Half-shaft c-clip and broken diff

[Flash]

Headed to work this morning, running about 65mph on the eway, when a POP/grinding/growling/ sound starts coming from the front. Originally I thought I messed something up with my recent GM performance air intake install as I thought it was an engine problem due to a loss in acceleration. Got pulled off the road and had no gearing. Tried 4hi lock, reverse, low 1,2,3 - nothing - just a growling noise when the accelerator was depresssed. Called a tow and it is at the dealership. Attached are a couple pics. Dark oil substance on the ground. Dark oil dripping from the skid plate. I thought the trans went but the tech thinks I might have broken a clip on a shaft.

Reason for posting here is;
any thoughts before the dealer calls me?
Any salvageable parts here?
Should I replace items (like half shafts)?
Are the old ones capable of being trail spares?
all advice appreciated....

 

[Hunner]

Transfer case blew up?? Sorry if that is what it is. I guess it would be better on the road than in the middle of nowhere. Let us know when you get the call, maybe we will all learn something. What is your mileage? It seems if just somehow you blew a clip the other shaft would try to move? If it is bleeding vital fluids while on the road something may have cracked the case from inside when it came apart.

 

[bebe]

Sounds like a front diff. You didn't say which skid plate.

 

[Flash]

64,214 mileage.

Skid plate in front of the OEM UCP. Right side (passenger side).

 

[Flash]

This pic is taken from the passenger side door. The darker wet looking areas are from this morning. The fluid is coming from above this point. In the picture you can see the front aluminum H3 skid tying into the black skid that transitions into the OEM UCP. The overexposed area is the transmission (I think) above the skid plate that is leaking.

 

[06 H3]

I don't think its the t case hunner. The dripping is from the front.

Have u ever changed the front diff fluid before? Did the oil look glittery?

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[Flash]

This past August before Drummond Island, I had the Transmission serviced - I pretty sure they did the front diff as well. Have no knowledge of any glittery oil.

 

[Flash]

The tech is saying that a shaft came out, damaged a housing, etc. The present repair is for a shaft, a housing, bearings, seals, lube, etc. $2100.

Is the shaft the half shaft? If so, isn't there an alpha upgrade to my '06? Should I change both half shafts to heavier duty? Should I upgrade the front diff to iron over the current aluminum?

 

[06 H3]

Upgrading...in the end is up to you. The cast iron diff with locker is usually 1800 not installed.
Once these diffs break its almost cheaper to start over.

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[4speedfunk]

This past August before Drummond Island

Oh...that explains it. :thumbs: Nice one.

Not sure I buy any "clip came loose" story...sounds like stealership b.s. to me. Most likely a tooth came off, or a pinion bearing failed...then Ka-Boom! Forget repairing it, especially since you got a puddle under it. That means the casting has a big ole hole in it. Us drag racers call that a "Peeker", (cause you can peek inside and see all the internal parts!).

Swapin a front axle is super-easy...way easier, cheaper, and faster than repairing that junk. Take it to a reputable shop or do it yourself. Call Brodie at Ridge Demon...order a cast-iron front assembly with 4.56s and a locker. Jack it up...pull the half-shafts...pull the drive shaft...pull the three mounting bolts...drop the whole assembly outta there & kick it aside. Bolt the new one in place...reinstall the shafts...hook up the locker...fill it with fluid. Problem solved. This should cost you $2500 or so. Best of all...you'll get an upgrade to cast iron, AND a front locker. GM rarely does favors...they have a "like parts replacement" policy that pretty much limits you to the same junk you had before...often with a hefty bill. While you've got it all apart...check your half-shafts, crossmember bushing, and steering rack for wear. All this stuff is prone to failure, and now is good time to give it the goin over. Four-hours of shop time should get it. Its truly sad how fast I've gotten at this repair!

BTW...If its only the front diff, you should've been able to engage 4HI or 4LO LOCK and driven away. Not sure whats goin there...perhaps you needed to roll the vehicle a couple feet to get it to fully engage? Regardless...sorry to hear of the trouble. Don't panic. Its an easy fix. Its only money.

 

[06 H3]

4speedfunk sounds about right. I think its a great time to learn how to do this install. I did in my driveway, its not too bad and you learn whats going on for possible trail failures. The second I see "new housing" I think start over. Its not worth it. A whole new diff would end up being the same as some guy in a shop installing everything into a new housing and still the parts that are being reused have already seen abuse.

4speed btw I now know what that sticker says on the front diff skid..."fragile" LOL thats pretty funny. you really do hate that thing

EDIT: I see your in michigan, are you close to brodie? I think hes in michigan too and that could save shipping costs...If I was closer to you I would of gladly helped you out with an install.

 

[Flash]

Thanks for all the replies. Just got back from the dealership. Saw the truck and talked to the mechanic.

What I've got is the right side (passenger side) half shaft came out of the carrier. The mechanic says he has seen this several times on older H3's (only on the passenger side - never the drivers side) and it prompted a design change on later models. He says it seems like the older ones were "too short" and the redesigned ones seem "longer" when laid side by side. What needs to be fixed is a new half shaft (longer design), a new carrier, bearings and seals. The front diff needs to be dropped to replace the items mentioned. The housing is OK. I am surmising from the original tech's mention of a suspected broken clip and the evidence of the half shaft coming away from the carrier, that for "some reason" whatever keeps the half shaft in the carrier - broke. Thus it separated and left me stranded. The mechanic says I should have been able to move it in 4 lo lock - but I never tried that.

