So this past Monday I spent 5 hours cleaning my interior, changing oil and oil filter, and putting in new fuel filter. Yes, 5 hrs. Longest I've ever spent. I pulled the radio bezel, etc (how do I get behind the plexiglass for the gauges, dust in there that needs removing?). See, living out here in NM has it's advantages to 4x4ing, but it's also dusty as hell.

Anyhow, after cleaning I went and drove over to the Borman Stealership to make a 30k check-up appointment plus to have them re-check my leaking rear silicone tranny seal (I found it still leaking this past Sunday after I got it back last week from having the seal replaced). Set the appointment for Tuesday morning. I told the Service Advisor that there was no need to change oil, air filter (changed at previous oil change, filter good for 15K), and fuel filter. The 30K check-up price before telling her that was going to be like $160-sommething. After she removed the oil/oil filter, air filter, and fuel filter changes the damge dropped to $65.06. Saved approx. $100 by doing just those 3 things myself! I then told the tech my tranny was still leaking. We popped it up on a lift right then and there and took a look. The top rear tranny silicone seal was leaking! Lower truck down off lift and before driving off I told the tech that my main concerns for the 30K check was my tranny (hard getting into 2nd and 4th at times), my front suspension feels loose and unusuaully loud noise from front wheels when going over just the smallest of bumps in road (like reflectors!), and that in some mornings my front end would squeak, sound coming from fan belt area. I further stated that last time I got an alignment at Big-O they told me my left control arm was loose, as well as my left upper ball joint. I also told her (advisor) that the squeaking has bee going onn since Oct and that when I first dropped my truck off for the tranny leak my original Advisor (whom quit the day I actually FINALLY got the leak "fixed" after a month of waiting) noticed fan belt wear marks on my tensioner pulley. So says they'll check and I leave it at that and go home.

Tuesday, I drop truck off at ~8:30.
10:21am: I get a phone call. Hey Chris, checked the front suspension. Both your control arms need replacing, but we only have 1 in stock. We'll have to order the other and set up another appointment. No problem!

3:01pm: 2nd phone call, trucks ready, we replaced the one control arm that we had, other is on order and will be here by 10am tomorrow. I ride my bike (pedal powered) the 3 miles to dealership. While there, tech tells me they still couldn't duplicate the squeaking, but given my reporting of it for so long they replaced, on good faith of my complaint, both my belt tensioner and ilder pulley. Sweet! Setup appointment for 2pm Thursday to get other control arm replaced, and drive truck home.

Wednesday morning:
house sitting for best friend's parents. I have to be to work at 9am, so I leave my apt at 7:45 so I can water yard and feed cat at house. Start truck up.........HOLY SXXT.....NO TICKING! The ticking was only evident in the morning at the very first startup. It would stay there no matter how long I drove around in the morning UNTIL I'd make my first stop and turn off engine. The next time I'd crank engine over, the ticking was gone, thus why ford couldn't duplicate it.

Thursday 1pm:
Drop truck off, tell advisor that I work until 6:30 (I'm normally 9am-2pm, but had to adjust my work schedule for a work related program last night).

4:34pm:
Chris, trucks ready! We're here until 6:30. I leave museum at 6:25, get to dealership at 6:32!!!! Only the Assistant Service Manager is there and has no keys to the cashier's office so I can have my truck. Stand around, talking, TRYING to get my truck. Nope! Cat doesn't get canned food last night and I still haven't been over there this morning See, cat is 20 y.o. and is having renal issues. But I left her enough dry food figuring this would happen.

Friday 10:30am:
Get my Fix or Repair Daily (weekly) back. All service advisors, including managers now know me by first name at dealership (SAD!). I head over to the cashier's office to pay for the 30k check. Printout follows:

Noise/Rattles/Squeak
Customer states: on first start there is a squealing noise noted from pulleys / ck and advise on idler and tensioner belt tensioner out of range causing excessive scuffing to idler pulley, replace belt tensioner & idler pulley belt looks ok.

Gone -vehicle
vehicle has been released to customer....waiting for parts...


Safety Checks & Insp
Customer states: there is a leak at top of shifter, confirm by Henry S.
Trans shifter housing leaking
RR trans reseal shifter housing cover complete

Steering
Cust states: front suspension feels a little loose some noise noted, ck and advise (control arm ? ball joint)
Upper ball joints loose out of specs
Replace both upper ball joints align frt end to specs
attached align specs to ro

ALL warranty work thankfully. I'm at 33,8XX miles. I'm only beginning to worry/cry about what will come when I scroll over 36K. Thankfully though I have a drivetrain warranty until 50K. What I wonder is I kind of wheel semi-hard down trails here when I'm 4x4ing, plus I've got a 1.5in t-bar crank (if I crank anymore one of my bolts will be completely flush with the assembly), so I'm wondering if those 2 things resulted in my ball joints and control arms dieing?! Anyone know of heavier duty components that I can install if/when I get around to the RCD kit (hmm, cat's trying to peak out of the bag)?

Chris

 

Chris, I had a lot of problems with my 01 when it was still under warranty - transmission slipping, rear main seal leaking, front diff leaking, new drive shaft, timing chain rattle (still there), and some other small stuff. I'm getting ready to turn 70,000 and it runs like a champ, so hopefully they got everything fixed! Remember that you can still buy the extended warranty.

 

well glad everythign got fixed and under warranty too! cant beat that! lol

i wouldnt worry about the torsion bars. mine are cranked a ways, no issues here.

 

Been there.. done that..
I'm about 4k miles ahead of you.. ugh!