ironhead3

The truck:
2000 Ford F150 Lariat, Ext. cab, 4X4, 5.4, flair side. 126,000 miles

The problem:
Goes back a few months. When turning and accelerating, feeling a vibration.
Over the past two weeks with all of the snow and the truck being in 4wd alot, I have noticed it a lot more.

Today:
With the 4wd engaged, making a slow tight turn on snow and ice the wheels seemed to lock up and the truck slid sideways. I pushed the gas pedal to move out of the intersection and it did not want to move at first. Then I pushed a little harder and it moved. I was only 2 blocks from home so drove about 50 feet to a driveway. During that 50 foot drive, the noise was horrible, grinding, pinging, knocking and noises I cannot explain. I stopped, got out, looked underneeth and did not see anything out of the ordinary. I thought maybe the drive shaft for the transfer case would be hanging down or something. I disengaged the 4wd and backed out of the driveway. The noise was much worse than going forward. I drove at about 5 mph back to my house. I asked my wife to get in the truck and go forward and backward as I directed her as I layed on the ground next to the truck. To my surprise the noise was not coming from the front as I thought but from the rear axle. It sounded horrible.

So I'm assuming that I blew the gears in the rear axle. I can do normal everyday maintenance on my truck but this is above me. I just wanted to find out what everyone thought it could be and also a guesstimate of what it would cost to fix it.

Thanks in advance.

Attyates

I know I recently got quoted a rear end rebuild at my local ford dealership and they told me $2000 to rebuild the rear end..

damper

Go to a place that specializes in differential repair.


My dodge rear differential Limited slip rear got eaten up inside. I went to Houston pinion here in Houston Texas, and this 3 yrs ago and after the Dodge dealership quoted me $2500 just tear it down.


TL:TR I went to Houston Pinion and got the job in 2 days and $800 for the whole rear rebuild, with 3month or 7500 mileage guarantee.


I mean a busniness that specialize in these by only thing they chevy dodge and ford etc.

ironhead3

Over the weekend I had my wife jump in the truck again and move the truck back and forth. I noticed the noise seems to be just on the passenger side of the truck. So I crawled under to investigate further. I noticed small shards of freshly grated metal in the rim. I jacked the truck up and pulled the wheel off. I did not see anything out of the ordinary. I did not pull the caliper off or anything because it was about 28 degrees and snowing. A friend of mine who is a mechanic suggested that it could have something to do with my emergency brake. I'm planning on ripping into thid Saturday but is this something that could happen? What could that be? The noise is grinding but I also hear a ting noise like someone hitting a empty soup can with a spoon. If it was the differential I would think it would make a much deeper noise.

Thanks

damper

If it was the differential you will hear a high pitch whining noise that is the best way I can describe it as you driving down the highway.


As far as the emergency brake it could be but the odds of probably not. it is probably the load bearing in your drive mandrel that is coming from the differential if you hear a grinding noise.

alsatropine

iTrader: (2)

Remember you have axle bearings also... jack that side up again a rotate the axle to see if you can replicate the noise. Pray that its not your rear diff. It could be the e brake, did you notice any fluid on your caliper or around the affected side? Have you checked your rear diff fluid to see if its topped off? Do you have a LS rear diff? Sorry for all the questions. I could give you a better idea if you could post a video of the area while its grinding.

ironhead3

Thanks for the replies.
It was the emergency brake. It locked up. Once I got the rotor off all of the pieces fell out. For now I have just removed it and put the wheel back on. So I don't have an e-brake.

Thanks again.