So I was looking forward to the September trail run and overnight trip. Been prepping the truck for the last two weeks, etc.
Got up early Saturday morning, got donuts and headed to Big Bear.
Unfortunately I only made it about halfway up to Arrowbear when I heard a BAD noise coming from the rear end (I thought).
Pulled off into the turnout at Call Box 330 362 and took a look at things. Saw lots of fluid on the differential and given the noises made the assumption that it had failed due to low gear oil. Luckily I had marginal cell service and was able to call AAA as well as alert the group that I wasn't going to make it.
After an uneventful tow home I eventually went to take a look at things late Saturday afternoon.
Again, assuming that I had a bad rear end I started by loosening the lugs on the passenger side in expectation that I would be pulling axles, etc.
I found that the passenger side lugs were rather looser than I would have expected. I then went over to the driver's side to loosen things and I instead found this:
Only 1! lug still present, 3 missing, and one stud broken off and completely missing.
Luckily, the wheel was undamaged aside from some minor thread marks in the stud holes, and the brake drum and axle hub are fine as well.
After getting parts and tools the total damage is:
$13.50 for lug nuts and a pair of studs.
$30 for an air hammer and a 32oz ball-peen hammer from HarborFreight
Lessons learned:
When you have bad noises coming from the front or rear, ALWAYS check your lugnuts.
If you hear strange noises pull over and check it out! I had heard some strange noises a bit before I pulled over, but assumed it to be a bit of tread whining on the road in the corners. I didn't hear the really bad noises until I was forced to slow <25mph by a semi.
Don't jump to conclusions. Despite knowing the exact history of the rear in the truck and personally having replaced the differential center section as well as the wheel bearings, I assumed that the fluid on the differential was gear oil and jumped to the failed pinion seal diagnosis. This is despite knowing that there is a leak both from the transmission and one from the power steering that are both sending copious amounts of fluids back along the underside of the truck.
Don't be a hero. I could have tried to push on up or down the mountain but in retrospect I probably didn't have a 1/4 mile left before things seperated in a drastic manner. Better to miss one trip than to crash and miss them all.
AAA is your friend. We pay for the Gold/RV package so I have 100Mi free towing. Given that BB is only maybe 60 miles from home this translates to a lot of piece of mind in the event of needing a tow.
Got up early Saturday morning, got donuts and headed to Big Bear.
Unfortunately I only made it about halfway up to Arrowbear when I heard a BAD noise coming from the rear end (I thought).
Pulled off into the turnout at Call Box 330 362 and took a look at things. Saw lots of fluid on the differential and given the noises made the assumption that it had failed due to low gear oil. Luckily I had marginal cell service and was able to call AAA as well as alert the group that I wasn't going to make it.
After an uneventful tow home I eventually went to take a look at things late Saturday afternoon.
Again, assuming that I had a bad rear end I started by loosening the lugs on the passenger side in expectation that I would be pulling axles, etc.
I found that the passenger side lugs were rather looser than I would have expected. I then went over to the driver's side to loosen things and I instead found this:
Only 1! lug still present, 3 missing, and one stud broken off and completely missing.
Luckily, the wheel was undamaged aside from some minor thread marks in the stud holes, and the brake drum and axle hub are fine as well.
After getting parts and tools the total damage is:
$13.50 for lug nuts and a pair of studs.
$30 for an air hammer and a 32oz ball-peen hammer from HarborFreight
Lessons learned:
When you have bad noises coming from the front or rear, ALWAYS check your lugnuts.
If you hear strange noises pull over and check it out! I had heard some strange noises a bit before I pulled over, but assumed it to be a bit of tread whining on the road in the corners. I didn't hear the really bad noises until I was forced to slow <25mph by a semi.
Don't jump to conclusions. Despite knowing the exact history of the rear in the truck and personally having replaced the differential center section as well as the wheel bearings, I assumed that the fluid on the differential was gear oil and jumped to the failed pinion seal diagnosis. This is despite knowing that there is a leak both from the transmission and one from the power steering that are both sending copious amounts of fluids back along the underside of the truck.
Don't be a hero. I could have tried to push on up or down the mountain but in retrospect I probably didn't have a 1/4 mile left before things seperated in a drastic manner. Better to miss one trip than to crash and miss them all.
AAA is your friend. We pay for the Gold/RV package so I have 100Mi free towing. Given that BB is only maybe 60 miles from home this translates to a lot of piece of mind in the event of needing a tow.
