The dealership was replacing my ball joints today. They called and said one of the hub assembly was stripped. The dealership is telling me that this must have happened sometime previously as their mechanic swears he didn't strip it. Is this possible? Once stripped could a hub assembly be put back together?

Not sure what to do here. Make the dealer pay for it or get stuck with the full price of replacement hubs.

Thanks

 

not real sure if the dealer is bsing you or not, but the only way to replace it is to buy a new hub assembly from the dealer. the hub assembly shouldn't cost more than $400 (after their markup price), their wholesale cost is $288. i've looked all over for an assembly from a wholesaler with no luck. you will probably have to bite the bullet and pay the price

 

Thanks,

I am sure I will have to pay the price. I was so ticked off I can't remember if he said $600 for both or each. If it turns out to be each, I will throw a good fit since the are only $288 dealer cost. I've read that both should be replaced even if only one is bad.

Have a good day.

Bob

 

It probably wasn't really striped in the classical sense but rather galled.
This is when the male and female threads bond together, go to remove the nut and the male threads come with it. This is due to Chrysler in it's original assembly and some mechanics not using anti-seize on the threads.
Make sure your mechanic uses anti-seize or it could very well happen again.

 

Thanks Bill. I will ask them tomorrow about the anti-seize. Have a good night!

Bob

 

Could you get pix? Might could still be fixed...mechanics aren't machinists, especially not these days....

 

That is a good point. My father in law is a machinist. I bet he could fix it. It may be too late for that now though since they have already ordered the new parts. I plan to talk to the service manager. I just have a hard time believing this was a pre-existing condition. The truck was just in the other day at the same dealership for new brakes and a front end alignment. Seems to me that when the brakes were changed this would have been noticed? Wouldn't the whole tire move at the top and bottom like a bad ball joint?

who knows.

thanks,
Bob

 

Turns out that the four bolts that hold the assembly onto the axle were a pain to get out and stripped the female threads on the assembly itself. This is different than what the service advisor was telling me. I can tell he doesn't really know what is going on in the maintenance bay; at least on this occasion. Anyway, I can understand problems arise and got the shop to charge me wholesale price for the hub assembly instead of full list.

Thanks for all the replies.

Bob

 

I don't miss working on vehicles in the land of salty winter roads. Everything seems to get naturally welded together in the north.