[Shiny]

My son just had to drive over a sheet of plastic that blew out of someone's truck bed. He drives a 2022 Chevy Colorado.

He pulled over and found the sheet wrapped around the slip yoke on his tail shaft. He cut as much off as he could, but wasn't able to get it all off.

What's under the boot? Hopefully it's just a dust/water shield and the seal is in the tail housing.

I told him as long as he didn't see any fluid, it was probably not going to cause too much damage if he drove it home (~3 miles).

He made it home and will deal with it later but I'd like to understand if it's just a boot he can push out of the way or is it more complicated?

This is the mess:



Thanks,

Mike

[salem1912]

Does the truck have center support? If you jack up the frame will the shaft move out a little? The seal would be right where the tail housing starts.

[Shiny]

I think it's a one-piece driveshaft.

He lives in an apartment so not sure he can even jack it up but yes, that makes sense the yoke would slide out if the rear was jacked. I'll relay this idea to him.

Thank you.

I wonder if the boot is clamped onto the yoke, My guess is yes... so maybe a band clamp under the plastic?

If so, then unlikely the plastic weaseled its way under the boot...

Clearly he doesn't want to cut into the boot but always better to know how it's all assembled.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Can Reverse get it unwound a bit?

[Shiny]

He looked at it, appears there's a plastic ring that is integral to the boot. The plastic film (trash) friction-welded to that ring and yanked it out of or away from the boot. The ring is now loose and spins on the yoke but is covered with melted-on plastic. I speculate the ring was a slip-ring at the end of the boot.

Net: he'll need a new boot and/or ring but nothing else damaged.

He'll be calling the dealer and his insurance in the morning. Luckily nobody hit the back of his truck when he was under it on the shoulder! It was an on-ramp during rush hour so you know how that could have gone..

[Shiny]

I think this may be the part. It shows what may be a boot and the ring. Anyone know how this is assembled? Does the ring clamp onto the yoke or does the boot just pull over it?

My guess is the ring is designed to slip inside the boot and has clearance to the yoke....

Not that it matters much as he will have to at least get a new ring but I'm curious if anyone knows...

[Shiny]

Here's the state of the mess. Shows the "ring" which now spins freely but is covered with melted plastic sheet. It looks like it has a flange which is why I guess it just fits inside the boot.

[Lemans64]

I believe that part is part of the rear seal, all one piece. Cut the plastic off with some side cutters and drive it, if it starts throwing oil
then he is gonna have to replace seal.

[Shiny]

Thanks!

The first picture showed some twist to the boot which is consistent with that ring being pulled out of it.

He got an appointment at a dealer who told him the same as you - don't worry about driving it.

It's a new and expensive truck, still under warranty and over-insured, so he'll get it fixed. This will let a tech make sure there wasn't any other damage to cables or harnesses.

I'm happy it didn't cause a wreck.

[Lemans64]

You will find the GM part to be probably 3-4 times the price you listed. Used to work for GM in the shop and those were expensive.
Yes put the responsibility on them if under warranty still. They might even cover it under warranty, if they are Nice. LOL.