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CROWN 231 Rebuild Kit Issues - 4WD.com

fool4wheelin

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Fargo, ND
FYI, I had a bad experience with the NP231 rebuild kit I purchased from 4WD hardware. (CRO231MASKIT) The seal for the front output shaft was the culprit. The Crown seal was leaking between the seal housing and the T-case bore. I bought a "new" one from the local Jeep dealer for $40 and the leaks went away. I measured the OD of the seals and the Crown seal was ~.010" smaller than the new factory one. While installing there was a very noticeable difference and the Crown seal could be installed/removed easily by hand.

I called 4WD Hardware customer service and my only options were to return the full kit (which I couldn't since it was partially installed) or return the bad seal for a new one, so I'm basically SOL. This was a bunch of BS, they should have been able to refund me for the POS kit they sold me. Anyway, its a done deal and my leak is gone, but I would have been better off not buying the kit in the first place!!

Anyone else have any problems with the Crown rebuild kits?
 
I have bought some Crown steering parts and have been greatly disappointed with the quality, fit, and service life of Crown parts.
 
I have bought some Crown steering parts and have been greatly disappointed with the quality, fit, and service life of Crown parts.

x2, Crown = Chinese.

Don't get me wrong, I like Chinese, Mar Far chicken, pork fried rice, pork noodle soup, but their manufactured products are definitely inferior.
 
Is CROWN really that bad? I have a rhd draglink i was going to use for high steer, that is way beefier than the stock stuff in my 87.
 
Crown has been around for 45 years, and sells over 8,000 parts, some not available through anywhere else.

On occasion, a manufacturer sends bad batches, parts, or just parts that start off great and gradually decrease in quality. When that happens, that manufacturer is either no longer used, or it is substituted with a better one. Anytime there is a known problem, they of course will get on it.

Half the time, the businesses they sell to don't report any issues, and the other half, people either screw up their installs or have other issues and like to lay blame elsewhere.

In this instance, I'd venture to guess either the wrong seal was assembled in the kit, or they simply had a bad one. It's unfortunate, but it happens. That kit should have 20 parts in it, all of the bearings being Timken (which is far from Chinese junk).

This sounds like 4WD's customer service wasn't being helpful, and I would have tried to follow up with someone else there. Either way, best of luck, and I hope it gets resolved.
 
I have used a lot of Crown parts on my rigs and I'm glad someone is there offering parts for our rigs at a reasonable cost, but I've had some issues this summer. I had some more problems with a Heavy Duty steering kit I purchased from Crown through 4WD, the drag link hit my rim on the RH side when making a sharp LH turn. I ended up taking a grinder to the drag link. I am running a 15X8 rim over the stock 15x7, but the 15x8 cleared when I still had the stock drag link. I didn't think this was big enough of an issue to call in about.

That kit should have 20 parts in it, all of the bearings being Timken (which is far from Chinese junk).
To be honest, I didn't see the Timken name on the bearings. I'll look again and post tonight. FYI, Timken does have facilities in China too, but they maintain the same Timken quality standards on steel. With bearings its all about the steel.

This sounds like 4WD's customer service wasn't being helpful, and I would have tried to follow up with someone else there. Either way, best of luck, and I hope it gets resolved.
The rep. I talked to did offer to send a replacement seal, but how much confidence should I have in that the replacement wouldn't leak? He gave me a bunch of crap for going and buying a seal from Jeep, said I should have called them first to get a replacement. He basically told me he couldn't return anything and that was about it, so the resolution is me paying 4WD $120 for a kit that I used 3 bearings out of and $40 to Jeep for a new seal. Thanks for the heads up on giving them a call back and talking to someone else...
 
To be honest, I didn't see the Timken name on the bearings. I'll look again and post tonight.
Two of the bearings I didn't use were branded "Torrington" which I believe Timken owns. The needle bearings were branded "INA" and there were 2 of the front output bearings (I used 1) that had no brand markings except for the P/N 6206. The main input bearings were also unmarked. The seals were either marked with a "C-A" brand or unmarked.

The Crown front output seal was ~.006" smaller than the seal I took out with 150k on it.

The front output bearing and the input bearing that came out of the case were branded NSK, USA made. The input seal was branded "National" and the Front Output Seal was branded something else but was stamped USA.
 
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