 

[alrock]

I would still take it to an independent shop if you can vs. a dealership - or at least negotiate the prices. BTW, I've had the driver's side half-shaft crawl out a few millimeters but didn't have any damage, or at least nothing that manifested for a couple of years. If you're going to spend big $ I would look at the replacement upgrade. If you can get an affordable rebuild (more likely from an independent) I would get it rebuilt.

 

[08H3]

Good luck getting it going again no matter what you decide to do. I'm just glad to see that I'm not the only one that's managed to thrash it offroad and then explode something on the pavement. Similar thing happened to me on the highway with the R&P.

 

[Flash]

- or at least negotiate the prices.

I'm working on the pricing. I'll keep you posted.

 

[4speedfunk]

Well I'll be damned. Thats great news. I know of another guy here in Indy that had his passenger-side half shaft pull-out of the diff. It happened on the pavement turning a corner. Weird. Good luck with the repair...make sure to get the pieces of snap ring outta there.

 

[4speedfunk]

06H3...yeah I do hate it. I might have issues.

 

[Flash]

I know of another guy here in Indy that had his passenger-side half shaft pull-out of the diff. It happened on the pavement turning a corner.

The mechanic said he has done a few like this. Always earlier models and always the passenger side. Said there was a redesign on later models to fix - but no recall and no extension to the original warranty. Haven't a clue if that is true or not, just repeating what I was told. Love to read of any others that may have had this issue on an '06 or know of a redesign to increase the shaft or spline/carrier length. Thought I recalled a long ago thread from Hunner on a spline extension but can't remember if it had anything to do with the passenger side half shaft/carrier.

Nothing's been pulled apart yet as they are waiting for the replacement parts to get there before tying up hoist/bay time. It may not be a total wipe out (fingers crossed). I'm saving the parts so I can assess them for possible trail spare usage. Will post up pics of them next week for evaluation and commentary here.

As always - appreciate the input.

 

[Flash]

Found this link via Google about this discussion/problem/fix. Its from "X" so if it can't be posted here - please remove - and my apologies.
http://www.hummerxclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=9864

posted by F5 "Part Number history of shaft...
Manufacturing part number was originally 10374204 for start of production. Then went to 15905106 on September 1, 2006."

posted by 4speedfunk "I know a guy with a 2008 Alpha, that had the retaining snap-ring fail (while cruising on the street). The half-shaft slipped out far enough to clear the splines, and caused him to be stranded."

posted by phazer42 "PN 10374204 was changed due to an insertion issue that would sometimes arise into the differential. It was supposed to break point sometime around January 2006 to PN 15905106

The PN 15905106 was changed to PN 15886012 with an implementation of November 2006. This change was to increase the shaft bar length to 341mm and increase the shaft diameter between the boots to 28.6mm. The inboard joint also changed (was increased) due to off-road warranty issues."

 

[bebe]

$2,100.00?

The case could be bad. Don't trust that it's OK.

Oh and you forgot to mention - "Bebe called it" LOL!!!

I don't remember it happening on the older H3's, I do know it happened on the '09's and the Alphas I think the shaft re-design happened in 09. That's when the made the shafts longer to prevent them from slipping out.

 

[Hunner]

I see now he did not try 4lo. When I first read the thread I thought he meant he just had a leak up front but that it would not move in any mode.
Wasn't me about a spline extension, never heard of that?
It has been my long time understanding that the halfshafts got longer when the Alpha came out, sort of like the tie rods got bigger also.
I keep the longer halfshafts for spares.
Hope it all works out for you reasonably.
I had a dealer try to fix a rear locker, then after tearing it down it looked ok. They were going to just "fix it" until "I" asked to have a regional rep come look at it. Eaton told themto put in a complete assembly at that point if they knew how. The "trained" techs at this dealership had to bring in someone to fix it!! I don't go there anymore.
Hopefully you have some people that know what they are doing.

 

[bebe]

Tie Rods went from 14mm to 16mm in 2007. I got the new halfshaft "by accident" in Moab 2009 when the engineers were there.

 

[bebe]

Found this link via Google about this discussion/problem/fix. Its from "X" so if it can't be posted here - please remove - and my apologies.
http://www.hummerxclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=9864

posted by F5 "Part Number history of shaft...
Manufacturing part number was originally 10374204 for start of production. Then went to 15905106 on September 1, 2006."

The rest of the story:

When the Alpha was released the service part number went to the current number 15886012 and has not changed since. No explanation as to why, but I will assume it was either for the Alpha that will service all as I explained earlier.

 

[Hunner]

Yeah some inside info (I can't reveal my source):no: was that the pending release of the 08 Alpha is what spawned the change and I guess some did come out early to my dealer in 07 because I bought the black ones for spares. I recall 14mm being almost not existent before the 16mm came out and I bought the last two my dealer could find in this region but had to go to Dallas to get them. That was the story I got rather than them agree the 14mm was a bit small they said the 16mm would be to simplify the parts inventory. Yeah uh huh. and so it goes...................

 

[alrock]

$
Oh and you forgot to mention - "Bebe called it" LOL!!!

I think we all just need to make that a part of our signature so we keep ourselves covered