My Explorer dropped its rear gear housing (with pics)

[JeffreyLebowski]

The lack of actual graded/rated hardware in many hardware stores. I would definitely NOT just get a bolt that fits as it may be woefully weak. Note that the chart is for US hardware... if you're getting "Chinese gray metal" it may just snap in half when you torque it down D:

Home depot and Lowes around here carry graded bolts and nuts.

I'd put something in from there before getting another factory part. Factory parts are made for the cheapest price possible with the highest selling price possible.

You get reamed for parts buying the "factory" parts.

I can't remember where I saw it but someone priced out every part in a specific car and and if you bought all the parts needed to build this $20,000 car, it would cost you over $100,000 to do.

 

[boomerang]

Myself, I wouldn't drive that until I had replaced that bolt. I don't like the whole rear end cantilevered off those two rear bolts like that. I think the potential for major damage is too great.

Yes, I know it's a short ride to work...

 

[fbrdphreak]

The lack of actual graded/rated hardware in many hardware stores. I would definitely NOT just get a bolt that fits as it may be woefully weak. Note that the chart is for US hardware... if you're getting "Chinese gray metal" it may just snap in half when you torque it down D:

Um, I can find Grade 8 and Grade 8.8 hardware at any of the big box stores and I've never needed to go to a specialty store (which does exist).

 

[exdeath]

Yes good hardware stores usually carry multiple varieties of the same fasteners. From cheap nickel plated stuff to US made hardened and rated varieties.

I picked up some longer socket head cap screws for my blower from Ace because I wanted to use the full thread depth available in my intake instead of the short ones (engaged only half inch of thread) that came with it from Kenne Bell.

The manufacturer and head stamping on the ones I bought were identical to the ones from Kenne Bell, just longer.

Good bolts for something like a diff mount should cost a few dollars each if you want good ones.

 

[JCH13]

Um, I can find Grade 8 and Grade 8.8 hardware at any of the big box stores and I've never needed to go to a specialty store (which does exist).

:thumbsup: that's good, assuming that they have the proper head style/coating/pitch/length/shank style.

I have gotten extra hardware from McMaster because they carry things like flanged hex head bolts in grade 10.9.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating one always get hardware from OE suppliers, but just to take care in selecting the appropriate replacement hardware with regards to strength, fit, corrosion resistance, etc.

To play devil's advocate... you may find the right size/grade bolt at home depot, but it's black oxide coated instead of ultra coated. You put that part through an aluminum bushing, and 6 months later that bolt has corroded itself into the bushing and you're never getting them apart again.

Or... you get a hex head instead of a flanged hex head, you go to torque it down and the hex head digs up some material which will reduce the amount of pre-load you get for the torque spec, and something fails because the bolt came loose or something leaked.

 

[Howard]

LOL... all the bolts are along an axis. I bet it moves pretty easily under hard acceleration

Two are parallel, the third is perpendicular?

 

[Throckmorton]

Two are parallel, the third is perpendicular?

But the bolt positions are all basically along one lateral line.

Edit: Nevemind, that center bolt is at the pinion

 

[slag]

sell the explorer and get something decent.

Why, there's nothing wrong with the explorer. Its a great SUV. (I've owned 5 or 6 so I'm partial...

 

[Throckmorton]

Why, there's nothing wrong with the explorer. Its a great SUV. (I've owned 5 or 6 so I'm partial...

Nothing wrong except the differential falls out

 

[ScoobMaster]

Nothing wrong except the differential falls out

LOL

Well to be fair, it didn't "fall out". The two rear mounting bolts are still holding it in. It just dropped 2-3" in the front at the pinion end when that bolt fell out.

Not to worry - it is not being driven and will stay in the driveway until I get the (rip-off factory-priced OEM) replacement nut plate. The stealership should have it for me tomorrow.

Other than this issue, the Explorer has been very good to us the 6 years I have owned it. I am just glad it happened on my wife's 3/4 mile journey to work and the bolt choose to fall at the end of my driveway where I could find it easily. If this had happened halfway through a summer vacation trip towing my camper, I would be a LOT less calm about it!

 

[Howard]

Nothing wrong except the differential falls out

I can't see this being a design flaw, with what info we have. Did Ford spec a substandard alloy bolt? Are these bolts supposed to be shielded from the elements? Was the bolt not sufficiently large or torqued properly?

 

[SparkyJJO]

Nothing wrong except the differential falls out

Given that this is a very rare occurrence, and a rusty bolt can happen to any northern vehicle, I don't think there is a flaw with the vehicle itself. Seriously, if it was a common occurrence, we'd hear all about it already.

 

[Throckmorton]

Given that this is a very rare occurrence, and a rusty bolt can happen to any northern vehicle, I don't think there is a flaw with the vehicle itself. Seriously, if it was a common occurrence, we'd hear all about it already.

I was joking. They're reliable vehicles.

I've been looking at Explorers and Rangers for when I move back to TX, especially since my brother used to be a mechanic at a Ford dealer. I've been thinking that even an Explorer with the independent rear might be a good vehicle for driving fast on dirt roads. Starting to rethink that after this thread...

 

[dug777]

I was joking. They're reliable vehicles.

I've been looking at Explorers and Rangers for when I move back to TX, especially since my brother used to be a mechanic at a Ford dealer. I've been thinking that even an Explorer with the independent rear might be a good vehicle for driving fast on dirt roads. Starting to rethink that after this thread...

Do you get any 4WDs in the US with AWD? (Answering my own question, you get the Landcruiser and the FJ Cruiser, at least, and don't at least some Jeeps have AWD? I know nothing about Jeeps, at all )

I have driven a pretty wide range of vehicles fast on gravel here in Aus, and the AWD (with rear LSD) default setting on my Prado is head and shoulders above any RWD or FWD vehicles I have driven.

