I noticed the rear diff dripping a couple days ago and upon investigation noticed it was coming from the rear pinion seal (which is the only thing I was hoping was wrong). I parked it, until today, and brought it into 4 wheel parts (luckily only 8 blocks away) and when it was on the lift noticed the outer bearing was shot too. After removing the diff cover the gears were visibly starting to gunk and chunk. Luckily Genuine Gears have a lifetime warranty no questions asked. Labor, bearings, pinion seal, fluid, taxes and the BS disposal fees and I was out the door $350.00 later. I am going to say that this is the first sign of wear from over sized tires so I am overall pleased. The bearings only lasted 30,000 miles from when I had the gears originally installed so hopefully the new ones will last longer. I will definitely keep a closer eye one any sign of a drip from now on.

I was originally quoted $65 dollars for the pinion seal and install. Too bad it wasn't only that!

 

dam... luckilly you had that warranty on the gears... what caused them to "gunk and chunk" were there bearing chunks in there or something?

 

yeah that's the biggest reason I went with Genuines, tough to beat a Lifetime Warranty...

 

that sucks. Lifetime warranty is nice but is only as good as the parts being used. Hence why i don't get my Hemi tick fixed...lol
Hopefully you have better luck with these.

 

Could have been from losing fluid from the pinion seal leak and therefore running a little hot, and if fluid can leak out, dirt can get in. I saw a bearing go in a Cady and it didn't fall a part, it just loosened up and wore flat spots.

Yup, lifetime warranty isn't any good if you have to replace it every year, so hopefully this time around it lasts longer.

And it is still certainly hard to pass up a lifetime warranty.

it is going to be hard to go through the break in period again. Especially with Front Range 4X4 2nd anniversary run this weekend with about 70 local people going. gotta try and hitch a ride now.

 

Well thankfully mine will be in for four years come June and when I last changed diff fluid last April they looked fine...

 

I'm scheduled for gears next week, whats the recommended break in for aftermarket gears. Actually I question the need for it at all. Every new car has a new set of gears installed and there is no break in for the gears.. So what'sthe deal??

 

A new car isn't subject to the loading of a 4x4 and besides, the entire vehicle is under break in...

Howard

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...new-gears.html

You go ahead and just start using your truck like normal as soon as you pick it up from getting your gears done and let us know how that works out for ya'.

We had a guy here maybe a year or two ago, worked at a dealership as a paper pusher (loan guy I think he was) get a set of 4.56s and had them installed there. Did not heed the mechanic who told him how to break them in. Got it done on a friday and left towing a small camper for a weekend getaway a hundred miles or so away. Smoked 'em and had to get a tow. Blamed either the gears or the install, I can't remember which. If I can remember correctly he fried another set before he finally broke a set in correctly and didn't have a problem with set #3.
I can't remember the member name, but if you search enough for it, the thread(s) are here...

 

gear break in is the most important thing there is . if you all rember the ol red truck i had just put in 4:56 then sold the truck . i told the guy he needs to break them in still . he didnt listen . he blew them up beaing a dumbass. his loss.
now even thow my mega came with 4:10 i still babyed them for some time .