Rant (feel free to ignore)

[Corbet]

I really did not want my first post here to be a complaint. I really have spent months writing and editing something much more positive about these trucks. But here it goes- That attached image- that's on the road to my cabin, about 3 miles from my cabin and 6 miles from the nearest neighbor. And a few hundred feet after I took that picture (and enjoyed the view of the majestic snow covered mountains while enjoying some good coffee) while moving up the next switch back the truck began to bog down, a little more gas and we moved forward until I heard a loud pop and the truck lurched forward, but not at a straight line. One wheel off the road and the rear bumper wedged over a rock. No worries I say and try and work the truck out. Nothing. The front wheels don't seem to be spinning. And the rear ones don't have any traction I have no recovery gear for this rig presently (other than a strap). I have recovery gear for other stuff, but not this nearly new pickup. I have driven crappier rigs in worse conditions. Frustrated I use the factory jack to try and place some logs under the rear tires for traction. Mind you it's in the mid 20's. While foraging for logs I see pieces of the Cardan joint on the road. I make the choice to abandon ship and walk the six miles back to town. I pay a local guy 50 bucks to drive up there and pull my truck back onto the road with his ratted out 1/2 ton Chevy ( I offered him a decent bottle of whiskey too, but he declined). I drive down the hill in 2wd only. I drive the truck a few hundred miles back to my 'full time' home and make an appointment with the dealer to have the drive shaft replaced (under warranty) and the rear bumper replaced (because it has a dent from being wedged over a rock). I'm not really angry until now...dealer says they can't touch it because it was in accident. Dealer says someone from Chrysler must inspect the truck before they make repairs. 3-10 days. And since the 10th day is a Sunday, that actually means 11 days. Which is 4 days into the vacation I planned with my family. And they haven't even fixed the truck at the 11 day. Chrysler has told me I can pay money out of my own pocket to fix a truck that is under warranty or I can forego my holiday with my family at our cabin.......

 

[Corbet]

I really did not want my first post here to be a complaint. I really have spent months writing and editing something much more positive about these trucks. But here it goes- That attached image- that's on the road to my cabin, about 3 miles from my cabin and 6 miles from the nearest neighbor. And a few hundred feet after I took that picture (and enjoyed the view of the majestic snow covered mountains while enjoying some good coffee) while moving up the next switch back the truck began to bog down, a little more gas and we moved forward until I heard a loud pop and the truck lurched forward, but not at a straight line. One wheel off the road and the rear bumper wedged over a rock. No worries I say and try and work the truck out. Nothing. The front wheels don't seem to be spinning. And the rear ones don't have any traction I have no recovery gear for this rig presently (other than a strap). I have recovery gear for other stuff, but not this nearly new pickup. I have driven crappier rigs in worse conditions. Frustrated I use the factory jack to try and place some logs under the rear tires for traction. Mind you it's in the mid 20's. While foraging for logs I see pieces of the Cardan joint on the road. I make the choice to abandon ship and walk the six miles back to town. I pay a local guy 50 bucks to drive up there and pull my truck back onto the road with his ratted out 1/2 ton Chevy ( I offered him a decent bottle of whiskey too, but he declined). I drive down the hill in 2wd only. I drive the truck a few hundred miles back to my 'full time' home and make an appointment with the dealer to have the drive shaft replaced (under warranty) and the rear bumper replaced (because it has a dent from being wedged over a rock). I'm not really angry until now...dealer says they can't touch it because it was in accident. Dealer says someone from Chrysler must inspect the truck before they make repairs. 3-10 days. And since the 10th day is a Sunday, that actually means 11 days. Which is 4 days into the vacation I planned with my family. And they haven't even fixed the truck at the 11 day. Chrysler has told me I can pay money out of my own pocket to fix a truck that is under warranty or I can forego my holiday with my family at our cabin.......

