I had my 2011 suburbans front differential bearings and seals replaced, after the left side shaft seal (new gm designed seal) leaked twice dealer replaced the gm seals then decided to use heavier duty after market seal. My question is the position of the shaft into the differential. Shoud the steel shaft be exposed/showing. The dealer has removed the shaft 3 times to replace the seals and this is the first time the shaft is showing with the gap.
So, minus the fluid leaking which pic is correct?

 

there should not be a gap. the stub shaft is not in far enough

 

Thanks tech2 for the reply.
The dealer is adament this is the correct way, they even sent a pic of an '08 with the shaft exposed like mine. Whats strange is that the same tech has taken this stub shaft out twice beforevas you see in the leaking pics and its all the way in.
Out of curiosity, what will I see or what will happen if the shaft remains where it is?

 

Is there something I can use as a reference to show dealer. They are ignoring the issue and saying this is normal placement of the stub shaft.

 

any part of the stub shaft not covered by the seal, outside the diff would be rusted. no way would you see a clean metal surface like that outside the diff.

if the stub shaft is not fully inserted and locked in by the cir-clip; it has potential to pop out during suspension movement.


remove the cv bolts, slide the cv shaft down below the stub shaft. push the stub shaft in and it should lock. you should not be able to pull it out by hand. If it will not lock, the cir-clip is broken and a new clip is needed.


the correct pics are 3,4,5

 

Tech said he cleaned rust off shaft, he tried to say there were rust rings on there. Hard to believe when you look at the first couple of pics.
The tech also said the shaft should have movement in and out (??)
Will they (if done correctly) comprise the new seal by doing this. Im assuming if the the clip is broken then the seal will have to come out and replaced.

 

there is no movement when the circlip is lock in. I know because they are very hard to remove sometimes. It may move 1/16 of an inch at most. the inner cv joint accounts for any plunge movement in and out not the stub shaft.


if it continues to leak, the shaft is worn where the seal rides on it and a new stub shaft is required. you could put 100 new seals on a worn shaft and it will leak every time.... by the 3rdx they can't figure that out! A new shaft is probably $200.


slide under any truck of that generation and you will see the gap is what is pictured in 3,4,5

 

The svc mgr at the dealer has reluctantly said he would bring it back in and give it to another tech, even though in a prior email he stated ALL the techs agree the axel is in the "normal" position.
The tech that did the work is telling the svc mgr up and down that there is nothing to change.
So, now how do I trust what they will or wont do correctly.

 

Tech took care of his mistake

 

I love it when the customer is right! lol! Good for you! Did the tech say what he did wrong?