Broken Front Differential - Help request

[sstcobra1]

Favorite (and only) daughter was out off roading my '04 Liberty and managed to put a very large hole in the front differential housing yesterday.

She brought the car to the local (Boulder, Colorado) dealer for them to look at tomorrow morning. I am sure, based on the one picture she emailed that I will need a new differential case. Anyone have this happen to them and can you tell me how much it cost you to repair?

 

[myjeepwalks]

Favorite (and only) daughter was out off roading my '04 Liberty and managed to put a very large hole in the front differential housing yesterday.

She brought the car to the local (Boulder, Colorado) dealer for them to look at tomorrow morning. I am sure, based on the one picture she emailed that I will need a new differential case. Anyone have this happen to them and can you tell me how much it cost you to repair?

It happens usually with bigger meatier tires. If it's in stock form she must of really been wheeling it. It happens when the front tires are spinning then grab traction on a rock or a root or something then it grenades. If it's at the dealer i'm goint to say $2k+ to fix unless you can get it covered under warranty. You could probably get a used front diff from a junk yard for like $300-$500. Then just labor to to put it in.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Maybe she didnt break it by spinning tires, maybe she just hit something.

Stock, no skids, rock, =bad.

Sometimes you can catch a front diff on lost or ebay.

If the dealer takes care of it all... 1k+

 

[myjeepwalks]

True, i didn't even think of that. Maybe just a hole in the front cover. That would be a alot easier on the check book.

 

[tjkj2002]

A new front diff,expect to pay about $1400 alone for it not including labor,and it's takes the better part of a day/whole day to install(did mine in 7 hours but I also am used to pain in the **** repairs like this).To bad I already sold my spare front diff a few months ago and my current front diff isn't forsale for a few more months.

 

[Pinks for slips]

If an 04 is the same as an 05... I have a guy that is parting out a 2005 and 2006 if it will fit 250.00 for it and the 2005 has 12,000 miles on it. Get a picture of the damage and post it, so we can see what ya need....Dealer is going to be outrageouis.
Pinks

 

[sstcobra1]

Hole was caused by hitting a large rock I was told. It is definitiely in the housing and not in the the cover.

Will post a photo later today....the one she emailed was pretty dark. I will try to get a second one.

 

[sstcobra1]

Here is the only photo I have so far, it is easy to see the hole, but very dark.

 

[valvestem]

I lightened up the photo you posted, and can easily see where something is blown out. Tough to tell from that angle it is the diff, it is so deformed.

 

[JeepJeepster]

I cannot tell where the hole is in relation to a pic I have.

You must be registered for see images attach

it looks like its behind the cross member and around the cat.

Edit: Ahh, it looks like its just the axle tube and not the actual diff. Wonder if they could just replace the tube and not the entire diff?

haha, she must of been getting on it. What did she say about it?

 

[Dave]

I can't tell from the pic. What are those 2 pieces on the floor?

Dave

 

[sstcobra1]

Favorite Daughter Shelby (yes, named after the race driver and dad's other car) has been known to be a spirited driver, both on the track and off road. The Liberty is fairly new to her, since her WRX was stolen at U Colorado over the summer. As this will put a nice dent in her pocketbook, I am sure Shelby will learn a valuble lesson. I am blessed she is a wonderful kid and will soon be earning big bucks as a mechanical engineer after graduation. Then she can do whatever whe desires to her toys! And I can have my Liberty back.....

 

[JeepJeepster]

ohh, send her down here to ky! Im in college to be a civil engineer! We can be engineers! hahaha


hehe, jk!

 

[JeepJeepster]

I can't tell from the pic. What are those 2 pieces on the floor?

Dave

In my pic? Thats the tcase skid, ****** skid, and engine skid.

 

[sstcobra1]

Dealer came back and said both the case and axle were broken. Total estimated repair is about $2K. From the input above, this seems about right. For all those with compassion: Send me a private email and I will let you know where to ship the can of soup for favorite daughter......because that's all she will be living on after the bill comes due!!! (What a great life lesson) And no, I will not really let her starve......

 

[Pinks for slips]

Dealer came back and said both the case and axle were broken. Total estimated repair is about $2K. From the input above, this seems about right. For all those with compassion: Send me a private email and I will let you know where to ship the can of soup for favorite daughter......because that's all she will be living on after the bill comes due!!! (What a great life lesson) And no, I will not really let her starve......

Hey it wont starve her......Soup is good Food!

 

[2003KJ]

Dealer came back and said both the case and axle were broken. Total estimated repair is about $2K. From the input above, this seems about right. For all those with compassion: Send me a private email and I will let you know where to ship the can of soup for favorite daughter......because that's all she will be living on after the bill comes due!!! (What a great life lesson) And no, I will not really let her starve......

OUCH!!!!

Hopefully she learned a good lesson out of all of this.

So when is daddy getting his Jeep back?

 

[Atrus]

For all those with compassion: Send me a private email and I will let you know where to ship the can of soup for favorite daughter......because that's all she will be living on after the bill comes due!!! (What a great life lesson) And no, I will not really let her starve......

Back in '98 when I was in High School (senior), I had a '91 Daytona ES 3.0L Auto. I used to burn the tires (went thougha set in 8k miles) and just regularly be horrible to the car.

Coming out of the parking lot one day, I got to the stop sign down the street and noticed I had no 1st gear. Whoops.

$1400 later and I had a new transmission. I didn't have $1400 to blow on that, so my parents helped me out...by letting me access their line of credit at the bank. Yeah, 18% interest *****. They explained it was high interest, but I didn't care. Needless to say, I learned two important lessons there regarding interest and taking care of your car. I've always been a car guy and the car was immaculate, but I'd just beat on it too much.

So, I just wanted to say good for you on making life a little sticky for her. People (especially young people) need to learn their actions have consequences....too many of my peers still don't. Too many parents just wipe the slate clean and make the mess go away IMO.

 

[tjkj2002]

Back in '98 when I was in High School (senior), I had a '91 Daytona ES 3.0L Auto. I used to burn the tires (went thougha set in 8k miles) and just regularly be horrible to the car.

Coming out of the parking lot one day, I got to the stop sign down the street and noticed I had no 1st gear. Whoops.

$1400 later and I had a new transmission. I didn't have $1400 to blow on that, so my parents helped me out...by letting me access their line of credit at the bank. Yeah, 18% interest *****. They explained it was high interest, but I didn't care. Needless to say, I learned two important lessons there regarding interest and taking care of your car. I've always been a car guy and the car was immaculate, but I'd just beat on it too much.

So, I just wanted to say good for you on making life a little sticky for her. People (especially young people) need to learn their actions have consequences....too many of my peers still don't. Too many parents just wipe the slate clean and make the mess go away IMO.

I agree 100%.When I was growing up I had to buy my own vehicles,insurance,and gas.Also any maintence involved was my resposibility,no wonder why my used car dealership was the junkyard and I had a fleet of $20 cars .

 

[Atrus]

My parents offered to pay PL/PD for insurance for me until I was done with college. They basically told me since I paid for my car and school and whatnot, they'd make sure I could get to school. So, I got a room/food/health insurance/basic auto insurance for free (which I am eternally grateful for, they coulda given nothing!).

When I bought my used Grand Prix in 2001, it needed full coverage since I financed. They held true to their word - they paid the amount PL/PD would cost, and I paid the difference.

By no means are my parents loaded, but they have done well for themselves. They lead a fairly modest life. They could have paid for these things for me, but they chose not to so I'd learn on my own. The other way they helped was I was included on their insurance and their name was on my vehicles so that my insurance costs would be lower. MI is ridiculous for insurance costs.