I really did not want my first post here to be a complaint. I really have spent months writing and editing something much more positive about these trucks. But here it goes- That attached image- that's on the road to my cabin, about 3 miles from my cabin and 6 miles from the nearest neighbor. And a few hundred feet after I took that picture (and enjoyed the view of the majestic snow covered mountains while enjoying some good coffee) while moving up the next switch back the truck began to bog down, a little more gas and we moved forward until I heard a loud pop and the truck lurched forward, but not at a straight line. One wheel off the road and the rear bumper wedged over a rock. No worries I say and try and work the truck out. Nothing. The front wheels don't seem to be spinning. And the rear ones don't have any traction I have no recovery gear for this rig presently (other than a strap). I have recovery gear for other stuff, but not this nearly new pickup. I have driven crappier rigs in worse conditions. Frustrated I use the factory jack to try and place some logs under the rear tires for traction. Mind you it's in the mid 20's. While foraging for logs I see pieces of the Cardan joint on the road. I make the choice to abandon ship and walk the six miles back to town. I pay a local guy 50 bucks to drive up there and pull my truck back onto the road with his ratted out 1/2 ton Chevy ( I offered him a decent bottle of whiskey too, but he declined). I drive down the hill in 2wd only. I drive the truck a few hundred miles back to my 'full time' home and make an appointment with the dealer to have the drive shaft replaced (under warranty) and the rear bumper replaced (because it has a dent from being wedged over a rock). I'm not really angry until now...dealer says they can't touch it because it was in accident. Dealer says someone from Chrysler must inspect the truck before they make repairs. 3-10 days. And since the 10th day is a Sunday, that actually means 11 days. Which is 4 days into the vacation I planned with my family. And they haven't even fixed the truck at the 11 day. Chrysler has told me I can pay money out of my own pocket to fix a truck that is under warranty or I can forego my holiday with my family at our cabin.......

 

[sag2]

Sorry to hear of your ordeal. I'm pretty sure they are not going to pay for your bumper, and may decline the mechanical repairs as well. As soon as you said accident they are going to question if all the repairs were the result of the accident.

 

[Wayne M.]

The rig appears to be all stock. What are the particulars? How many miles? Do you do your own maintenance? Do you push the 4WD much? Did you notice any vibrations before hand?
Please establish a signature so we know a bit about your truck(s).

 

[Ozymandias]

Let me guess, the driveshaft wasn't greased regularly?
Many of us, including me, don't / didn't know that the centering ball in the double cardanic u-joint has a grease point.
So many drive shafts have been failed in the past because of this.

You are not the first and you want be the last that has that experience.

But you are lucky, yes really, often the failing shaft grenade the T-Case too and then it is real expensive repair.

 

[Corbet]

Let me guess, the driveshaft wasn't greased regularly?
Many of us, including me, don't / didn't know that the centering ball in the double cardanic u-joint has a grease point.
So many drive shafts have been failed in the past because of this.

You are not the first and you want be the last that has that experience.

But you are lucky, yes really, often the failing shaft grenade the T-Case too and then it is real expensive repair.

The truck is stock, short of new Cooper tires. The truck has under 30K miles and has been maintained at one of two Dodge dealerships. It is still covered by the factory warranty.

 

[Ozymandias]

The truck is stock, short of new Cooper tires. The truck has under 30K miles and has been maintained at one of two Dodge dealerships. It is still covered by the factory warranty.

Even dealerships deny its existence.

Did you see, where the shaft failed? Front u-joint? Rear u-joint? Slip?

 

[Corbet]

I should clarify my last statement: there are two dealerships that service the truck. One near my southern California home (which I absolutely loathe) and a second one near the cabin. I have maybe 1000 miles of 4 wheel drive use, mostly 4hi on snowy roads and less than 100 miles in 4LO

 

[Corbet]

Even dealerships deny its existence.

Did you see, where the shaft failed? Front u-joint? Rear u-joint? Slip?

 

[Corbet]

Front cardan joint. On the output shaft of the transfer case.

