Ok so I had a lot of issues when I got my SS with the pinion bearings / seal. The dealer needed 3 shots at it to get it right and up until last week it was all good.(Last repair was over a year ago)

My local guy was replacing the seal on the diff cover and said he “tightened” a few bolts that he said the dealer didn’t tighten down to “spec”. Now I get it back and the one of the bearings in there are toast. Very loud, definitely bad. (at this point I know what a bad pinion bearing sounds like.) He says nothing he did would affect these bearings (bullsh!t) so unless I want to sue him I’m on my own.

Can anyone here do this repair or know who can? I have a DD so I could leave the car for how ever long is needed. If I’m going to pay for it this time I want to know who ever is doing the work knows what the hell they are doing and wont rip me off on the labor.

I live in Attleboro. Can someone please hook me up here? I love this car but if I cant find someone competent to work on it…. I don’t want to even think about selling it.

(2002 Camaro SS M6 Vert Auburn rear diff.)

 

This is confusing.

Dealer fixes pinion bearing leak in 3 tries.

Then you bring the car to someone local to just replace the rear cover gasket.

Then you get it back and now it's whistling like a bastard?

So,the guy that did just a cover gasket screwed up a bearing?

Just trying to figure out what your looking for.

 

sounds like he had the wrong torque specs for some bolts the dealer probably had it right

 

The dealer screwed it up 2X.

Dealer brought in a guy from GM out of Detroit. The 3rd guy got it right. Just out of spec seems to be the way to go with this rearend. The Detroit guy got it right on and it was rock solid for a year.

I had the rear flushed (local guy) after about 3k with all the new pinion parts just for giggles.

After about 9 months the rear cover started to leak. Took it back to my local guy to reseal it.

Got it back and bearings are wasted again. Local guy says he didnt touch anything that would have caused it.(He told me they tightened 4 bolts on the front of the diff housing but they have nothing to do with teh pinion) Hes full of **** but all I could do is sue him and well....I dont have time to mess with that, all I want is my car fixed.

So....all Im looking for is someone semi-local to me that can set this pinion up right. I cant just take it to some joe blow who is going to do it to spec or by the book. I need someone who knows what the hell they are looking at when they set it up. Like the GM guy from Detroit.

 

if all he did was change the fluid all he would have touched is the cover and fill plug . nothing related to the bearings at all other than if it was leaking prior the bearings could have gone dry before he got and now are just showing there face. sounds like it just seemed to happen at the same time. how long ago did the dealer fix it? most gm dealers work is 12month/12k miles . also on a side note it is a 10 bolt
when i worked at a dealer i had it rebuilt twice, case checked for out of round, gm rep came to check it and said it all looked fine then it started howling again, i have a 9" thats quiter than the 10 bolt ever was now .
it is a big issue of the pinion going on the stock rears and not to much you can do except keep rebuilding it unless you check the fluid weekly at the least if not every time you drive it so it doesnt lose to much and take out the bearings again

 

Sounds like there is something wrong with the rear itself.Maybe a tweaked axle tube or something. I personally wouldn't even want to touch it due to the same problems coming back over and over. Another cause could be the wrong pinion angle or unbalanced driveshaft which beats up on the rear.

 

I'm pretty sure my local guy "adjusted" something he shouldn’t have and that’s what caused the pinion to fail this time. He told me they tightened 4 bolts down to spec that the dealer left loose. I was also very sure to check my fluid level in the rear as soon as I noticed the leak and it never got low. It was just seeping from the cover. Just to be on the safe side though I quit driving it.

It started making noise the next day as soon as I got on the hi-way to go to work. The pinion went from not making a sound to growling like a bear over night. They fucked it up and don’t want to take any responsibility for it.

If I can’t get anyone to help me out Ill have to go back to the dealer I guess. I was just hoping I could find someone who isn’t a spec-book jockey to set it up like the Detroit guy did. Otherwise I have a $35k (new/sticker) 22k mile parts car here. Sad thought for a 02 SLP SS.

 

Since you have so many problems with the existing rear it probly means the case is warped or out of spec. It's cheaper to find a complete used rearend that is proven.
Sure,you can have more people rebuild it but it sounds like a serious problem with the rear itself. Also it is very common for the pinion seal to leak on these.A minor leak is 100% normal.

 

Great words of advice. I rebuilt my rear this summer by myself a couple of times on my garage floor, and I would do it again but the second time I did it, I set up the backlash a little tighter (in combination with 3.73s instead of 4.10s) in order to try saving my rear a little bit. Now, I deal with the whining and moaning of my rear end, but you know what- I took it to the track back in October and made 20+ passes with hard launches, go to the pike all the time, I dd'd the car until a week ago.. and I havent broken that ring gear set YET. If youre at all mechanically inclined, Id say get a book (or go through this site) and get some directions, buy the new pinion gear, have it pressed on.. set the race and then put your diff back in with your backlash all set up with a gauge and youre good to go.

 

I honestly think the rear is fine if I could find someone to set it up properly. That didnt happen on the first 2 trys. My (X) local guy trashed it this time and just dosent want to pony up to it for the same reason no one else wants to. Ill have to go to the dealer and get butt raped I guess. Thanks anyway guys.

 

just buy a built rear, like a 12bolt or 9inch...why keep pooring money into that?

 

I havent spent a dime on it. Factory warranty covered the first repair. It failed twice after that in a year then it was solid as a rock for over a year. Ill have to pay to fix it this time but its lookin like Im going to have to let a dealer do it. If he cant get it right I think 12 bolt or 9 inch is gona be a must at that point. That or part it out / sell it and I dont want to do either.

 

part what out? Why would you part out a perfectly good car? I'd get a estimate for the work before they touch it because it would probably be cheaper to just get a 12bolt. they run around 2k with a 300-400 to install. Not chump change, but you'll be in a much better position than you would have been with the shitty stock 4cyl truck rear.

 

I understand that you are upset, but talking about parting out a car because of rear noise is just silly. Obviously you are upset, so take some time to cool off, and then make a decision on how you would like to proceed. I would take the advice of getting a used rear in good condition, rather than get a 9" or 12 bolt. If you think you have noise now, you are in for a real shock when you install one of those! Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Ya, you guys are right. Parting it out is a bit much....spending all this money on it right now just sucks.

I had a local dealer look at it today, said they could do it for 900. All 4 bearings and the yoke I think. They took it all apart axles and all to inspect it. I gave him copies of all the work thats been done and told him I plan to drive it like I stole it after he fixes it so they better get it right.

900 sound about right from a dealer?

 

WOW, I guess I should of taken the job

 

yeah, me too It is not that hard of a job. I did it with my pops on his 12 bolt in his chevelle.

 

if your going to drive it liek you stole, you will break it weather they fix it correctly or not. the stock rear is not capable of handling the stock power levels if abused. Just a fyi.