Just wanted to make sure everyone knows about this. GM lists a kit for a new pin and lock screw as #19258695 for $11.49 list. This is just a part of the TSB, the full one lists the entire procedure and whatnot. Apparently, you can check your existing pin to see if it has either blue & black stripes on the end nearest the lock screw or orange and black stripes. Either of these pins are OK, but if the pin does NOT have either of these sets of marks on them, the TSB says the pin should be replaced with the "certified" pin in the kit mentioned above. Also, it makes no distinction between the open diff and the G80 locker, so apparently this can affect either.

Bulletin No.: 10426F

Date: April 21, 2011

Subject: 10426F - Rear Axle Cross Pin Fracture
Models:
2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT
2011 Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Express, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe
2011 GMC Canyon, Savana, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL

Supercede:
This bulletin is being revised to expand the population involved, including the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana. Please discard all copies of 10426E, issued January 2011.

Condition

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2011 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Express, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; and GMC Canyon, Savana, Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the rear axle cross pin was not manufactured to specification. The pin may have been improperly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. If this were to occur, the driver may hear a banging noise coming from the axle. If the pin shifts out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock. The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without prior warning.

Correction

Dealers are to inspect and, if necessary, install a new rear axle cross pin.

Vehicles Involved

Involved are certain 2011 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Express, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; and GMC Canyon, Savana, Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles.

well, with manufacturers spread out through different countries, its pretty hard to maintain quality control standards........

anybody else notice the rash of "stupid" TSB's? as in "really?"

next thing you know they will forget to put a steering wheel on............

ThunderTT wrote:

well, with manufacturers spread out through different countries, its pretty hard to maintain quality control standards........

anybody else notice the rash of "stupid" TSB's? as in "really?"

next thing you know they will forget to put a steering wheel on............

Agreed. Pretty ridiculous. Many thanks to the corporate culture bean counters.

Found a pic of what one would be looking for...

01) Rotate the differential until the end of the cross pin (green arrow) and the head of the lock screw (red arrow) are visible.



02) These are the markings visible on the end of a "good" pin. The TSB says do NOT replace these:



03) If the pin does NOT have either of the above two markings CLEARLY visible, the TSB says to replace it with kit GM#19258695 which includes the new "certified" cross pin and a new lock screw.

04) The TSB says to discard the old lock screw and install the new one. The lock screw is torqued to 26 ft lbs. according to the TSB. Personally, I would put a bit of medium-strength Loctite on the threads, but that's just me. I over-do things.

05) The cover bolts are to be cleaned and torqued to 30 ft. lbs. as per the TSB, but the Chilton manual says 20 ft. lbs. The carrier housings on these newer AAM axle assemblies are aluminum, so I would advise some care with torque specs, and be sure to tighten evenly in a criss-cross pattern. The TSB also recommends Loctite on the diff cover bolts, as do I. The gasket itself is allegedly re-usable, but that's your call... whatever you're comfortable with.

I'll bet these were made /assembled in China! The ones with the markings are OK because there was someone watching, but as soon as the supervisor left or was paid off in went the lower cost blackmarket parts to increase margins of the chineese company!

All be it slowly, you are hearing more stories of onshoring because of quality control and black market copies. Just look at Flea Bay for Tech II devices. most of them are real good fakes that have come out of China but do not have the manufacturing quality or dependability of the real GM units...

TJ

98Blackss wrote:

All be it slowly, you are hearing more stories of onshoring because of quality control and black market copies. Just look at Flea Bay for Tech II devices. most of them are real good fakes that have come out of China but do not have the manufacturing quality or dependability of the real GM units...

TJ

I'm stretching here to stay on topic but along the same lines, locally here, I am seeing more ads about companies keeping their calling centers in Canada and the United States and NOT in India/Pakistan etc.

I have to wonder if we can always blame poor quality on overseas companies. If these products were manufactured in the US/Canada, they can still be crap parts. At least some of the blame rests on the OEM's and their never-ending pressure to build inexpensive vehicles/parts for max costs. When this happens quality does suffer, no matter where it's made.

It really bothers me the way that cars/trucks and the service parts for them seem to have less and less build quality, ruggedness, while cost/complexity/revlimits-speed limiters-soft shifts and overall feeling of cheapness seems to be increasing. I honestly dont see myself buying a GMT 900 ever, an early 2000-2007 GMT-800 MAYBE(simply for the powerplant). It wouldnt surprise me if I always have a reg cab 2wd GMT 400 truck in my pig-pen.



I'd really ike to get my hands on a Tech 2, 1 that has OBD1 capability for a 90-95 ZR-1 Vette as well os for my green machine.

peace
Hog

Hog wrote:

It wouldnt surprise me if I always have a reg cab 2wd GMT 400 truck in my pig-pen.Hog

Ditto.