James Dawson
***Updated Review*** Management Reached out and provided a refund for the work after post of original review. I brought my 1996 GMC K2500 in for axle seals, brakes, and a hub. After the seal work, 4WD no longer functioned. The shop diagnosed it as an internal differential issue without disassembling the axle disconnect assembly. I was offered installation of a used differential, but I declined because there had been no teardown or confirmation of an actual differential failure. After inspecting it myself, I found damaged components in the axle disconnect assembly caused during the original service. I documented the damage with photos in my review. The owner reached out after seeing that review and has issued a full refund for the seal and sway bar work. I appreciate that they ultimately made it right. However, I shouldn’t have had to diagnose and repair the issue myself after paying to have the work done. My rating reflects both the original problems and the professional resolution. **Original Review** I dropped my 1996 GMC K2500 off on January 5th for several repairs including front brakes, a hub, and front axle seals. I was charged about $500 for the seal work and was told it was covered under warranty. I picked the truck up on January 14th. On January 24th, the first time I attempted to use 4WD after the repair, it would not engage. After checking myself I concluded that the issue was in the intermediate shaft housing, where this seal work was done. I contacted the shop and brought it back. Upon their "diagnosis" I was told the actuator was working but that the problem was “internal to the differential,” and I was quoted $300 for a diagnostic fee. The differential was not opened or inspected before that conclusion was given. After declining further work, I disassembled the axle engagement assembly myself. Inside, I found internal washers that were severely bent and a retaining ring that was deformed. These parts are not wear items and had been damaged during removal and reinstallation. The new seal also showed visible installation damage. The bent parts were preventing the axle from engaging. After replacing those damaged components and reassembling everything correctly, 4WD operation was fully restored without replacing the differential. Additionally, during the original repair, a sway bar link was broken and I was charged for its replacement. A portion of the broken link was left inside the lower control arm. I am sharing this so others can make an informed decision. My experience involved extended repair time, damage to internal components during service, and a diagnosis of a major failure without disassembly or proper inspection I have attached photos of the damaged washers and the cv axle flange where it appears someone hit it with a hammer to push the axle back in place.
