Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

[salans7]

Which "whole job" do you mean? Installing the new 460, EFI, ZF5, SORD kit, as well as installing the new gears in the D60 along with the OX, then the u-joints, ball joints, tie rods, etc? Or just the SORD kit, as well as installing the new gears in the D60 along with the OX, then the u-joints, ball joints, tie rods, etc? Which "whole job"? Where do we/you draw the line?

I'll submit that if they didn't check that the part OX sent was the right one then I don't think I want them to install anything else. For instance, they'd have bolted in the SORD kit and found that the springs wouldn't fit. Not sure that's a good plan, Stan.

Yes, I may be in a sarcastic, frustrated mood. I just took off the tie rods I'd installed yesterday so I can get to the front cover of the diff and pull it so I can read the part # on the OX. But the cover is seriously glued on and doesn't want to come. And I know when I get it off it'll confirm what I already know - it is the wrong part. Then I'll have to put the cover back on and take the whole axle off and take it back to them to be done, again.

So, what I thought was light at the end of the tunnel is actually another locomotive.

Yesterday I put a new brake caliper on a friend's truck, and before I took the old one off, I checked to make sure the new one was the same. Not sure why a "professional" shop didn't do that. The crud in the axle is one strike, the incorrect locker is the second. Yes, TW/4WP sent the wrong locker, but the shop is also at fault for not verifying that they were sent the correct part before installing.

I think the "whole job" was referring to putting the axle seals and shafts into the housing. If the shop had done that work, they would have already realized and fixed this issue.

[Gary Lewis]

Yesterday I put a new brake caliper on a friend's truck, and before I took the old one off, I checked to make sure the new one was the same. Not sure why a "professional" shop didn't do that. The crud in the axle is one strike, the incorrect locker is the second. Yes, TW/4WP sent the wrong locker, but the shop is also at fault for not verifying that they were sent the correct part before installing.

I think the "whole job" was referring to putting the axle seals and shafts into the housing. If the shop had done that work, they would have already realized and fixed this issue.

Yes, "the shop" is at fault, as is Transamerican - not OX as it turns out. I had that conversation with the owner of the shop, that his guy should have made sure that he was installing the right part. Turns out the guy that did the work is a friend of his that runs another shop, but they are parting ways ASAP because of things like this. Hopefully his friend will agree that it was his fault and do the work at his own expense.

Anyway, the guy that I've been dealing with is a nice guy and has been good to work with on this. So I hope that he comes out "whole" on it.

[salans7]

Yes, "the shop" is at fault, as is Transamerican - not OX as it turns out. I had that conversation with the owner of the shop, that his guy should have made sure that he was installing the right part. Turns out the guy that did the work is a friend of his that runs another shop, but they are parting ways ASAP because of things like this. Hopefully his friend will agree that it was his fault and do the work at his own expense.

Anyway, the guy that I've been dealing with is a nice guy and has been good to work with on this. So I hope that he comes out "whole" on it.

Positive hopes.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yesterday I put a new brake caliper on a friend's truck, and before I took the old one off, I checked to make sure the new one was the same. Not sure why a "professional" shop didn't do that. The crud in the axle is one strike, the incorrect locker is the second. Yes, TW/4WP sent the wrong locker, but the shop is also at fault for not verifying that they were sent the correct part before installing.

I think the "whole job" was referring to putting the axle seals and shafts into the housing. If the shop had done that work, they would have already realized and fixed this issue.

Yes Shaun, that is what I meant.

If the shop had the truck, or just the whole axle, they would have dealt with with it in house.

But very much like top secret projects where one person or factory makes one ambiguous component of a complex system, none of them really knows the project well enough to determine what their product actually does.

They just know it fits the blueprint and tolerances.

[85lebaront2]

Well, the cover was well and truly ON and didn't want to come off. But I got lucky and found the part #'s by looking through the fill plug hole and rotating the diff. And sure enough, what I already knew was confirmed - they sent a 30-spline setup.

And "they" is Transamerican Wholesale, which is owned by 4Wheel Parts, and not OX. They've admitted their mistake and are going to send the right parts. But, the question is what parts. The guy running the shop was thinking the whole locker setup. But I think they can just swap out the side gears, which appears to be what the axles spline into. (I have no clue how hard it is to swap out the side gears though.) Anyway, they are to get the parts to him next week.

Meanwhile I have a logistics problem I need to solve. I've been using Blue's bed as the holding spot for the short-block. But now I need to put the D60 in there again. So I need to move the short-block to the engine stand and the D60 into the bed.

