VS30: Watch out for your diff if getting tyres changed

[andyje]

I took my 2019 sprinter in for new tyres this week, and after I got home I had a new oil patch on the drive where the diff was leaking oil.

It was pretty obvious the tyre place had jacked up the back of the van by the diff, and bent the rear cover plate.

It's a fairly thin pressed thing, and it slightly protrudes below the level of the diff body itself.

They took care of the replacement, but at the sprinter dealer, the service team told me it's common damage. Pics to show:

 

[dddrks]

Yikes. I’m due for a tire rotation and stories like this motivate me to do it myself vs. saving time and taking into the local tire shop.

 

[Chaski]

What a bizarre design to make the cover proud of the casting. Must have been Octoberfest

Good thing to watch out for, maybe there is a market for a beefier cover... Might be able to talk Ruff Stuff into making one. https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.co...0&Search=cover&Per_Page=20&Sort_By=disp_order

 

[jjmcclure]

Thanks for the heads up. I am too paranoid to take my car to the big shops, have not rotated the Van tires yet, but I think I will...

 

[andyje]

Me too, Jim - it feels as though every time my bike or van is in the garage, it picks up damage from clumsy mechanical work or damage.

In a slightly related note, I found Van Compass and Owl Vans here in the US make a bash guard for it... it's pretty exposed. The lip is certainly proud enough to do pick up damage from rocks if you venture off road a bit.

Skid Plate - Differential (Sprinter 2015-present)

Add protection and peace of mind while exploring in the backcountry with the Van Compass rear differential skid plate. Loss of gear oil due to a cracked housing or leaking cover can be catastrophic to the rear differential. This skid plate protects the driveshaft u-joints, cast iron differential...

owlvans.com

VAN COMPASS™ MERCEDES SPRINTER DIFFERENTIAL SKID PLATE (2015+ 2500 SINGLE REAR WHEEL)

Van Compass™ differential skid plate system. Designed to create a strong, smooth surface to slide over or bash into with offroad in your Mercedes Sprinter van.

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[Eric Experience]

andyje.
The cover is not bigger than the housing, the problem is jacks have a flange that protrudes above the main lift plate. Of cause the problem is mechanics do not read instructions. I Make a protector for diffs but I am in Australia. Eric.

 

[Aqua Puttana]

andyje.
The cover is not bigger than the housing, the problem is jacks have a flange that protrudes above the main lift plate. Of cause the problem is mechanics do not read instructions. I Make a protector for diffs but I am in Australia. Eric.

The particular damage in the picture does look like one of the jack cup ears caught the flange, but I agree that the cover design could have been less proud aka more recessed to the differential casting. Although the cover is level with the bottom casting, so the real problem is the jack cup ears catching the cover as Eric Experience mentioned.

The T1N diff cover is similar. Commencing 2008 I have been using various floor jacks to lift using the differential. Most often I use a chunk of plywood as a pad, but I have also used a hardwood block. A suitably long hardwood block can catch both the round casing cover area and the differential body, but I don't make that SOP.

vic

 

[autostaretx]

You will find many old T1N threads on the pro's and con's of lifting the Sprinter by the differential "pumpkin"
The books, of course, all say "DON'T!!"

--dick

 

[Kajtek1]

Seeing such stupid damage, I can only wonder what torque the "impact wrench monkey" applied to your lugs?

 

[Aqua Puttana]

Since you brought it up.

You will find many old T1N threads on the pro's and con's of lifting the Sprinter by the differential "pumpkin"
The books, of course, all say "DON'T!!"

--dick

What books?

Maybe all say "DON'T" when using the OEM tire change jack. [All operator manuals anyway.]

For those who might be interested, there is some discussion for the T1N Sprinter is here. Post #75.

The "Thou Shalt Not Jack a Sprinter Differential" Myth

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/index.php?threads/3301/page-4#post-90965

vic

 

[SpecE30]

What a bizarre design to make the cover proud of the casting. Must have been Octoberfest

Good thing to watch out for, maybe there is a market for a beefier cover... Might be able to talk Ruff Stuff into making one. https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.co...0&Search=cover&Per_Page=20&Sort_By=disp_order

The design constrain is pretty clear why it would be.

 

[andyje]

Perhaps another picture to demonstrate what I mean by the plate being proud of the body of the diff. I did not say it was bigger, I said it slightly protrudes.

This photo is taken with the camera parallel to the ground and you can see the plate flange/lip is the lowest point. Of course I’m not advocating for careless jack work, but just to give a perspective on the vulnerable position of the plate.

 

[Chaski]

The design constrain is pretty clear why it would be.

Do tell. I am curious.

 

[Ferrets]

A tire place that screws up changing tires is like the oil change place that screws up changing oil.
Lucky they did not use a bottle jack on your uni-body frame rails or bumper cover.

So what changed between the above referenced pumkin lift thread from 2010 and the following 2017 thread ?

Discount Tire = Sprinter Damage

I'd suggest avoiding Discount Tire for any tire work that involves a Sprinter. Pinch weld and rocker panel on my 2015 was damaged during a simple summer/winter tire+rim swap. Of course, no one mentioned that my van was damaged, and I was left to discover it on my own three weeks after the...

sprinter-source.com

 

[Wrinkledpants]

It’s why I only go to dealers for work. Our local MB dealer is $120 for oil changes, $90 to mount tires, and $40 to cross rotate. Plus, I get a nice place to work while this happens. I know it everyone lives next to a dealer, but I’ll never take the van to a quick-anything place.

 

[Aqua Puttana]

...

So what changed between the above referenced pumkin lift thread from 2010 and the following 2017 thread ?

Discount Tire = Sprinter Damage

I'd suggest avoiding Discount Tire for any tire work that involves a Sprinter. Pinch weld and rocker panel on my 2015 was damaged during a simple summer/winter tire+rim swap. Of course, no one mentioned that my van was damaged, and I was left to discover it on my own three weeks after the...

sprinter-source.com

Nothing in my opinion.

I saw no pictures of the actual damage to the cover in that thread. What likely happened was that an ear on a floor jack cup caught the cover and bent/distorted it. That is a known failure. Nobody I have seen argues that point. The remedy is to not use a bare floor jack cup that leaves the ears and cup rim sticking up. A padded jack cup as described in the many other threads avoids the problem.

Those that don't feel comfortable with jacking their Sprinters using the differential for lifting shouldn't use that common and convenient method. I have yet for anyone to produce an official Mercedes document that cautions against lifting using the differential other than sections related to the OEM tire change jack. To date nobody has provided a documented differential jacking related example of the axle tube socket assemblies failure where they attach to the differential.

Be careful with the frame when jacking your Sprinter though.



vic

 

[Cheyenne]

Be careful with the frame when jacking your Sprinter though.

View attachment 172110

vic

And SNAP with a T1N...

 

[Aqua Puttana]

And SNAP with a T1N...
View attachment 172120

OMG!!!

It happens to both NCV3 and T1N's!!!

Thanks for the heads up.

vic

 

[Ferrets]

LOL - improper jacking ????

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[Cheyenne]

LOL - improper jacking ????

Spoil sport