Rear Differential problems

[tperez715]

I have a 2004 Ex XLT... the rear has been making noise for quite a while now... we changed out the fluid and added the modifier.... seemed to help for a while but now the noise is back and back with an attitude! The noise was so bad that it sounded like we were driving off the side of the road and went over the safety cuts in the road

so the question is this... I have priced the rears and as you know they are pretty pricey... we are trying to do this the cheapest way possible for the time being... we don't have room to work or the time for a rebuild... our choices are a simple repair or a complete swap... can the gears (guts) of the diff be removed and will the truck still go? we had 4x4 issues with another ex and were able to remove the shaft connected to the front wheels and reverted to rear wheel drive til we fixed the 4x4... does it work the same for the rear?

please help!!! we are stuck here with no transporation and a lot of dr appointments!!

 

[imp]

I have a 2004 Ex XLT... the rear has been making noise for quite a while now... we changed out the fluid and added the modifier.... seemed to help for a while but now the noise is back and back with an attitude! The noise was so bad that it sounded like we were driving off the side of the road and went over the safety cuts in the road

so the question is this... I have priced the rears and as you know they are pretty pricey... we are trying to do this the cheapest way possible for the time being... we don't have room to work or the time for a rebuild... our choices are a simple repair or a complete swap... can the gears (guts) of the diff be removed and will the truck still go? we had 4x4 issues with another ex and were able to remove the shaft connected to the front wheels and reverted to rear wheel drive til we fixed the 4x4... does it work the same for the rear?please help!!! we are stuck here with no transporation and a lot of dr appointments!!

First, is this an AWD (All Wheel Drive)? If the noise issue is severe, it indicates something will "give way", maybe soon. If it is NOT AWD, you have the 3 pushbuttons labeled "4X4 AUTO", "4X4 HIGH", and "4X4 LOW" ? For a SHORT TERM, removal of the rear driveshaft and use of "4X4 HIGH" COULD be used to drive the vehicle. This would remove load from the rear gearset. How are you certain the noise originates in the center section, and not in a wheel hub?

1st. bold: Removing guts would involve so much work, by the time that was done, it might as well have been replaced, or repaired. Best guts to remove would be the axle shafts, themselves; they have to come out, in order to remove center section parts anyway.

2nd. bold: Not exactly the same. Understand, that I am suggesting a short-term way of keeping use of the vehicle. I do not RECOMMEND doing it, though. imp