Fortunately tomorrow is to be "the" nice weather day here for the next several. So all that moving around needs to be done tomorrow. And toward that end I dropped the D60 out and put it on the skates, again. Sure seems to be the wrong direction. But, as previously said, there's a silver lining in that now the axle tubes can be properly cleaned. I explained that while I wasn't going to mention the crud in the axle tubes that wasn't cleaned out, while he has the diff out I want the tubes to be cleaned thoroughly. And he fully agreed.

So the plan is to take the axle in next Friday, which is Janey's birthday. I think I can sneak a trip to the shop in between two movies (The Good Liar and, of course, Ford V Ferrari) and dinner.

And while it is being worked on I'll turn to the engine.

Gary, a quick FYI on the cover. When I did the 10.25" for my friend, I glued the gasket to the cover with weather strip adhesive, then ran a film of grease around the axle center so the cover is sealed, but can be removed easily if needed.

BTW, he sandblasted the cover, outside, and left the rusty inside alone. I spent about an hour with a wire brush on it.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, a quick FYI on the cover. When I did the 10.25" for my friend, I glued the gasket to the cover with weather strip adhesive, then ran a film of grease around the axle center so the cover is sealed, but can be removed easily if needed.

BTW, he sandblasted the cover, outside, and left the rusty inside alone. I spent about an hour with a wire brush on it.

Bill - Don't know how I missed this, but thanks.

Anyway, time for an update: As of yesterday morning the vendor hasn't even shipped the parts.

Also, Trent Alexander asked me via Messenger what the dimensions are on the F350's front sway bar brackets. And since I don't see Facebook, much less Messenger, a good way to document things, I'll post some pics here and then give Trent a link to this post.

And just in case these are hard to read:

• The upright piece that goes against the frame is 3 1/2" tall, and the bolt hole in it does line up with the hole in the F250's frame for the sway bar bracket.

• The bracket is 3 7/8" wide

• The part that rests on the bottom flange of the frame is 1 3/4". But the bolt holes in it are on 2 3/8" centers while the holes in the F250's frame are pn 1 1/2" centers.

• The part that comes down below the frame 2 1/2", and the bolt hole for the sway bar link is 1 1/2" below the frame.

[salans7]

Anyway, time for an update: As of yesterday morning the vendor hasn't even shipped the parts.

At this point I'd be asking for my money back or at least a partial refund. One whole month and the vendor hasn't shipped the parts? I highly doubt that. Either TAW is REALLY dropping the ball, or somebody hasn't even placed the order.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Anyway, time for an update: As of yesterday morning the vendor hasn't even shipped the parts.

At this point I'd be asking for my money back or at least a partial refund. One whole month and the vendor hasn't shipped the parts? I highly doubt that. Either TAW is REALLY dropping the ball, or somebody hasn't even placed the order.

Aye second the motion!

No business could stay in business if their vendors ignored them like that.

And any rational business would have a backup supplier.

There are only two explanations for this, and my coarse lexicon won't allow either of them on a 'family friendly' message board.

[salans7]

Aye second the motion!

No business could stay in business if their vendors ignored them like that.

And any rational business would have a backup supplier.

There are only two explanations for this, and my coarse lexicon won't allow either of them on a 'family friendly' message board.

I went back and checked when Gary first took the axle back, and he was told the vendor was going to send the parts immediately and that the rebuilder would have them the following week. Three weeks after the parts were supposed to be there and still nothing? If there are no emails regarding a backorder or some other logistical error, I call foul. I'm not a huge fan of TWA/4WP from my own experiences, but I can't foresee them taking this long to ship parts out. I'd sure hate to see Gary in this situation (failed promises) again. From the way Gary worded it, the guy running the shop is who spoke to 4WP, and so I'm a bit suspicious of what really transpired there and whether the guy actually even called.

[Gary Lewis]

I went back and checked when Gary first took the axle back, and he was told the vendor was going to send the parts immediately and that the rebuilder would have them the following week. Three weeks after the parts were supposed to be there and still nothing? If there are no emails regarding a backorder or some other logistical error, I call foul. I'm not a huge fan of TWA/4WP from my own experiences, but I can't foresee them taking this long to ship parts out. I'd sure hate to see Gary in this situation (failed promises) again. From the way Gary worded it, the guy running the shop is who spoke to 4WP, and so I'm a bit suspicious of what really transpired there and whether the guy actually even called.

I, too, am worried about this. But I am trying to keep calm and not let it get to me. I have plenty to do on the truck, so choose to focus on it.

However, I am going to start placing some pressure on the guy. I'll have to ask for the emails he has sent, logs of any calls and to whom he spoke, etc. I'll wait until next Monday, a week after I last asked, and then start pushing.