Rear differential gears/housing replacement 2009 Suburban 4x4
 

The Suburban 1500 has 156k miles on it and made a loud, grinding noise while stopped in drive and would not go forward unless in 4 wheel drive. Towed it to dealer and they said ring & pinion are ground up inside housing AND the bearing seized causing the side of the housing to shear. They want to replace housing, gears, axles, everything for the whopping price of $3,650! I see used rear ends with brakes and all on ebay for $1,200 but it's probably above my pay grade to change it out. Can anyone help with some advice regarding the price and possible alternatives to a dealer replacing the entire assembly? They say the parts are at least 3 days out. $3,650 seems steep... Thanks for any help!!! Bummed in Minneapolis.

The dealer is usually the highest-priced option.


Replacing a whole rear axle is a straightforward job. Most backyard mechanics can do it.


Any repair garage should be able to replace the rear axle fairly quickly for less $$ than the dealer.


Replacing internal rear end parts is tricky. Setting up the ring and pinion so that the contact area is in the right spot is a job for some mechanics who really know what they're doing. Set it up just a little off and you will either overheat the gears (too tight) or have a constant "clunk" noise (too loose). Even though it may be tempting when you look at the price of internal components, the labor costs will be high.


If it were my truck, I would find a used rear axle (car-part.com) and either swap the axle myself or pay a local garage (you trust) to do it.


Since you have 4WD, you MUST match the gear ratio of the front axle.


Steve

Steve - that's kind of what I was thinking. Still looking into it. Thank you for your quick reply! - Cliff

rear swap is easy enough for most, its a DIY job. you will be fine just make sure you update brakes and bleed them properly.

I had a rear axle fail on my '01 Suburban. Was on vacation, in the middle of South Dakota. Paid $2300 installed - for a completely rebuilt limited-slip (not G80, actual posi) rear.

I've done a rear axle on a wrangler before. Tahoe is a bit bigger, but should be fairly similar...

in my opinion the problem with buying used assemblies is they should be gone through or rebuilt before being put on, if setting up a differential is out of your skillset then maybe you could save labor by having someone rebuild a used one and install yourself. As far as putting the axle assembly onto the vehicle its pretty straight forward as long as you get the right parts. 3g for installing an entire axle housing is not as crazy as you might think, I bet the parts are atleast half of it.

The cost of a re-manufactured unit is just over $2,000 with a core trade-in. The used assemblies are about $1,200 (plus shipping) and include the whole rear end (brakes, cables, etc.). Of course labor is on top of that so basically the dealer is charging $1,600 for their work. I'm considering trading in the Suburban to the dealer waiting on parts so the differential headache is theirs but after replacing the transmission for $4,300 last year it's not an easy decision. Just got a safety recall notice in the mail today regarding Takata airbags failing but no apparent immediate solution from Chevy. Strange because the "service airbag" warning light came on a week ago and continues to glow it's eerie red warning full time. Maybe it's good the vehicle is in the shop but I'll bet anything no one in service mentions it until after the $3,600 differential bill is paid. Thanks for your responses.

I just had my rear diff. rebuilt all with new OEM GM parts and it was about $3200. Replaced ring and pinion, put in new carrier assembly, all new bearings and seals. So if you're getting a new housing and all new internals for $3650, I'd say its not too bad considering what I paid for a rebuild. Is your price with new axles?

Yes, $3650 includes axles and assumes the core will be traded back. Service department says the part is >$2,500. I found the same unit at the company they get it from for >$2,100. Slight embellishment perhaps well intentioned. I had a look at the old one torn apart and the ring and pinion are in good shape while one of the bearings is twisted and sheared metal off the housing. A good amount of shards sitting at the bottom of the casing. Thank you for the input.