Cracked Front Diff Housing

[Snakebitten]

You got a good one.

At some point we might see documentation from Ford, similar to what finally was released regarding the floating axle bolts, and it will fence by date of manufacture as well as Dearborn VS KC or both.

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[krazyankee321]

It's probably just a factory defect? QC is a big fail these days.
I sure hope you don't get the runaround and your truck gets repaired like it should be.

I hope so too. Dealership is actually awesome so it’s comforting. They hate that I’m having issues and I feel like they have always fought on my behalf with ford to provide more than others would allow.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I've seen enough of these to conclude there's a fleetwide issue. Everyone that has had this happen needs to file with the NHTSA. Otherwise their numbers won't get big enough for them to twist Ford's arm and cause a fleetwide recall & replace.

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

I've seen enough of these to conclude there's a fleetwide issue. Everyone that has had this happen needs to file with the NHTSA. Otherwise their numbers won't get big enough for them to twist Ford's arm and cause a fleetwide recall & replace.

I've worked for an German industrial gearbox company for 40 years. I've seen 10,000 pound cast iron gearbox housings split in half like a pumpkin, due to material problems. The thing is every one that broke, fractured in the same way at the weakest point of the casting. When you look through all of the posts "pictures" here each one has broken differently. I'm not trying to deny that there's an issue here. But from an engineering standpoint, I don't understand why each one breaks so differently.

 

[tony72cutlass's']

I've worked for an German industrial gearbox company for 40 years. I've seen 10,000 pound cast iron gearbox housings split in half like a pumpkin, due to material problems. The thing is every one that broke, fractured in the same way at the weakest point of the casting. When you look through all of the posts "pictures" here each one has broken differently. I'm not trying to deny that there's an issue here. But from an engineering standpoint, I don't understand why each one breaks so differently.

I’m willing to wager it has to do with porosity in the aluminum casting that caused an early fatigue fracture.

If I imagine the casting flowing from front to back, my gut tells me it’s not the material stress giving way, but a glob of crappy material breaking

totally unbiased geezer-esque opinion I just thought I’d throw in

 

[Gros Ventre]

I've worked for an German industrial gearbox company for 40 years. I've seen 10,000 pound cast iron gearbox housings split in half like a pumpkin, due to material problems. The thing is every one that broke, fractured in the same way at the weakest point of the casting. When you look through all of the posts "pictures" here each one has broken differently. I'm not trying to deny that there's an issue here. But from an engineering standpoint, I don't understand why each one breaks so differently.

The issue you raise is a design problem. They all failed the same way because the design was wrong and concentrated stress in the same place. The failures in many different ways are a materials issue. The maker is using poor quality materials and poorly alloyed metal. Thus failures occur in different places because the weakness shows up at different places from incomplete mixing or alloying before casting.

 

[Gros Ventre]

In the submarine world, there are many castings, no surprise there... There is a reason some of them are required to be 100% strength tested.

 

[Snakebitten]

Submarines and Airplanes better be built better than my

 

[Gros Ventre]

Submarines and Airplanes better be built better than my

You might consider the issue of "design margin." You'll find aircraft have a smaller margin than many other vehicles. In part that is because if they are too heavy, they can't fly...

 

[Gros Ventre]

You know, I've begun to wonder... Could the automakers chasing of weight reduction have caused Ford (or their sub-contractor) to use an alloy for the differential casing that is just too lightweight? If so then the issue isn't poor QC on the casing material, rather it's that the material just cannot handle the loading. Also, consider, as the weight and strength of the casing is reduced, the designers put in webbing in key places to account for the material strength reduction... This could lead to a design issue, although I interpret the info so far as a material flaw. Once again, this needs to be reported to the NHTSA so the database is populated to the point Ford has to take action.

 

[Davexxxx]

You know, I've begun to wonder... Could the automakers chasing of weight reduction have caused Ford (or their sub-contractor) to use an alloy for the differential casing that is just too lightweight? If so then the issue isn't poor QC on the casing material, rather it's that the material just cannot handle the loading. Also, consider, as the weight and strength of the casing is reduced, the designers put in webbing in key places to account for the material strength reduction... This could lead to a design issue, although I interpret the info so far as a material flaw. Once again, this needs to be reported to the NHTSA so the database is populated to the point Ford has to take action.

I think you were right the first time.

The types and locations of the failures, seem too different to be a design flaw.

Leads to material, or maybe, casting process.

 

[Snakebitten]

And I don't think Ford has been installing 1500 fragile front differentials in F150's day after day for 3 years. (I know all 1500 per day aren't 4WD, but just using it as emphasis)

Statistically, there's too many trucks NOT busting front differentials and ARE actually abusing them, compared to some of these reported failures.

Regardless of the cause, I'm still leaning to the batch theory. Although that doesn't mean that there hasn't been changes made in material specs that has reduced the margin of error in manufacturing, and as a result none of us have differentials as robust as they previously were?

 

[bfastr]

so has anyone installed one of those VAS diff braces? and whats the thought on that? will it help prevent this? or just chase the failure to a different spot in the casting?

I am going to crawl under my truck later and see if I can bolt one of the braces up easily. I may risk the money if it helps prevent this. All the ad says it helps prevent wheel hop. nothing about failure prevention.

 

[Snakebitten]

I had one on my 2018 Ecoboost.

I'm considering one again now. I don't know if it would make a difference on a differential that is fragile, but it definitely helps with inhibiting the differential with flopping around.

The guys that boost launch claim it gets rid of the wheel hop.

 

[SRHAGEN]

Short of showing that you whacked a rock or such, there should be little question that it should be warrantied... at least so long as you're less thn 6

I've worked for an German industrial gearbox company for 40 years. I've seen 10,000 pound cast iron gearbox housings split in half like a pumpkin, due to material problems. The thing is every one that broke, fractured in the same way at the weakest point of the casting. When you look through all of the posts "pictures" here each one has broken differently. I'm not trying to deny that there's an issue here. But from an engineering standpoint, I don't understand why each one breaks so differently.

Rubbermount for vibration dampening causes flex in many different ways. A solid mount can’t move around. Just a guess.

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