Same here.
Especially since the OP stated the axles had been replaced before.

 

Dealer installed new axles, so they should be under warranty.

 

I just don't know how it could happen with 145 BHP through an automatic trans.

Unless they mean the slip joint (tripot) flew apart. And that would take some doing.

 

Yeah I have no idea. Coming home from work. Leaving from a stop sign, I do not drive that car rough because it isn't a race car. It broke right behind the hub assembly after the spline area. I had it towed to dealership and it is covered they said. I had them installed Aug 27th last year so there was less than two weeks left on the warranty. So, I guess that's a win. Anyway, should hear today if it is fixed and if there are further issues or not.

 

I think they may have used an impact gun to put the nut on instead of a torque wrench. Be sure to tell them to inspect the other side, make sure it gets done. Impact guns can put in excess of 300 lb ft on the bolt.; 155 lb ft spec. Mechanics are lazy and don't know what a torque wrench is anymore. I will bet none of them in the shop owns one and it is too much of a hassle to go to the window and check one out.

 

Hey DonB. Let me add the chorus to your last post It's awesome because I couldn't have stated it better.

So, I got the car back yesterday and everything seems ok from what I can tell at this point. Except When I was driving yesterday I was on smooth road and started hearing that funky wobble wobble noise most commonly associated with warped hubs....and got sick at my stomach. Went straight home just knowing that they have over torqued the lugs and checked it. Sure enough, would you know the lugs were so tight that I probably backed them off almost a 1/4 turn before I could torque them in at 100 ftlbs. Isn't that great? I was so mad over that, that I called the dealership back and told them about it and that I just replaced 4 hubs in part for that very reason, Bastards. So to your point, even if there was a torque wrench in the shop, noone knows how to use it anymore anyway. It's pitiful. Then they ask me if I owned a torque wrench, like how would I know? Like, how is it possible for anyone else on earth outside of their maintenance shop to know anything? That's how they treat people. Gee, I wonder how the axle ended up the way it did...I get so tired of it. Anyway, it's fixed for now and hopefully I got the lugs backed off before it did too much damage. Other than the fact that the lug bolts are forever stretched on my new MOOG hub. Whatever. Thanks for the help BTW

 

I love the show they put on a NTW. 1 tire jockey puts the lug nuts on with torque stic then second tire jockey comes with torque wrench and "checks" by trying to loosen the nut.

For those that don't know; you can't check torque by loosening only when tightening. That only tells you how much force it takes to get it off, and then it's loosened.

On things like wheels and oil pans with several bolts to torque the most important part is that all of the bolts are equally torqued to avoid warpage.

 

Well I'm going out on a limb and assuming that there was no torque wrench involved when the wheel went back on. Someone had to just hammer the crap out of each lug with the impact until they wouldn't turn anymore and then away they went. So, to me it's ignorance or they don't care and did it on purpose. Either way I'm about over Chevrolet

 

That would make me go into Orbit ... There is no valid excuse. It's probably the same guy that worked on it the first time.
The mechanic should be let go IMO.

In the past I have found a couple Chevrolet dealers that were less the stellar.

You might want to try what I did for the future visits.

Look to see if you have a Cadillac/GMC/Buick dealer near you. They seem to be a rung higher up in many areas.

They can honor Warranty and seem to have a little better rapport.
Since I switched several years ago I have been very satisfied with the repairs and cooperation they have provided me.

SF

 

Wife had a 1997 Ford Explorer years ago. Had a leaking pinion seal in the rear end. She took it to the local shop to get it fixed because she didn't want to wait for me to have a day off to do it.
Several months later, we took that car down to DisneyWorld. 100 miles into the trip I noticed a slight hum from the rear of the car. Stopped and took a look. No leaks or hot feeling rims. The rest of the way the noise just grew louder. By the time we got to Disney it was pretty loud and annoying.

Dropped the family off at the hotel and took the car in to the local Ford dealer. The service writer actually called over the tech so I could talk to him before he looked at it. Told him about the pinion seal and he said that local shop most likely put the pinion nut back with an impact gun. Told me I was probably looking at some bad inner carrier bearings.
Sure enough. He tore it down and both inner bearings were toast. The tech said he'd seen this happen several times on this particular rear end. People would over torque the nut and it would slightly warp the "innards" so to speak.
Lesson learned to the tune of about $500, 15 years ago.