 

[KPear]

Let me guess, the driveshaft wasn't greased regularly?
Many of us, including me, don't / didn't know that the centering ball in the double cardanic u-joint has a grease point.
So many drive shafts have been failed in the past because of this.

You are not the first and you want be the last that has that experience.

But you are lucky, yes really, often the failing shaft grenade the T-Case too and then it is real expensive repair.

A drive shaft self-destructs because it wasn't greased?

I don't know...it's possible. It's also possible that FCA had bad quality control at the factory.

I've heard of other instances where this happened and I've heard some people question whether or not FCA truly built all of the driveline components to withstand the torque that the 6.7l puts out. Driving in deep snow (which it sounds like the OP was doing) can put a bit of stress on the driveline, especially as you hit the throttle to push through the heavy stuff.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

One thing people need to remember is that NOT ALL trucks have the needle zerk. I'm one of those that don't and my dealership has confirmed it.

 

[DonFitzwater]

More reasons for me to stay out of Commifornia.

 

[Corbet]

A drive shaft self-destructs because it wasn't greased?

I don't know...it's possible. It's also possible that FCA had bad quality control at the factory.

I've heard of other instances where this happened and I've heard some people question whether or not FCA truly built all of the driveline components to withstand the torque that the 6.7l puts out. Driving in deep snow (which it sounds like the OP was doing) can put a bit of stress on the driveline, especially as you hit the throttle to push through the heavy stuff.

I don't think the snow was that deep, 4 inches max. I've done the same road in a similar state in a stock '95 ZJ and a stock '88 GW. The dealer says FCA will void the warranty if I refuse inspection. They have until Monday to organize the inspector and make a plan to repair the truck. I will pull it, have it repaired at an independent shop and eat the costs and the warranty. Sans warranty I will seriously consider divorcing myself from a brand I have been loyal too for decades. As for the comment about California, the state I live in has nothing to do with snow, or the specific dealership. Crap dealerships are a nation wide issue.

 

[KPear]

I don't think the snow was that deep, 4 inches max. I've done the same road in a similar state in a stock '95 ZJ and a stock '88 GW. The dealer says FCA will void the warranty if I refuse inspection. They have until Monday to organize the inspector and make a plan to repair the truck. I will pull it, have it repaired at an independent shop and eat the costs and the warranty. Sans warranty I will seriously consider divorcing myself from a brand I have been loyal too for decades. As for the comment about California, the state I live in has nothing to do with snow, or the specific dealership. Crap dealerships are a nation wide issue.

So if the snow wasn't deep, why the heck did the drive shaft break?

Also, why are you refusing an inspection? Do you not want this thing to be covered by the warranty?

 

[Corbet]

So if the snow wasn't deep, why the heck did the drive shaft break?

Also, why are you refusing an inspection...do you not want this thing to be covered by the warranty?

 

[Corbet]

I'm not outright refusing the inspection. They can't or won't provide me a date/timeframe/action plan. 3-10 days before the inspector looks at it. Then they have to wait for his report before they can act on. I had a planned holiday with my family from the 14th through the end of the year. I don't want to give up any vacation time with my family so that FCA can give me the short end of the stick. In defense of the dealership, the service manager offered me a loaner for the duration of the inspection and repairs. They even said they'd look the other way if I returned it with a coating of dog hair.

 

[Wayne M.]

I’ve never seen that joint break like that! And those cups looked pretty dry. I know they’re sealed. Just saying. I’d like to see the rest of it. I’m sure the inspectors will too. Good luck.

 

[p-Bar]

Is American Axle still building the drive line for Dodge? They always had bad QC problems with the third gen trucks.

 

[Ozymandias]

I’ve never seen that joint break like that! And those cups looked pretty dry. I know they’re sealed. Just saying. I’d like to see the rest of it. I’m sure the inspectors will too. Good luck.

To me the center pin broke, the double u-joint get out of alignment and broke.