I need some advice to accompany me in my research. I'm not sure exactly what yet is making noise, but I have a noise coming from my rear end, either in the differential, drive-shaft, or any bearing/bushing within it.

Reference vehicle: 2000 2wd open diff 4.10 gear

Can I make a good weekend project out of dropping the drive-shaft at the U-joints, tearing open the diff, and re-lubing everything while looking for damage or the potential cause of this noise?

Now...more about my problem:
I can hear it when under power only. If I let off the gas, it stops. It's most prominent from a stop.

It's a loud, intermittent, wheel-speed-variable "SQUEEK", almost like the sound of a badly rubbing brake-shoe. It's possible it's just a wheel bearing, but that doesn't explain why it's only when it's driving forward and not coasting.

Before this squeaking and squaking came about, I had a very unusual sound coming from the rear when doing a jack-rabbit start (jumping on it from a standstill). It sounded like a pinion gear tooth was missing, and the ring gear would "skip" over this missing tooth and BANG together when it re-grabbed the next gear tooth. I doubt this was the problem, but it's the best way to describe it.

I also had a significant low-speed vibration when accelerating from a stop between 15 and 25 mph. It felt like driving over those "Lake Ahead" signal grooves in the road at a high speed...

Any help would be much appreciated...either in diagnosing the problem, or the most economical way to go about fixing it. I wouldn't mind a good weekend project, and I could easily remove the bed and I have all the air-tools and things to do the work. However, I need to do it as cheaply as possible.

 

i would start with a U-joint. That thud or jump is prolly the slip yoke on the driveshaft which is common in rangers.

I vote replace the U-joint at the drivshaft where it connects to the diff.

 

That's exactly where I wanted to start, then do a test drive and hope it's gone. What's involved with U-joints? Any special tools needed? I believe it's a matter of removing the retainers and dropping the driveshaft, but I've never actually done it.

Also, would a U-joint cause this squeaking?

 

yes a U joint can squeak. rangererv made a how to on the Ujoints. check it out in the how to section

 

I'm ready now, thanks to Rangererv's How-To article.

When you remove the bolts holding the rear of the shaft to the diff
WHAT KIND OF BOLT IS THAT? Will a standard impact socket work?


While I'm at it, I will probably change my diff fluid too. Are there any bearings or other areas I should inspect while I've got it open??? Is it possible to check the ring and pinion without removing anything? Will the drive yoke/pinion come out of the diff easily?

 

you dont want to remove the gears. you can see them when you take the cover off.

you can use a 12mm wrench to remove the bolts.

 

your missing a bolt dude

 

Good call, dude! Actually I stole the picture from the How-To....

 

...sorry I have a boyfriend.




haha...I figured someone would have said something by now...

 

Did I miss something?

 

Rangererv(Evan) had a squeak from his Ujoints. It was only when he was moving and it was at the same speed as the driveshaft. Replacing them should take care of the problem.

 

Thanks for all the great information and advice guys! Here's a token of my appreciation...an e-gift to you all...each containing your own e-dubie!
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~



I guess with 110,000 miles on the OEM U-joints, it's probably time. ...now if I could just do those tie rods and ball joints!

 

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me out with changing U-joints and diagnosing my problem. I got 2 new U-joints on the driveshaft, only costing $13 each, with grease zerks, and the truck drives good-as-new! All my noises and vibrations dissapeared!

Now...the four 12mm bolts that connects the driveshaft to the differential were difficult to remove. However, now that I've got it all back together I can't stop thinking about those 4 bolts falling out. My standard 12mm Impact socket wouldn't fit the head since it's "star-shaped" and my socket was standard octagonal (or whatever it is). So I had to use a wrench and mallet to "tighten" them up satisfactorily.

What kind of thread lock should I put on these bolts? I noticed the "yellow" thread lock from the factory...and read it required a torch to "unlock" the threads. Should it be Hi-Temp thread lock, or just super strong stuff?

 

i would use some blue or possibly red loc-tite. but im sure you have them tight enough. i doubt they would just fall out

 

I banged the heck outta the wrench with a mallat to "torque" it down as much as I could. I doubt they'll fall out too, but it's a good excuse to spend an evening in the garage! I'll get a start-shaped impact socket and torque it with that after I get some loc-tite.

I had fun diagnosing, then fixing this problem since it provided such immediate results! Now I'm wondering if an LSD would benefit me enough to justify the money, time, and labor involved. What do you think?

The truck has 108,000 miles on it, and it's still running like a champ!

 

Glad it worked for ya. limited slip is always nice but its alot of money to just buy off the shelf.

 

Since the Ranger has a 7.5 diff, I guess it won't be compatible with an Explorer limited slip? I was planning to call around some junk-yards, but wondered if the Explorer axle is a 7.5 also...

 

You check to see if that’s not the problem?

 

Yep how did he not see that ? Probably the problem right there.