Ok my car is at a dealership due to a break in/vandalism. Because of issues with insurance, the car sat for a while and I ended up having it taken to another dealership...I'll save you the story on that.

Anyway, it was winter time, and I was in the process of doing my brakes...Don't have a heated garage, so it was one at a time...there was one wheel left (rear driver side) when the incident happened. I was present when the car was loaded onto a flatbed to be transferred....all 4 wheels were seized at first but 'popped' free quickly except the 1 with the old cruddy rotor/pads still on it.

I told the service manager I had the parts and asked how much they'd charge for the labor to save me the hassle of having it towed again. So today I get an email back and he's telling me the wheel is stuck due to the rear diff being seized up. I'm not an expert obviously, but wouldn't both rear wheels be seized if that was the case?

I've had my brakes freeze up on me before just sitting a week and it took quite a bit of throttle and popping the clutch to free 'em up...actually might have been less than a week. So with that brake in the condition its in...and them not being able to apply any power to it...sounds like A. their full of **** trying to rip me off or B. just have no idea what they're talking about.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

Your logic seems reasonable.

Its worth noting though that I have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to which wheels move with the diff?

Is the wheel thats locked up the one with the cruddy pad/rotors? Also, I know the car sat for awhile, but I can't think they should be seizing like that normally? Are they being lubed properly?

 

I sounds like it has been sitting since last winter.

 

The incident happened in mid March and was moved around a few times on the lot and with being moved twice from shops. And yes, the wheel with the jacked brakes is the one that's frozen.

I'm in NE Ohio, so during inclement weather, it doesn't take long of the car sitting for the pads to get stuck...like I said, the car sat for a few days-to-a week in the winter while I was out of town and I had to give it a good amount of throttle and drop of the clutch to free them up. I made a post on here about it thinking my e-brake was stuck as a matter of fact.

The thing is, I find it odd that the only wheel that's 'stuck' is the one that I would guess to be stuck because the brakes being nasty. Like I said in the OP, is it possible for one of the rear wheels to move but not the other if the diff is seized?

 

It is an old film but nothing has changed. So, here is how a differential works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4JhruinbWc

 

Wow old but helpful video, not much has changed with the concept of rear diff's.