VintageRacer
Dundas, Ontario
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Joined: 04/02/2005
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Shame you're in VA, I have a complete rear axle that would probably fit your truck, new brakes, 4.10 open diff, that I would sell you for $400 if you were near enough to get it...
Get a used axle from a junk yard, inspect it and swap it in. Under a grand, tops.
Brian
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab, Hemi, 5 speed manual, 3.73 gears, Tow Beast hitch with 24" extension.
28 ft race car hauler, Lola T440 Formula Ford, NTM MK4 Sports Racer
1980 MCI MC-5C highway coach conversion
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MrSeven21
Cape Cod MA
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Joined: 03/26/2004
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If I were you I would just go trade it in on a new 2010, This could be the beginning of much bigger problems.
2004 F-250 Crewcab 6.0 Diesel 4x4
2009 Rockwood Roo
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Thunderbolt
North Branch, Mn USA
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Joined: 07/03/2003
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If there was enough damage to warrant a new axle housing you wouldn't be driving the truck right now. At most it should need is a ring and pinion, bearings and seals and it shouldn't be more than $8-1,200. It could just be gear noise. I have a 98 1500 with a 9.5" semi floater and the ring an pinion have been howling since it had about 180,000 miles on it. It now has 288,000 and is still howling the same as it did before. I would take it to a different shop and get an opinion. They say they took the cover off and looked with a cammera ??? Maybe they pulled the fill plug and looked in with a camera. If they actually had the diff. cover off the camera would be useless. They are trying to rip you off !! I wouldn't let them change my oil much less work on the differential. None of us can say to drive it or not to drive it because we cannot hear the noise ourselves.
Bryan
2003 2500HD Ext. cab short box
6.0 liter 4.10 gears, Nelson performance PCM
98 K1500 4x4 heavy duty 1/2 ton
6,600lb GVWR 5,280lbs on the scale empty
14 bolt rear diff. 3:73 , Tranny and oil coolers
280,000 miles still purrin' like a kitten
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CR CRUISER
Campbell River,BC
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Joined: 04/21/2006
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I noticed from your signature that this is a 4WD truck. If you wind up replacing the whole rear differential or even just the gears, make 100% sure that you get the same gear ratio.
I had a customer who had a small garage replace the front axle assembly in his 4WD. They put in a used one from the wreckers and it had a different ratio from the original. Everything seemed fine until one day he shifted into 4WD on the highway. That truck tried to turn itself inside-out with the front wheels turning at a different speed than the rears.
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armyhockeynut
Ft Myer, VA
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Joined: 02/08/2001
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Looked under the truck this am, and for sure, they never removed the cover...all the bolts are still covered in the oil that is leaking out. The fill plug was removed and they must have just used that to look in for the camera. I knwo the seals are leaking as the bottom of the diffrential is soaked and coming from where the transmission feeds into it.
Taking it to another shop that works on all the busses here on post. The truck is too long to fit on any of the lifts here at the Auto Craft shop, otherwise I would have them help me. or have them do it...
Once I talk with this shop, I will have to decide about pulling the trailer?
Truck only has 77,000 miles on it...
AGAIN, THANK YOU for all the comments....
David - Ft Myer, VA
Active Duty Army 26+ years
2004 Terry Quantum 330FKDS
2001 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD 4WD CC LB
8100 VORTEC, Auto ,4.10, Allison Trans
GS Chapter President(2002-2004)
Virginia State Staff (2006-2009)
Good Sam Club Life Member
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WTTCS
freedom , U.S.A.
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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I had the exact same thing happen to me on my sons Dodge. Took it to a local rear end specialist, he installed bearings and gaskets, cost me 600.00. I seriously doubt if any real damage has been done, or you would be calling from the side of the road.
1997 chev crew cab 454, 5 sp. 4.10
2000 Fleetwood Caribou 11.5
1975 Dodge Merry Miler "B"
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Redoildoctor
Land of the Fruits...Nuts...and The Govenator!!!
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Joined: 03/24/2007
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To the OP
First of all, you cannot see any bearing damage with a camera even with the diff cover off let alone through a fill plug. (I would have liked to see their face if you would have asked them to see the camera.)
They are FOS.
To properly inspect the differential it would have to be disassembled and inspected. Removal of differential carrier and pinion would be necessary.
I have repaired many differentials and in EVERY instance of a simple bearing failure, ring and pinion replacement was NOT necessary. Most likely all it will take is pinion bearings, carrier bearings and possibly axle bearings. Thats it.
Most ring and pinion whine is caused by improper backlash and/or pinion depth. Which can be attributed to worn out bearings and in almost all cases would not require the replacement of the ring and pinion.
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ib516
Up here!
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Joined: 04/18/2003
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Redoildoctor wrote:To the OP
First of all, you cannot see any bearing damage with a camera even with the diff cover off let alone through a fill plug. (I would have liked to see their face if you would have asked them to see the camera.)
They are FOS.
To properly inspect the differential it would have to be disassembled and inspected. Removal of differential carrier and pinion would be necessary.
I have repaired many differentials and in EVERY instance of a simple bearing failure, ring and pinion replacement was NOT necessary. Most likely all it will take is pinion bearings, carrier bearings and possibly axle bearings. Thats it.
Most ring and pinion whine is caused by improper backlash and/or pinion depth. Which can be attributed to worn out bearings and in almost all cases would not require the replacement of the ring and pinion.
x2
2010 Cougar 322QBS 5er
2007 Dodge 3500 Megacab, 4x4, 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel, 3.73, 48RE auto
Hypertech Max Energy 
PICTURES
Prev Trucks:
2002 Dodge 2500, 4x4, Cummins Turbo Diesel, 3.55, 47RE auto
2001 Dodge 2500, 4x4, 360 gasser, 4.10, 46RE auto
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Jarlaxle
New England
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Joined: 11/18/2006
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I'd go junkyard axle: look for a truck in good condition hit in the side (ahead of the box) or front. Avoid rolled trucks.
FWIW, I saw an F-350 wrecker wind up almost 200,000 miles with a noisy axle bearing.
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body...sold!
1992 International Genesis...purchased
Traveling with my wife Liz, 3 nutty cats, one lazy dog
I am so sick of winter it isn't funny...
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