Frustrating discovery...

[Houm_WA]

...so I was changing my street rims/tires out for my 32s for an off-road trip tomorrow and I got to the front passenger side swap. I noticed how clean and comparatively shiny my lower control arm was and wondered about it. As I pulled off the wheel and looked closer I found a big gash in the rubber boot that covers the CV joint where the stub axle connects to the trans-axle. Lubricant was globbed onto parts of the frame, the control arm and other nearby parts.

I was and still am very irritated. I'm glad I have an extended warranty. I called my dealership and got the low-down. It's heading in on Monday and will most likely need the whole axle replaced. It lost what looks like a lot of lubricant. Service manager said it's still driveable though.

Maybe instead of wheelin' it I'll detail it.

 

[Trynian]

You can still drive it, I had one do this on another 4x4 suv. It will just start to vibrate more and more as it wares out. Since they are going to replace the whole axle yu don't have to worry about it wearing out.

 

[CMGRover]

Not a bad call to detail it instead...

Why is this skid all mud packed and scratched?

 

[blackforestham]

Just be happy you saw it in time. I make it a regular habit to give the under carriage a good look over every month or so. Trying to avoid the old stuck in the boonies story - knock on Alpaca leather

 

[Houm_WA]

You guys are all correct. I could've went out anyway...the service manager effectively said the same thing (ie, since we have to replace it anyway) but I had already made the decision not to. I'd rather not push it and the trip today with the club was sounding kind of tame so I figured on detailing instead. The rig really did need it and looks good.

Hammy...I thought the same thing you did; happier to have found it in my driveway as opposed to in the sticks.

I wonder what caused it to rip. It wasn't worn our and still feels supple...probably just a random rock or something off the interstate even. Bad luck I suppose.

 

[blackforestham]

I wonder what caused it to rip. It wasn't worn our and still feels supple...probably just a random rock or something off the interstate even. Bad luck I suppose.

Don't rule out the random trail branch. I always cringe when I drive over a tree or branch on the trail.

 

[ChesapeakeRover]

I always cringe when I drive over a tree or branch on the trail.
]

I think I will too now... Damn

 

[Houm_WA]

OUCH!

The existence of the FRESH lubricant tells me it couldn't have happened on the trail. I haven't been off-road for about 4 weeks.

 

[Trynian]

I have had it happen on vehicles never off road, in the wise words of my mechanic, "sometimes it just does for no reason".;

Same words last month when my transmission torque converter seal failed. I asked him if he had sen it much and he said "never but sometimes seals just fail"

Anything mechanical will fail one time or another. It doesn't mean anything other then man made it.

 

[Houm_WA]

I know...just bad luck I suppose. On the plus side I spent 4 hours on the LR3 yesterday and got nearly all my scratches out or at least to the point where they are invisible from 3 feet. It looks great! Time well spent.