I was drag racing some ricer and when I shifted to 2nd, there was this loud "Ka-Chunk, tink tink tink grrrrrrr" noise from the rear of the truck...

I took it into the dealer and they pulled the rear diff apart and found the pinion gear had sheared off a tooth. I was just kidding about the racing a ricer part, but I did somehow manage to break the pinion gear. I was actually leaving Fry's parking lot when the rear end made a sound like a card in the spokes of a bicycle wheel.

Anyway, it's covered under warranty although they did send an adjuster out to look at it since you rarely see a broken pinion that wasn't due to abuse or hard-core off roading or drag racing. Granted, I've done some of that stuff throughout the life of the truck, but you'd think if it was going to fail, it would have done so in more severe conditions. They approved the work after giving the truck the once-over and were satisfied that I hadn't beat the truck to death.

I'll get the truck back on Monday or Tuesday. My good friend at the dealership is doing the work, so I have no worries that it will be done properly. He's going to get a factory assembled 3rd member and put it in. That is about $50 more than all the individual parts alone, not counting the labor he'd have to charge to assemble it. I have a few more warranty items to take care of while it's in there and I'm going to have the timing belt done as well.

Just thought I would share.

Peace.
G

 

Ah-HAH!

You were trying to beat that Rambler from the 'hood again weren't you???

sigh... If I've told you once I've told you...




Good to hear that the adjuster cleared it.

 

You should throw in the extra for the front and have them go up top factory 4.56's...

 

Ah heck... think BIG!

Go out and race someone else with the front-end engaged, break _that_ pinion, buy an ARB locker real quick and get them to install it!

 

You know, I brought that subject up and my friend said there was no way he could push that through. They were already persnickety about doing the warranty work since my truck was "modified" with a lift and larger tires. He had to tell them to stop being so snooty and give me the warranty. This is the last thing I'll ever be able to claim on it as my truck is at 99,956 and the warranty runs out at 100,000

FYI, the factory assembled 3rd member is $1496 and the part I'm having replaced on the front of the engine, which is the fan idler assembly, is $448 not counting any labor charges to do all the work. So, I'm ahead in this deal as it is.

Peace.
G

PS Mark, we did drive the truck from the bay in the shop to the parking lot in front wheel drive mode.

 

!!!!!!!!

 

Metal fatigue is cumulative. The failure may indeed have been caused by some of your previous exploits. FWIW, I broke a ring & pinion the same way, pulling out of a parking lot onto a main street. When you think about it you are putting a lot of stress on the drivetrain in such a circumstance

 

Yeah, I realized that I neglected that fact after I posted. It still does seem silly to break during what seems like such a trivial manuever...

Peace.
G

 

Galen, glad you were covered under warranty. Was the extended warranty through Toyota Extra Care, and if so, what did it cost? I've always been of the opinion that they're a needless expense, but your post has me reconsidering it for someone who actually goes off-road. But, it depends on the starting cost, interest rate of the payment and time value of money compared to a self-directed fund and all that. TIA...

 

$1496.00 for a factory assembled 3rd member! Mine cost $781.00 for a 4.56 factory assembled e-locker 3rd member.

 

i second that. something's not going togethere here

one sound i fear, that "tick tick tick slap slap slap BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG" noise of a pinion going out...it just scares me to think about having to go through that again. at least it's not a dana axle!

 

All I know is what he told me and he wouldn't lie to me. Maybe I misheard him... Was that price of $781 from a dealer or somewhere else like West Coast Differentials?

As for what I paid for the warranty, it was an Extra Care policy by the way, I think it was $1500 or so. I don't exactly remember, but I am sure I got my money's worth with all of this going on.

Peace.
G

 

the e-locker setup is $795 from the dealer

 

Hmmm... Well I must have mis-heard him. I dunno.

I'll talk to him tomorrow and see what he has to say.

G

 

I wouldn't be too surprised if a new e-locker was $795 and a regular third $1500. Toyota may realize that a lot of e-lockers are being sold as an "accessory" part whereas a regular third will most always be a "repair" part.

 

I got one thing to say G! "Oops." draggin' a ricer, haha.

glad it's going to be warranted.

J.

 

You had me going about the ricer race comment...maybe because I know someone who does that all the time...

Glad you are getting it fixed under warranty.

 

I'm glad I caught a few of you with my silliness.

I just thought it would make for a more entertaining post than, "I broke my differential coming out of a parking lot..." I mean, how boring is that?

Thanks for the good vibes!

 

Galen, first off, glad you are ok - i mean what if this happened when if you were doing something like trying to make a left in heavy traffic? Results could have been really really bad....

Also glad you got everything covered without a penny of investment.

Speaking of racing, I just got mom's 6.5L turbo diesel running strong again and SPANKED a ford taurus and a nissan GLE off the line up to 60. That 7500lb truck will get up and move.

 

Galen,

Is the replacement going to have an e-locker in it? I can't remember if you're locked or not, but it'd be a great time to get a third with a locker. Sorry if I'm being Mr. Obvious here.....