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Post by n3cr0shark on Oct 26, 2006 13:43:58 GMT -5
So I'm under my Jeep last night getting in an Oil change before it gets too cold around here and because of how I parked it, it was easier to get underneath it from the side instead of the front (which is how I changed the oil the last time). I happen to look up at my Auto tranny skid and I see the bolt is all rusted and there are some small gouges out of the bracket. I'm like wtf?!?! The washer is even bent. So I go over to the other side to look and the bolt isn't rusted at all, but there are some more gouges and a nice cut mark into the brace.
Then I realized that the bolts are about 1/3rd the thickness of what was there before. (If I remember right, and based on the outline on the brace, they were the same types of bolts as the transfer case skid bolts). And then I remember that I had the automatic tranny recall done in December last year....
So, it appears they ground and cut off my original bolts (carelessly to boot) to get the tranny skid off (why they had to do this on a new Jeep with only 7k miles on it at that time is beyond me) and when they were done, they simply used what they had laying around.
I don't mind the rust and gouges in the crossmember of the skid (in a year or two that will be replaced with some better skids). What I'm ticked with is the smaller size bolts. And I am now wondering how this bolted up there to begin with from the factory. Are they nutserts? Did they strip it out or how did it work to begin with?? Anyone who has removed this skid have any reference to if the frame is threaded or nutserts or anything would be appreciated. (hmm...maybe an excuse to finally get my FSM instead of waiting for when I got my lift)...
On a side note: I have spoke with the Service Manager of the dealership that did the work last December (also where I bought it from). I brought in the Jeep and he didn't question that this was related to the tranny service and agreed that they were appearently too small. He is ordering a new set of bolts for the skid and we will see when it's said and done what happens... Since it was so long since they did the work, I could have been (or be - since its not over yet) screwed! But so far, the dealership has been willing to work with me...
So those who've had this service done, check out how your Auto tranny skid is mounted to make sure you are still safe and secure! And those who have removed this skid, I would love to know what's in the frame there...nutsert or whatever...
Thanks!!!!
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Post by moneypit on Oct 26, 2006 19:19:51 GMT -5
I have removed the Trans skid from my 04 and the son in laws 06, to put on Skidrow skids. It was a simple unbolt. There appears to be a nut welded inside the frame the bolt goes into. I put the bolts we removed back in after I took the factory skid off. I can't see how they did what you discribe. If they ground off the bolts they must have tapped the frame to put in the smaller bolts. Good luck, I would worry about that dealer service myself.
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Post by n3cr0shark on Oct 27, 2006 0:21:18 GMT -5
The bolts they put in go the opposite way. It almost looks like they used the smaller bolts to get the head of the bolt in the hole. Instead of bolting up into the frame, I have a bolt coming down now with a washer and a nut exposed.
So it's not a nutsert but was a welded in nut....So, best case is, it's still there and they were lazy...worst case is they f'd up m mounting point and broke loose the nut inside....thus the 'flipped' bolt that I have (that is too small)...
But I hear you on the service.....
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Post by moneypit on Oct 27, 2006 18:53:10 GMT -5
I am wrong, it is a nutsert. The transfer case has the nut inside the frame. I went out and unscrewed the bolt and it is a nutsert in the trans skid. I could not see how they could have a nut on the bottom of yours. The only thing I could guess is that they stripped out the nutsert and welded a bolt into the hole, thus the nut on the bottom. I can not see how they could get into the frame there. No hole is close by. Good luck!
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Post by n3cr0shark on Oct 28, 2006 10:27:41 GMT -5
Yeah, I know and it scares me to think of the possibilities. Personally, I wouldn't be suprised if the nutsert is still there and this bolt is just holding it up by catching the side of the hole. It's raining today but I'll get a picture up tomorrow...
I really want to drop it myself to see but since they are working with me, I feel I should wait. However, I am going to demand to see the holes, etc before they do anything else....
