strawsb

FYI I am a Ford tech! Yes i would love to make the $30 to change your diff fluid no problem but when you come back after a while and its doig it again and ticked because you just spent $200 for a fluid change and now its going to be another $400 to do it again! Ya do it right the first time if money allows! If not just drain and fill but highly recomend a replacement! Not trying to sell you a service just trying to look out for you in the near future! Domt take offence to this but I've seen this issue 50 times this year at the shop, I am sure I know what I am talking about! I mean thats why I get paid the big buck to fix stuff and have a Ford master certification in Driveline and engine performance as well as suspension!

bobkyle2

There are countless threads here saying fluid change fixed there issue. Sometimes that is the case.. Sometimes its too far gone. I've seen this issue over 50 times a year and 80% of the time fluid change fixes it.

strawsb

All I am saying is if it were my truck I would just replace the clutch disks! I mean my cost with no labor because I would of course do it myself would be around $250 for all I need to do it including fluid and modifier

mgauts

To each his own, but changing parts is alot more time consuming and expensive then a simple fluid change, especially if it is a new occurance. If it has been doing it for a while it may need a clutch pack I agree. However, as a tech you know that before recommending a service that you must ask the correct questions to properly recommend it. So to that end, I ask the OP how long has this been going on for?

strawsb

Your very correct on just the fluid change and changing the clutch packs takes like 20 min! You see as a tech I report to the service writer and even if I say they need fluid because the rear end is wearing the fluid or whatever it is we can all agree the clutch disks are wearing! They go to the customer and tell them it needs it or the truck is unsafe and not derivable and could fall out of the truck! None is true they get commission so more service they sell more they make just to let everyone know that! I would still recomend doing everything replacing fluid and disks but like you said depends how long maybe just fluid will fix it! I would just do it all if it was my vehicle thats just how i am!

mgauts

Your comment raises a question, are they actually wearring that bad? They are friction disks, ment to create friction in order to lock up. With poor lubricity the chattering is obviously just the clutch packs grabing instead of slipping. How much wear is that actually creating? The fluid is there to allow slip for differential action and only allows lock up under larger amount of torque. I have not seen the end result of burnt clutch packs that you have replaced, but I have seen multiple wet clutch disks and when they are worn the resulting symptom is not lock up but rather no lock up what so ever. Just thinking out loud here lol. Ive changed my fluid twice in the past because of this and they still lock up, perhaps next time I will change them in order to insure proper performance.

04_lariat_4x4

About a month or so, could've been longer I just haven't noticed until I got in the slower tight city driving here at school. The chattering noise that I've thought was my exhaust has been going on for several months, probably almost close to a year, cause like I said I've been thinking its just loose exhaust tips so I didn't worry about it

strawsb

Yes the material wears off on the outer disks and create a case where the limited free wheeling for turns is being weaker and wanting to grab the disk wearing out actually makes it grab and lock unlike it should! I know it dosnt sound right but thats what it is! The slip is actually friction to metal sliding on eachother then removing that slip agent aka friction material will make it want to grab more

strawsb

I know you could change fluid and it may help but who knows! It could be a waste but they will go out eventually so I would just as soon replace them just do it now and get it over with!

mgauts

In this case, I would agree. It has apperently been a while since the first "chatter", therefore I would recommend the clutch pack be replaced.