Ideas about Rear End

[Thub]

Ok so here's the deal, truck has 130k on it. Fully tuned up, new tires, new front suspension, all new rear axles and wheel bearings, all new brakes, cooling system is completely over hauled besides for a new water pump, and both cam tensioners are new.

Truck's rear end is now failing, metal shaving in the rear diff fluid, I have also noticed it has a noticeable whine that has gotten louder over the past several weeks. A reputable shop that I go to often gave me the rebuild price of about $1250, $800 being labor, and the rest parts and what not. Seemed about right since both axles have to be pulled and that big ass pumpkin has to be dropped and torn open.

I really only need the vehicle for another year tops. So do I dump it now when it is still worth decent money and buy a cheap replacement car, or should I even consider having the rear diff rebuilt?

My first thought was to can the Explorer right away because it has been such a pain and money pit, but now that I finally get it to be a good vehicle it has this major failure. I'm worried that if I spend all this money on the rear end then the original transmission (to my knowledge) might fail down the road, leaving me so upset that I would just push the thing off a bridge into a river or wrap it around a tree, that's if it can still move.

I'm open to any thoughts and opinions, as this decision is leaving me in a very difficult place either way.

 

[ponkotsu]

I'd just buy one at the boneyard and replace it myself. It's rare that they fail like that so a used one should last you a long time especially if you put new oil in it. Every used car is going to need continuous repair. Unless the repair is more than the cost of getting a new car then it's cheaper to keep fixing it.

 

[Thub]

It would still cost over $1000 to put a junkyard unit in. Junk yards want anywhere from $400 to $800 for a used differential, plus the cost to swap it in. I'd rather rebuilt it and have all new if I were to keep it.

 

[ponkotsu]

It would still cost over $1000 to put a junkyard unit in. Junk yards want anywhere from $400 to $800 for a used differential, plus the cost to swap it in. I'd rather rebuilt it and have all new if I were to keep it.

Don't know what junk yard you go to, but Pull n Pay gets about $50 for one. Can't imagine paying $800. If you can't do the work yourself it's going to cost money

 

[boominXplorer]

What gear ratio you have? I have a 3.55 open out of an 04 with 55k mi for $250

 

[Thub]

There is no way I am going to pull that diff myself, you need the vehicle to be lifted to remove that IRS setup. It would take forever to pull that yourself, you have to remove both axle shafts, and then drop it from the vehicle, probably need a transmission jack since it must weigh over 100 lbs. Plus that is all high torque stuff, air tools are a must, no way you could remove that pumpkin at a "you pull it" yard. I bet some of the bolts that hold the diff to the frame are +200 ft-lbs, plus 12 years of Wisconsin winters, no way someone like me could remove it without serious air tools.

I've called multiple large junkyards around Wisconsin and their pricing is consistent. Even old solid axles for F150s go for around $200 here, anything cheap is total garbage.

I need the top end diff, 3.73 LSD.

It's either rebuild or bye bye Explorer. Plus I'd rather not risk putting another 2002 differential in and have it fail again, Ford had some serious issues with those early IRS setups, total garbage.