Rear axle bolt failure...AGAIN!!

[FDHog]

But wouldn't that mean it's NOT a batch issue and we should see equal percentage of bolt failures for every model year and build date?

That's what I would think. Seems like there aren't many reports if any of 23's failing. I'll just keep an ear out for bolt rattle. Easy enough to pop the center caps off.

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[Dfc41889]

19k miles and 700 miles from home and I hear rattling…..and it’s Memorial Day Weekend!

 

[Snakebitten]

19k miles and 700 miles from home and I hear rattling…..and it’s Memorial Day Weekend!

I'm just putting myself in your shoes when I say this....

First, you can clearly see that shoulder that huge washer was seated on. So you can also tell with the naked eye IF it appears the axle has moved inboard or outboard since the bolt broke.

That's what I would monitor. But I would NOT let it influence my vacation unless I witness the splined shaft move considerably inboard/outboard.

 

[Dfc41889]

I'm just putting myself in your shoes when I say this....

First, you can clearly see that shoulder that huge washer was seated on. So you can also tell with the naked eye IF it appears the axle has moved inboard or outboard since the bolt broke.

That's what I would monitor. But I would NOT let it influence my vacation unless I witness the splined shaft move considerably inboard/outboard.

Appreciate that but my vacation is over. Was going to drive home tomorrow but will be stopping at local Ford garage and figuring out a new way home. Ford already offered to ship the truck home after the fix and reimburse a rental car, so it will work out. Very frustrating though.

 

[Snakebitten]

That's my point though. I'm no expert, but my understanding is that there's little chance of the truck being un-drivable. Certainly the wheels won't come off.

The only thing I can envision is the axle moving inboard enough to throw gear alignment off, but I thought there was a lock ring on that end prevent that.
Moving outboard would be wild to see in your rear view mirror? The splines sticking out of the wheel?

I'm just suggesting that you could avoid the shipping the truck fiasco.
But I totally respect anyone's decision not to.

 

[HammaMan]

I'd only expect axle movement to be likely when it's completely unloaded and in a turn. Given that a lot of folks didn't know about the issue at all and basically tumbled the bolt into a different shape entirely means it'd gone over 1k miles of short range driving. There's only been one instance I saw where the axle slid in too much to the point of no longer engaging the wheel hub splines. Something is keeping it in else there'd be nothing to actually put load on the bolt itself. When the bolt was screwed in it'd still be able to be pulled out. Personally I'd drive it home and just not take wild left turns (if it's the driver side), vice versa if passenger.

 

[WhiteLightningnshitshadow]

Haven't we seen at least one or two 2023s pop up? Im sticking to thinking this is a consistent design issue.

 

[Snakebitten]

There's literally 100's of thousands of them. If it was a design failure, therefore all trucks are equally vulnerable, the numbers would be substantially different, don't you think?

I mean you could be right, but statistically there are legitimate bookends to the build dates for the vast majority of those documented.

And if it is equally likely for all trucks with the floating axle, then statistically it's an even smaller likelihood for any single truck to be affected.

It seems very similar to the leaking exhaust heat exchanger on the Powerboost.

Popped up out of nowhere. Got a ton of press as the rash of leaks got reported. Then it slowed down considerably. Matching up with the classic batch scenario.

 

[JJSnell]

You could always take your truck to Wendle Ford in Spokane...
Being the proactive guy I am, I bought brand new bolts (Ford OEM unopened) and took them into Ford and asked them to replace the bolts...
They lost the bolts, couldn't find them anywhere.
(In my best Ron White voice), "They... Lost... The... F*****in... Bolts..."
Two months later, still waiting on replacements or them to cut me a check.
Wendle Ford, Spokane, WA

 

[SumGuy]

I can't get anyone at the dealer to tell me what the problem fix is. When the bolt fails then they replace the axle and the bolt but I don't know if the fix is to replace the bolt with a higher strength fastener or due to material capability they have to replace the axle as well when using a different fastener. The design team, materials group or the analysts should have caught this!!!

I’m guessing the engineering team DID know and spec’d the correct type of bolt.

then the value engineering team came over top and said to use a cheaper bolt.

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