, because it leads me to believe they were lying to me when they first told me they couldn't get me in.

    I've run into other situations where the shop let me use their shop air to power my air tools while working in their lot.

    I've also run into situations where shop space wasn't the issue...they didn't have enough mechanics to go around, so they let me pull my truck into their shop to work on it myself.

    I really don't care HOW the job gets done....it just needs to get done.
     
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  10. VisionLogistics

    VisionLogistics Road Train Member

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    Jellystone
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    +1

    KW dealers are scam artists, IMO.
     
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  11. MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

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    Feb 24, 2012
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    Most stealerships are.....
     
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