Customer calls me up and says his bravada is stuck in the middle of the road out front of his house and wont move. Told him get a floor jack and move it back into the garage. Got out there and found both front axle boots clamps came apart and grease leaked out. So I started to remove the shafts to replace them. It was going well but the left side came out with a little resistance so it took a few more hits with the hammer. I hit the shaft and out popped the axle, so i crawled to that side of the vehicle and found the inside bearing was attached to the axle shaft and it had scored up the inside of the case pretty bad. Got out my flashlight and looked inside the axle shaft hole and it looked pretty dry and kind of rusty. Went around to the right side and i could see that grease had been lubricating that side but it wasnt runny like fluid should be. I put a drain pan under the front differential and removed the plug.....NO FLUID CAME OUT!! BONE DRY. LOOKED FURTHER INTO THE LEFT SIDE AXLE SHAFT HOUSING AND IT WAS ALL RUSTED ON THAT SIDE.
Anyone seen this yet? Customers says he has had the truck for a little over 4 years and never changed that fluid.
This doesnt look like a fun job to do on the ground. Is it true that the whole under cradle comes down and control arms too??
It appears the steering gear comes out but the nuts on the inside of the tunnel that the mounting bolts go through for the steering gear....all seized and a normal length socket wont fit over the long length of the bolt. This is one long bolt.
After the cradle is removed, should this be aligned also? I have not pulled one of these all wheel drive front diff. units off a vehicle yet since 2000.
My alldata doesnt say anything about alignment.