yep that whining is your rear diff.... im looking into fixing mine now... has not started but will....
it seems that the driveshaft is not sloped correctly from factory and off by some degrees from the tranny/tranfer case to the diff... causing some binding, therefore bearing and pinion and ring failure... ford will just replace it but it will come back... pretty sad theres no recall.. Ford is sandbaging the HUGE problem.... ive already filed a complaint... if enouph yell and scream maybe a recall will be issued. The other factory problem is the HORRIBLE 5r55 tranny.... mine already doesnt shift into 5th sometimes and has hard shifts.... the 06' explorer will sport durable 6speed auto from the Navi... I think its the 6R100....
Im replacing my ENTIRE drive train.... new stand alone 2001 4R70W tranny, ATLAS II manual tranfer case, and im going to see what the problem with the diff or driveshaft, rather than fricken ford just patching a problem im going to fix it. Im also getting beef up driveshafts and ill make sure the slopes and degrees are correct etc.
I cant beleive ford let this problem through the entire 2003-2005 Explores... I can see it being a mistake on 2002 ... but gees... through 2005... thats just no shame and a huge slap in the cunsumers face... we pay a lot a frickin money for these vehicles....
RANT OFF...
If you have a warrenty get it fixed (patched) at the dealer... if you dont and your tranny goes... DONT WASTE your money on another sh&tty tranny, spend half the money and buy a stand alone 4R70W 98 and up tranny like from a 5.4 truck or a mustang gt.... im not sure if the 4R70W will bolt up to our tranfer case but thats easy to find out... im getting a bullet proof ATLAS II TC, theres only like 1/2'' differnece in lenth with this entire setup.... ill probably spend about an extra 1,000 on my new drive train compared to just a new 5r55. And ill have the new 4R70, ATLAS TC, front and rear driveshafts and the full harness with a stand alone computer for the tranny.... considering ill do the labor. Basically a bullet proof drivetrain that will withstand anything.... last step will be some beefed up half shafts...
Hopefully someone will find out the EXACT problem so we can address a real fix. Meanwhile when my new motor arrives like in three weeks after tweeking that im checking the slope angles and tackling that problem.... ill post my findings.... but im pretty confident its a bad slope... and the symtons seem that way....
