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pauldub's avatar
pauldub
Explorer
Jan 06, 2016

Need E-450 rear axle repair in Seattle area

Anyone have recommendations for a place in the Seattle area to work on the rear axle of my '03 E450? I had carrier bearings replaced at Randy's Ring and Pinion 40K miles ago and I've got metal in the oil again and a weaping pinion seal. I normally do all my own work, but this is a bit too heavy duty for me.
  • wcjeep wrote:
    Be sure to have Randy's Check for a bent axle. Could have been an initial manufacturing defect.


    Curb strike, or jacking the rear end from the differential can also throw an axle tube out of alignment.
  • Be sure to have Randy's Check for a bent axle. Could have been an initial manufacturing defect.
  • When I was in the repair business I found many times bearings going bad in rearends with low mileage.Never used to see this in 100000 miles .

    I think its due to poor quality of bearings used today.Even found many bearings and races with made in %$#^&% on them.

    That said I would go back to man who repaired it last time and at least let him examine it.JMO dave




    ps.

    I always used name brand bearings but some still not usa made
  • pauldub ... your situation reminds me of my '05 E450 transmsision failure this past summer at only 51K miles.

    Both situations are frustrating and both failures "should not have happened". :M
  • I don't think there was any particular event that caused the first failure, probably a manufacturing defect is my guess but it was already making noise when I bought it with 40K on the clock so I'm only guessing. There hasn't been any particular event that would have cause a second failure and I really do baby the drivetrain. I'm not inclined to go back to Randy's again since it seems their previous repair only lasted me 40K. Randy's is just a couple of miles from my house, so their location is a real plus for me.
  • Randy's is pretty much my go-to suggestion. Any reason you won't go back?

    Also, any idea what caused the first failure? It's not very common. I had to replace my carrier bearings, but it's because I split the carrier clean in half, when I hit a new water bar on a forest service road in the dark, jumping the van high enough the front bumper drove into the gravel and peppered my windshield.