Ah yes, thanks dealer

vxla · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:40 am

So the dealer (Schaumburg, IL Jeep dealer) claims that my 'front axle enclosure' is blown out and will need to be replaced. They're asking $2132 to fix it. They also claimed that they've never had a front blown diff before (although another LOST member has taken it there for service).

Therefore, as you can imagine, I'm not happy about the matter. If anyone knows of a junked KJ with an extra 'front axle enclosure' please let me know as I could probably find the part for much, much cheaper.

Thanks.

- eric

p.s. To anyone from Daimler-Chrysler reading these forums: shame on you for making a poor product, and shame on you for letting your dealers rape your customers on service charges.

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:16 am

Actually, they might be right on the dot when they say they have never seen a front diff blown on a KJ. The last time Bakerkj blew his front diff, he took the KJ to Libertyville and it was fixed over there, not at schaumburg jeep. I do not know of any of our members bringing a blown front diff to Sch. Jeep because the only one was bakerkj.
Well..... a first for them

as for the spare part on a KJ that has been junked, there is a couple guys here in the forum that might be able to help - just post on the wanted parts

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:29 am

Maybe call Liberty Jeep in Libertyville. I would never have imagined Schaumburg Jeep would deny warranty service.

Maybe they are tired of the reputation that they turn thier eye to trail damage and just fix it?

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:29 am

Would be really trick to find a good shop to build a new case out of steel using the same internals...take the old one in and duplicate with welded steel. Possibly would even cost less than the cast aluminum casing. Just a thought...A welded steel center section then two shafts just like axle shafts since that is what they really are. You could be a PIONEER :arrow:

vxla · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:00 pm

KJBOL: Ah, so it was a different dealer. I see. I'll try and call them and see what they say.

Darby: If I could get rid of this thing right now, I'd do so in a heartbeat. It's clear that the KJ isn't taken seriously by all but a handful of manufacturers, and everything is way too overpriced due to the limited saturation of lifted vehicles/mods that are on the market.

The KJ truly is a mall cruiser.

Flame on!

allyrand · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:17 pm

if you can't get it fixed under warranty...give Quinn a call at All J Products..I beleive he has a front diff for sale...I'm sure it would be alot cheaper than the dealer..but you would have to do the install yourself

pixeldzn · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:18 pm

2 other dealer ideas:

Extreme Jeep in McHenry and

Delf's Jeep in Waukegan

vxla · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:28 pm

Thanks guys. I did see a diff online for $500 or $800. Has anyone done the change themselves? If so, how bad was it?

vxla · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:34 pm

....and how much peanut butter did you use?

krazz1e · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:47 pm

did the housing crack? did the internals get chewed? what exactly is wrong on the diff?

If the housing is good, you can clean it out and put a locker in there, you may need a ring and pinion too, but you can consider regearing 4:1. However, if your housing is crack your screwed and need a new one

dmc23 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:02 pm

just for an fyi.......Chrysler monitors the amount of money and types of repairs dealers do every month and they base the warranty allotment on the number of cars they sell.....So if a delaler abuses warranty claims they can be put on restriction audited etc.......

vxla · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:08 pm

krazzle: housing is cracked.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:14 pm

I have a spare dana 30a with 3.73's that I'd part with for $500.00 plus shipping,nothing wrong with it just swapped in new front diff with 4.10's.It has 28,000 miles on it and had mobil1 75/140 syn gear oil in it since 400 miles,no cracks,no leaks on it at all.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:58 pm

The swap is not that bad...tires off...brakes off...axles out...driveshaft out...a few bolts...voila. I know this sounds too simple but it is not really all that difficult especially it you don't have to open it up. No bearings or gears to pull with a complete unit swap.

raceinfan · **Posted:** Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:16 pm

I'm pretty sure I saw one on E-bay yesterday for $400

vxla · **Posted:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:58 am

An update, if anyone is interested.....

##

Morning everyone.

So, an update. I asked the service manager yesterday at Schaumburg Jeep in Schaumburg, IL (a five-star Chrysler dealer) to diagnose the problem, as they saw it, so I could be more informed as to the issue.

[ direct quotes ]

"You hit something. The skidplate was dented."

Interesting. We checked the plates that day, and nothing was pushing against my front diff. So, I asked another question...

"Can you tell me if the problem originated from the inside or outside of the diff?", to which he then replied "I told you, you must have hit something. There's also frame damage on the jeep."

I tabled the frame damage issue for a moment only to later find out that he was either referring to rock rails or my control arms (I know those are bent, but that's not the frame!), and asked the fellow to write this up in the ticket. I needed to have, in writing, from a five star jeep dealer, in all their glory, this service manager, William Woollard, write up in the estimate what was wrong.

After a snide remark from this man, he proceeded to pound away at the keyboard, obviously showing me who I was dealing with. I tried to cower, but it was too funny to watch all the mistakes he made while typing.

After he typed it up, he printed it out, wouldn't let me see it, took it to the cashier. Oh by the way, they charged me $39 for the "inspection". They said this was normal. I've never been charged for an inspection, is this normal? There were no details stating that this occured due to "hitting" something. There were no details other than "broken front diff. sub-frame damage. need replacement." and an estimated total.

So, the short of it, I'm not going to bother. Clearly they think a skidplate (which they said i would NEED since it was "so bent") caused the problem.

Should I go to another dealer? Probably. Can I get there? I really don't want to drive this thing any further than need be. Is it worth the energy? Probably not.

Will I ever buy a new jeep again from a jeep/chrysler dealer? Not a chance in hell. It's clear that Chrysler doesn't want their service minions treating customers with any respect. Sure, you can blame the person there, but in the end, the guy still has a job, and I'm sure I'm not the first he's been this short and curt with. I asked for a customer survey, and they said they'd "mail me one since we have none here". I've never received a customer survey from any service I've had performed at any jeep dealership.

- Eric

p.s. anyone wanna help replace a front diff?

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:28 pm

I get a survey everytime I go in and they hand it to me to fill out before they give me my keys.

Sounds like you need to take pictures of everything for proof and send all info to D/C.

Guest · **Posted:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:36 pm

Get a friend or fellow LOST member to bring over a U-Haul car carrier for the rental fee of $49.95 per day and trailer it over the the dealership that BakerKJ went to.

You've been through several days of He** now, just step back, take a deep breath, and go get your diff replaced elsewhere under warranty... I agree with you, never another product that requries going to a crappy dealer again...

krazz1e · **Posted:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 5:59 pm

that sucks..

in a way, that's why it's better to buy used and get something that is easy to wrench on or tuff from the factory, if it's wheeled hard something is going to break, it's just a matter knowing how to fix it or who to take it to at a reasonable price.

Ah yes, thanks dealer

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