rear end noise

[rhinouga]

Hey people. My mom's explorer's rear end is making a horrid noise, and it has been for a few months now. We took it to a shop and they said rear end needed to be replaced. Well I'm want ing to see this for myself. So what can I do to check different parts. The noise is high-pitched and increases with pitch and volume under acceleration. I'm fairly adept at car repairs, so throw any ideas at me. Also if it is the rear end. Why not upgrade while i'm at it . The car is used purely for a daily driver. NEVER offroad. Which rear ends would swap easily? What kind of performance gains could be had from this kind of swap?.

 

[Jason_25]

Your mom's explorer has just about the best rear end it could ever get, the Ford 8.8.

The noise coming from the rearend is most likely the wheel bearings, have them checked at a local service place. Unless the fluid leaked out, it's highly unlikely that the axle has failed.

 

[Big E]

When does the noise accur. While going down the road accelerating? Or decel? Does it sound like waawaa or more like a moan. At work I am called the "ass-man" and no I am not gay! I rebuild rear ends. Sounds like you might have a bad pinion bearing or maybe a bad carrier bearing.

Keep me posted

Eric

 

[rhinouga]

It makes a high-pitched whrrrring noise. It happens while cruising at a steady speed and while accelerating, but not usually while decel. What is involved in changing the pinion or carrier bearing. Could this have damaged any other parts while it was at it.

-Ryan

 

[bgracen]

You either have bad pinion bearings (inner or outer), bad side carrier bearings, or bad axle bearings. I would guess pinion bearings. It is a job that is best left up to an adept mechanic who is used to setting up ring and pinion. You could do much damage if you set it up incorrenctly. I do about two chrysler rear ends a week at my garage, but explorers and fords for that matter are quite rare. I hope this helps.

 

[Robb]

If you have gotten some prices on rear-end rebuilds, if they are more than $600, let me know. I had mine done and it was $500 and a year and 1/2 later, it is whining again. I found this guy on eBay with complete rear axles, with rotors and brakes, for $550. He suppossedly has multiple gear ratios and they are NOS overstocks from Ford. Me = morrisey0@yahoo.com

 

[Big E]

If you just have a bearing issue you don't need to reset the ring and pinion, becsuse you are not changing anything. Just make sure you put the spacers back were you got them from. But it sounds like to me you have a front pinion bearing bad. Reason being, you hear it on accel not deccel. But things you will need to do the job properly. Press, bearing splitter, mulit adapters for pressing bearings on and off, BIG breaker bar, (when you pull out the pinion gear you will need a new crush sleeve) and there are other things you will need too. But this gives you an idea if you want to do this your self or have somone else do it for you.


Eric