Hopefully I don't violate any rules or terms with the title. I'm new to the group, joined in hopes to find answers with my work truck. I have a 02 f150 XLT (crew cab) 4x4 4.6L with 287k miles on the truck. Bought the truck from my current boss for 500$ 2 1/2 years ago being it wasn't driving. He replaced the motor (with a used motor that had 76k miles). My at the time coworker drove it for roughly 2 weeks after the motor replacement before it started "not shifting". So he stopped driving it, the truck sat for roughly 6 months before I bought it for the 500$. Ended up adding a quart of Lucas stop leak/slip fluid. Then another 2 and 1/4 quarts of regular atf for it to driveway no problems.

Fast forward 2 years after a 1600 miles round trip and being a daily work truck. Milage currently at 318k on the body and trans. I finally have some real issues with the truck. I wrote all of this to give a lil back story to help assess the "damages/case" since I've had it and my knowledge of the truck before I got it.

With 318k on the truck (besides the motor) it currently broke down for shavings in the rear end drain plug magnet & a bad rear diff yoke/pinion seal. Along with a terrible roaring sound in the rear end (mainly when I left off the gas). (That is the main reason) There has also been issues with the transmission prior to me parking it. Basic info on the tranny situation is delayed shifting (mainly into drive) more worse in the past month of it driving (as in having to rev it a little for it to actually go into gear) than the 4-6 months of the issue starting ( I'm assuming the clutch pack for drive or something, also I'm not a mechanic)

I also had another issue that persistent for the 4-6 months prior to it breaking down. When going over 45 and letting off the fuel I noticed a really bad shaking in the truck mainly in the floor board not so much the steering.

When the rear end started the leaking and roaring I ultimately assumed maybe the throw out bearing is the issue for the shaking and the roaring along with the leaking.

I want to replace the throw out and pinion bearing in the rear end but want to get a few thoughts on my situation/case/story before I go down this loop whole and ultimately invest money in a honestly reliable vehicle up till this point that I got for dirt cheap at the time..

I apologize for the probably crazy long message this may be and understand if you have made it this far that you may be invested. So if you can give me a insight on my next steps before I cut my losses or pay a shop 2500$ for the rear end and another 3200$ to replace the tranny id appreciate a reply with some helping information.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Thanks I'm hoping to find some positive information on my steps moving forward with my journey of owning a Ford.

 

I'd have the rear end rebuilt
The pinion yokes used to get loose when the pinion bearings failed
I would replace the trans with a Ford reman

 

The problems described sound substantial. Do you have the ability to rebuild the rear yourself? How about the transmission? Costly to have someone else do it. With over 300k on the clock I would have to suspect that this work would be much more than the value of the truck. As a work truck I picture it not being in prestine like new condition.

I would say you got your $500 out of it and move on.

 

(Reply)
I've definitely gotten my 500 out of it. Also as expected it has rust flakey paint squeaky ball joints and bushings all the normal wear and tare.
Now as said before I'm no mechanic. I know my way around a truck but I'm not a mechanic. I've thought about buying a rebuilt tranny and doing that myself because it's not rocket science. But changing out the pinion requires pulling the axles out and removing the spider gears which I've never done before.

​​​​​​I do enjoy the truck and could see me having it for awhile. But I also want to make sure this is the truck I want to let eat my money 😅

 

​​​would you be able to give me a " general " price range on what a reman tranny should cost for this this model? Also the idea to have someone do the rear end I think is the way I want to go.. I don't have the time nor dedication to learn how to do it correctly/ also don't have nearly the he amount of tools for that either.

 

I would think labor for the rear to be $800 to $1000. You have to look up parts. If there are shavings, you need to consider where they came from. Minimum bearings and seals.

The transmission will be a project if you are not familiar and don't have shop tools at your disposal. I have not looked into it. Dropping the transfer case requires removing the torsion bar keys and crossmember. Air tools and a torch will be handy. Do you own a transmission jack?

You mentioned rust. Are the cab and bed mounts solid? Floor pans? Drop the spare and check the frame and crossmember supports.

This is thousands if you do it yourself rear parts, transmission, seals, lube, misc parts you will need to replace when chipping through the rust and dirt to take it apart. There are plenty of these trucks on Marketplace.

 

I just had the front diff rebuilt on my '03. I supplied most of the parts and it cost me $800-$900. I would look for a used on at a junk yard. If you have a 4 speed Automatic trans, your looking at between $2000 and $3000 to have it rebuilt by a shop. I would look for a used one as well. You used the words "throw out Bearing" in your description of the issues. This would indicate a manual transmission. Is it Manual or Automatic? To rebuild an automatic yourself is not an easy task. My father-in-law and I tried and we couldn't get it to shift correctly. Took it to the shop we bought the parts from and one or more of the orifices were egged out, not enough to see but with the proper tools was found by the shop. Used might be the better route, especially with the miles and age. As far as the front diff, some parts are no longer made. The shop had to get some from Ebay. If you go with a used rear Diff, make sure it the numbers match the one that is in the truck now. If your truck is a 4x4, and you don't match the diffs properly, you will have other problems. Just my 2 cents, but I would go with used parts.

 

I appreciate all the advice, the truck is a automatic with overdrive. I figured if I'm going to put any money into it the best idea is to buy a parts truck to just pull things as it breaks. I ultimately would like to keep the truck because every make/model/year of vehicles comes with there own list of problems.. I paid 500$ originally so I'm not very invested other than the set of all terrains I put on before it broke down.

Also the rust isn't terrible just basic rust stuff I live in tn so most of it is from salt from the roads I'd imagine. Most the brackets and mounts are still secure to the frame (from what I can tell).

My only concern with buying a parts truck is I run the risk of replacing the trans again (being I find a parts truck with a trans that has decent miles) . I'd then be buying a rebuilt or trying to have a shop refurbish one.