Nasty Noise from the rear end/ rear end acting weird
 

ok, so I was driving back to Monmouth from Corvallis the other day (about a 20 mile drive) and all of the sudden I had this weird squealing noise coming from the back end of my truck.

On my way back i saw a HUGE gravel pile and decided to drive up on it.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5405542_n.jpg
I did scrape a little, but nothing to bad. when I got off I had all kinds of gravel piled up in places. a couple speed bumps later it was all off (I stopped to check every so often to make sure that the gravel wasn't getting anywhere it wasn't supposed to be). A few yards down the road, I started hearing this loud squeal that sounded almost like I had gravel in my disc brakes. I pumped the brakes a couple times to see if the friction would break it loose. nothing. still squealed. I drove it the last 10 miles home. the squeal went away when I was driving above 75MPH for a couple minutes, but promptly came back when i slowed down to 35 in a cop infested city. It squealed all the way into the parking lot.

I decided to take my drum brakes apart just to make sure nothing had gotten lodged in there, and there was noting on either side. so I got my flashlight out, and checked my discs on the front, and nothing out of the ordinary there either. But, my differential was extraordinarily hot. If I splashed water on it, it would sizzle.


Went to drive it this morning (55 miles to Oregon City from Monmouth) and the squeal had gone away, but then it sounded like someone was dropping chain links into a pile of other chain links. (it was constant, almost like gears clicking together, or a tambourine being shaken really fast) I stopped after about 40 miles and felt the differential and if my fingers hadn't been wet from the ground, I'd have burnt myself.

After I got done in OC, I went to a NAPA about 10 miles away,to get some more gear oil, then over to my friends house 2 miles beyond that. I checked the oil level in the diff, and it was not full, but pretty damn close. I topped it off just to be sure. I was also an idiot and added more L/S additive, so now I have almost twice what I need in there for the amount of gear oil, but I don't think it will be a problem.

While I had the truck on jackstands at my friends house, just for Sh!ts and giggles I turned my truck on and put it in gear, just to see what happened. Both wheels started spinning, but the D/S was considerably slower, then eventually jerked a little bit and stopped. the P/S kept going. I put my foot on the P/S to make the drivers side go, and sure enough, the D/S slowed back down to a stop and the P/S picked up its speed again.

From what Trevor and Shane said, here are my possible problems

Bad U-joints
Bad wheel bearings
Low diff fluid (checked that, not the issue)


I'm leaning towards bad wheel bearings, but wanted some extra input before I spend money/time on this. I am extremely strapped for cash right now and need to get it right the first time.



EDIT: ok, here are some other symptoms i've notices in the last couple weeks.

2 weeks ago: no get up and go, felt like i was driving a 2.5L with a 3.5 diff, or like the parking brake was on. (it wasnt, brake shoes are still good)

last week: still no real get up and go, but sometimes tires break loose easily under little power

Yesterday: Topped off diff fluid (which wasn't that low) and the oil that overflowed was a blueish grey color.

oh, also, my back tires have been breaking loose HELLA easily lately... even when doing a granny start.

i cant guess what the issue may be but if i were you id def be taking the diff cover off and inspecting the ring and pinion and pinion and carrier bearings. if you say your diff is hot enough to boil water after driving it id guess something is up inside there.

oh, and when I was topping off my diff, the oil that overflowed out of it was this dark blue-grey color.

I'll try to check that next time im home.

ummm... from what you described with the hot diff, i would guess you chipped/broke teeth of your ring and or pinion, HOWEVER i doubt they would have broken from what you were doing... so i really dont know, does your truck ever jump, jolt, or hop when driving??

mmmm... metal shavings...

I doubt that the rocks had to do anything with it, that was just when I noticed it.

It only hops and jumps when I go over bumps lol, but nothing out of the ordinary. However, The tires break loose incredibly easily on starts, which could be where the jumping and jolting is happening.

That's just FORD POWER!!!!!

no, I've been driving this truck long enough to know how much skinny pedal and clutch it takes to not break loose, and its taking wayyy less of both lately.

OH! Dang, I forgot one other thing... here, i'll add everything to the first post.

Attachment 112040

Wondering if you ever found anything out, mine just got real loud this morning. I suspect it is the pinion bearing. Mine has a really loud high pitch noise and kind of sounds like there is sand in the pumpkin, like a grinding. This is only under acceleration, when I let off the gas it stops. Fluid was changed not too long ago, and filled back up with synthetic. Level is right on. It is hot to the touch, but not going to burn you.

I'll check it tonight when i get home. What color was your fluid? with how many miles? min was bluse-ish with under 6K

sorry, i have nothing more to add to this thread except for LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL @ this ^^^ ha ha it made me spit my coffee all over my desk! lol

/thread jack

Hahaa that made me laugh pretty hard too lol

Uh oh.

Attachment 112035

6,000 miles on fluid. It's real pretty, looks like glitter. I F'd up. I didn't know about the LS additive, so that's just oil, that was once golden colored.

Attachment 112036

Looks like I'm going to need a new rear sooner than I thought. Do you think it's worth it to change out fluid, add LS additive this time, and try to get a few more miles out of it? I didn't want to switch it out for about another month. Just bought a house so cash is kind of tight right now, but if I have to do it, I have to do it.

^^^ that has me really scared... i almost don't want to take mine apart if we have the same problem... :nervous:

what kind of oil did you put in there? and not having the LS additive should not have done that much in 6K miles

hey, powerranger262, pop your diff cover off and take pics of it, and post them up. I'll do the same later tonight after i get home.

I used valvoline synthetic gear oil. I'm going to try to open it up in a little while, and I will take pics.

what weight? i use 80W90, valvoline standard.

I think it's 75w90.

well, of course, I tear it apart, and everything is perfect...

Attachment 111953

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I'm leaning more towards burn't up pinion bearing.



BTW......2nd pic....driverside of pumpkin...you should reattach your axle breather so it's actually not sucking in water...

My mechanic should have caught that when he replaced the pinion seal tho...


its pinched off... should it be connected somewhere?

on the driverside frame rail. In the pics you can see the frame clip. The clip is towards the end of the hose and it clips to the lip of the frame.