rotational sound coming from T-case

[Robbie Antonosn]

Truck is a 2016 CCSB HO with Aisin transmission, rear auto level, electric t-case. Current miles is 1325XX. I got the truck just under 3 years ago, 48K miles with little to no issues to date. I did all the fluid change at that time. Started the Ram maintenance schecudule at that milage.
I do really love this truck.
In the last week i have heard a sound that was coming from the rear of the truck, only with the window open. I thought it might be spring squeak. My son heard what he thought as a rotational sound from the right rear tire. Any how, first put the rear axle on jack stands, and removed the tire, looking for rocks. As I rotated the tire with the transmission in Neutral. I could hear the rotational squeak. Sounded like the drive shaft. I layed under the truckand keep rotating the drive shaft, i traced the sound to the t-case.
I looked thru the archives for something like this. I got 5 pages into it and decided to ask the group if
any one has had this issue or not.

I did drain the t-case fluid and found some metal, I did not take the time to see if it was ferrous or not.
Lots of rear fine metal in the fluid and some big flakes the side of a lemon seed. First time seeing metal in
the t-case fluid.
I still have some extended warranty on a plan I have(no not Max care, as this truck could not qualify for
US Max care as it was a Canadian market truck).
I typically do not like Dealer ships, and I have read recommendation on this site for some around me.
I am in the Scottsdale AZ area. Any recommendations for a great Independent shop for this issue ??
Thanks

 

[Cummins12V98]

Sucks, sorry that is very unusual for a T case to go bad.

 

[Ozymandias]

An independent shop can do warranty work?
What fluid did you put in back then?
The BW specified one or ATF+4 like in the old days?
Like said, very little problems with the T-cases.

 

[Robbie Antonosn]

Yes, an Independent can do this work to meet the OEM requirements. Again, not Max Care. Concord Auto Protect. Been pretty good for my
wife's BMW 2017 328D.
BW spec'd I bought from the dealer, quite expensive per quart. The research I did not really seem to line up well with the ATF4+ spec's enough
that I wanted to chance it.
I did see not too many problems with these newer t-cases either. Maybe I will check out the dealer in Scottsdale.
I see fair amount of looking at this tread, with out too many suggestions of an Independent.
Thanks, Robbie

 

[Ozymandias]

Do you run 4wd a lot?
We saw some stretched chains in the past by running it hard and on paved roads.

 

[Robbie Antonosn]

Some 4x4 work, usually in Snow and ice. Some on dirt, but never on dry payment.

 

[Robbie Antonosn]

Well, I jacked my truck up again yesterday. I rotated the drive shaft slowly. I looked up and down the drive shaft hearing the sound. thru out the drive shaft and more loudly in the t-case. I inspected the u-joints and saw what looked like a dark line coming out of one Cross of the u-joint at the Diff.
I removed the flange and moved the u-joint thru its movement and it Squeaked. and then I rotated the drive shaft and no noise from the t-case.
So it was a u-joint for the noise. Figured one thing out.
It is crazy how sound can travel. i have not heard U-Joint sound like this, may other sounds, but not quite like this.

As for the metal in the fluid, that may not be an easy thing to figure out.

Currently having the t-case inspected at Chapman Dodge in Scottsdale. Will report my experience after.

 

[Ozymandias]

Thanks, keep us updated about the findings.
For the u-joint, I recommend go with sealed onnowadays.
Usually they last longer then the greaseable ones nowadys.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Thanks, keep us updated about the findings.
For the u-joint, I recommend go with sealed onnowadays.
Usually they last longer then the greaseable ones nowadys.

Since my 86 C20 that went over 400k on OE U joints and my 98 12V my Son has has 450k I will always buy sealed.

 

[Robbie Antonosn]

Well first off, I really bought the wrong extended warranty with the wrong company. Could not get Max Care. Do not, ever buy anything from Concord Auto Protect. It really had high reviews 3 years ago, but today it is really hard to get a claim thru. My wife $900 claim with her BMW was just fine a year ago as well.
There are a few sh*t shows posted in a couple of buyer beware type sites, all with in the last year or so. Who knows why this company is doing this.


Anyhow, They showed a Alldata report with a TSB/recall for my truck(which I think is fake). TSB # 16V495000. the dealer could not find it in their computer TSB/recall (neither could I for that matter, NHTSA site, and a few other sites). Concord does not want to warranty anything with a recall on it. This TSB claims that there was a miss machining of the t-case output shaft that could lead to failure of the t-case.
So more on this TSB, I finally did find a reference Mopar S48 recall. My truck has a 11,700 GVW rating, not 10,000. I can not see the code for my t-case, but there are a few electronic 44-46 t-case part numbers listed on the recall. Buy the T-case number required for my truck is not on the list, unless the part number I have is a supersede.
As for the U-joint, they want to send their own OEM Driveshaft replacement. Dealer does not replace u-joints any more, just whole shafts.
I am pretty frustrated and feel like I was scammed 3 three years ago.

I figure I will just go pick up the truck, replace the u-jiont my self (which is what I should of done 2 weeks ago) and watched the t-case progression
of metal if it became worse, pull it and rebuild it. Or replace it my self.

I hate companies that prey on people like this.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I have to ask WHY you could NOT get MaxCare???

 

[brucejohnson]

In post #1 he mentioned "...no not Max care, as this truck could not qualify for US Max care as it was a Canadian market truck."
Been there at one time myself, also. I had a Zurich warranty on my old 98.5, which was a Canadian market vehicle, not eligible for Max Care. It covered some big dollar items. I came out ahead on that deal. Just a little extra time for approvals; a day or two at the most.

 

[Robbie Antonosn]

Well an update is in order. After 3 weeks fighting with Concord Auto Protect. I was able to get most of the bill covered for the T-case and the drive shaft. It then took close to 10 business days to get a new t-case, drive shaft came pretty quick. Got my truck back after 5 weeks. It runs smoother now, better fuel ecomany by 1.5 mph doing a route I have been doing for a bit now. This is hand calculated. Anyhow, pretty happy with the out come. Chapman Dodge was a good choice, they loaned me a vehicle after I they found out it was going to take a couple of weeks to get parts. Chapman's service manager is a class act and help me out a good bit to make this all happen.
ON the other hand, Concord Auto Protect is not a good company at all. They used many things to try and get out of paying the claim. IN the end they would only pay for a rebuilt t-case, but would pay for a new Ram drive shaft. Since I was at the dealer, and the dealer would not use parts not supplied by them, I felt a bit stuck. If I choose to walk away, I would have had to pay for the Diagnosis, some fluids and shop fees. They did not cover my rental in the beginning, nor any fluids, or shop fees. The service writer had to wait on payment, he was only able to collect 50% of the funds in the morning and was told to wait another day.
After I badgered the Concord, The service writer was able to get the rest in the afternoon early enough I was able to get my truck the same day.
Concord Auto Protect had to be called many dozens of times(Yes, well over 30 times) and had to be fact checked on their claims on why the should not honor the contract. Which I would send in via e-mail information to off set the the bogus reason for denial.
Anyhow, I thought I had read and understood the contract when I purchased it, but this company came up with Items as internals policy, and not in the contract. Total not a great way to do business. It is a company to stay away from.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

by the way, the factory fill from BorgWarner is Dexron 3.