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Post by n3cr0shark on Oct 28, 2006 14:32:06 GMT -5
Well, it stopped raining so decided I needed the pics no matter what so I had some 'proof'. Here is what I see right now I am scared to see what it's like when I pull the skid. The rust/gouges are limited to the skid although there is a spot right above the passenger side on the frame.... Here is the driver side looking at from the side. You can see the cut into the skid brace and that the "bolt" is to the side of the hole...  Here is the passenger side. You can see all the gouges into the brace and the difference between the original washer/bolt size and what's in there now...  And a final one to see the angle the bolt is in (my guess is to 'catch' the side of the hole)....  I gotta a hunch I'll be installing a Skid Row skid here sooner than I planned... |
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Post by moneypit on Oct 28, 2006 14:48:03 GMT -5
Thats just a BS repair. At a minimum they should have told you they had a problem. Not just jury rig it and hope you would not notice. I would not be able to wait. Id hit it with some WD40 and remove the skid to see what they did. At least lower it enough to see whats attached to the frame.
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Post by n3cr0shark on Oct 28, 2006 15:53:56 GMT -5
Well, you wound up to be right....sigh... I went out to look around to see if I could see anything through the side holes and when I went to get up, I pulled myself up with the skid (ok, so I wasn't thinking). Well, not being a small guy, the rusted bolt didn't hold....so I wound up having to take it off anyways... I'm f'd....all I can say is I'll have to grind it smooth, clean up the holes on the passenger side...and POR it. Here's the Driver side...piece of crap bolt tack welded into the hole...  Here is the passenger side which broke on me....again freakin tack welded into the hole. In addition, one additional freaking hole (not 100% through though) and a third started but barely....WTF!!!!!!!   Now I'm currently running without a tranny skid to boot.... Anyone got a number for Jeep!!!!!! I want to turn this in. Never f'ing advised me they had a problem then did this crap without me knowing about it? BS is too light a word!!! |
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Post by moneypit on Oct 28, 2006 16:45:15 GMT -5
That is unbelievable. Not only is it the wrong way to fix it, it's a garbage job. This is what I would try. If you were going to upgrade to a Skidrow, (which is what I did), I would tell them to reimburse you the cost of a replacement skid. Which is about $275.00 including shipping. Since they have now FU your stock skid you can no longer use it. Then install the Skidrow yourself. Grind off the BS repair and paint it. Tell them if they agree you will not forward your pictures and letter on to Jeep. It won't get you anything but an apology at best anyway. The Skidrow does not use those holes, so nothing lost. DO NOT LET THAT PLACE DO ANY MORE WORK ON YOUR JEEP!. I would think twice about letting them give you a free car wash as well. Just my  By the way...if your not taken the LJ offroad don't worry about no trans skid. Nothing else on the road has one. |
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Post by 04unlimited on Oct 28, 2006 18:23:36 GMT -5
That is scary...I surely wouldn't give any more work to that shop. Warranty or not. Hopefully there is another Jeep dealership nearby for warranty work.
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Post by n3cr0shark on Nov 21, 2006 16:50:24 GMT -5
Alrighty, it's been a while but thought I'd give an update on this....
It got repaired today. The bolts that were tack welded in (above pics) were ground off and knocked out and the holes cleaned up. They then used the correct nutserts in the holes and got them down good and tight. The outside of the frame got cleaned and painted and the inside of the frame there got rust proofed with the 3M spray-in stuff (like they use at Ziebart).
Since the dealer screwed it up, I made them fix it. The delay was only because they tried to get a nutsert tool big enough for these inserts....I was present for the whole repair (in the bay). It was a condition of them repairing it and they had no problem with it.
One thing to note: These bolts are put in with Lock-Tite which is causing the nutsert to strip out if you just hit it with the impact wrench. I worked with the lead tech and he advised he has seen a couple of these stripped out. What he HIGHLY recommends is to heat the bolt up with a torch first before you try to remove it (to melt the lock-tite out). Doing that, they have not stripped out any more of these.
Just an FYI, believe it or not...LOL....I'm just glad it's fixed and back to normal.
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Post by moneypit on Nov 21, 2006 22:48:48 GMT -5
I was wondering how you made out. Glad to see it all worked out. To bad it took so long.
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