FWD is the worst on gravel imo, you get brutal grab (tramlining/torque steer combination I guess) in other people's tracks (which is extremely disconcerting at speed on a loose surface!), and while understeer should be more reassuring than oversteer, in practice most FWD vehicles I have driven have been considerably less reassuring on fast gravel roads. You do really feel like you are being 'pulled' along.

RWD is better (separating the drive from the steering seems to make the front wheels less prone to grabbing onto existing tracks and ruts), but you do notice that you are being 'pushed' along, and oversteer can really sneak up on you on the gravel!

On gravel and at speed, I am tragically in love with the AWD on the my Prado however No feeling that you are being pushed or pulled, feels much more stable at speed, and puts the power down with no fuss or bother pulling away.

As a mild aside, driving on some gravel roads over a clay bed in the rain recently (very slippery!), and playing around swapping between high-range 4WD and AWD, it was amazing how much AWD makes the process much more predictable and controllable.

 

[Smoove910]

The cost from a Ford dealer is $40

So what would the cost be from a junkyard? There's nothing saying you can't crawl under a wrecked one and get the part you need, eh? I have 3 or 4 junkyards near me, I bet that part MIGHT cost $5.

 

[Zargon]

So what would the cost be from a junkyard? There's nothing saying you can't crawl under a wrecked one and get the part you need, eh? I have 3 or 4 junkyards near me, I bet that part MIGHT cost $5.

thats an awful idea for a part that died due to 'stress' or weathering.

 

[ViviTheMage]

You must live up north? That's a lot of rust.

naw, Ford's rust upon creation ... hahaha

 

[ShawnD1]

Why, there's nothing wrong with the explorer. Its a great SUV. (I've owned 5 or 6 so I'm partial...

The explorer has only been around since 1990. Are you saying you chew through them in about 3-4 years?

 

[Vette73]

naw, Ford's rust upon creation ... hahaha

I think you are thinking of Toyota trucks

 

[ShawnD1]

LOL toyota. Why on earth would anyone buy one of those

 

[Throckmorton]

Do you get any 4WDs in the US with AWD? (Answering my own question, you get the Landcruiser and the FJ Cruiser, at least, and don't at least some Jeeps have AWD? I know nothing about Jeeps, at all )

I have driven a pretty wide range of vehicles fast on gravel here in Aus, and the AWD (with rear LSD) default setting on my Prado is head and shoulders above any RWD or FWD vehicles I have driven.

FWD is the worst on gravel imo, you get brutal grab (tramlining/torque steer combination I guess) in other people's tracks (which is extremely disconcerting at speed on a loose surface!), and while understeer should be more reassuring than oversteer, in practice most FWD vehicles I have driven have been considerably less reassuring on fast gravel roads. You do really feel like you are being 'pulled' along.

RWD is better (separating the drive from the steering seems to make the front wheels less prone to grabbing onto existing tracks and ruts), but you do notice that you are being 'pushed' along, and oversteer can really sneak up on you on the gravel!

On gravel and at speed, I am tragically in love with the AWD on the my Prado however No feeling that you are being pushed or pulled, feels much more stable at speed, and puts the power down with no fuss or bother pulling away.

As a mild aside, driving on some gravel roads over a clay bed in the rain recently (very slippery!), and playing around swapping between high-range 4WD and AWD, it was amazing how much AWD makes the process much more predictable and controllable.

Only luxury SUVs and crossovers have full time AWD here. I had a Grand Cherokee with a clutch pack transfer case and it was pretty seamless. Vehicles meant for offroading tend to have transfer cases with part time 4WD only. It's pretty stupid considering how many people buy these vehicles for cold climates-- a locked transfer case on an icy road is stupid.... not to mention a dry road.

 

[alfa147x]

Plasti dip it.

 

[Smoove910]

thats an awful idea for a part that died due to 'stress' or weathering.

No more 'awful' than paying $40 for a new one. Typically vehicles in a junkyard contain alot of good parts. It would be as simple as inspecting it before buying it. But then again, doing it this way would net more $$ for the dealership, so knock yourself out.

The part in question 'died' because the vehicle was being driven in conditions that called for salt/chemicals be added to the roadway, which resulted in heavy rusting. There would be a pretty good chance the junked vehicles would still have a salvageable bolt since they obviously haven't been on the road as long.

To each there own though.

 

[JCH13]

No more 'awful' than paying $40 for a new one. Typically vehicles in a junkyard contain alot of good parts. It would be as simple as inspecting it before buying it. But then again, doing it this way would net more $$ for the dealership, so knock yourself out.

The part in question 'died' because the vehicle was being driven in conditions that called for salt/chemicals be added to the roadway, which resulted in heavy rusting. There would be a pretty good chance the junked vehicles would still have a salvageable bolt since they obviously haven't been on the road as long.

To each there own though.

Inspecting the part may work for some things, but you can't really inspect a bolt for fatigue damage because you can't see it.

 

[Zargon]

No more 'awful' than paying $40 for a new one. Typically vehicles in a junkyard contain alot of good parts. It would be as simple as inspecting it before buying it. But then again, doing it this way would net more $$ for the dealership, so knock yourself out.

The part in question 'died' because the vehicle was being driven in conditions that called for salt/chemicals be added to the roadway, which resulted in heavy rusting. There would be a pretty good chance the junked vehicles would still have a salvageable bolt since they obviously haven't been on the road as long.

To each there own though.

great so it could have the same thing happen in a year, like jch pointed out its hard to eyeball fatigue

around here its 5 bucks just to get into the pick n pulls, plus parts.

by the time you factor in the time you spend on your ass in a muddy junkyard its doubtfully work it for a 40 buck part. add a one in front or a zero at the end and then I would think about the pick n pull